Princess Elara lounged on the velvet cushion beside the High Luna, laughing softly at sothing on her communication device. One of her fans had just asked when she planned to reveal the lucky wolf destined to beco her mate.
The mont she spotted Brandon, she rose smoothly to her feet and slipped her arms around him.
"Princess, you look radiant on this moonrise."
Elara laughed under her breath. "You always say that."
She grabbed his hand before he could slip past her and tugged him closer like he wasn’t trying to leave. Like he was still a reckless young pup sneaking through palace halls.
"How’s Emma? I thought she’d be here with you."
"She’s busy with her story." He glanced over his shoulder, turning toward Luna Alexandra as he spoke.
"Moonrise, my High Luna."
Brandon’s voice ca steady as he stepped in.
The High Luna didn’t look up at first. She slid her glasses off slowly, placed them beside a stack of papers, and finally lifted her eyes to him.
"Brandon."
Luna Alexandra didn’t move from her chair.
She just tilted her head slightly.
Her eyes flicked to him. "You’re ten minutes late."
Her brow lifted slightly as she leaned back in her chair. "So tell ..." a faint smirk tugged at her mouth, "was it company business... or did your mate decide you weren’t allowed to leave yet?"
"I was in the king’s duty chamber."
The high Luna leaned back against the velvet cushions, rolling her eyes toward the crystal chandelier glittering above them.
"Did he invite you too?"
She lifted a brow as she stepped deeper into the chamber. Brandon closed the cabinet behind him and shook his head.
"No. But I needed to talk to him."
"About what?"
He slipped one hand into his pocket and leaned against the table.
"I wanted us to have a normal father-and-pup conversation for once."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "And what exactly did you two talk about?"
A slow grin pulled at Brandon’s mouth.
"I’ll tell you later."
"I want to hear it now."
She folded her arms and stared at him until he chuckled softly.
"Is that why you invited here?"
"No."
Brandon leaned back in the chair. "Then why am I here?"
His fingers tapped once on the armrest and stopped.
"I want your father to change so of the laws that govern the royal house."
She slid the teacup forward without looking at it.
"So of these laws don’t fit anymore."
Her hand stayed on the cup.
Her fingers pressed in slowly, just enough to leave a faint tremor in the porcelain.
"They’re just too old for the way we live now."
She let out a tired sigh and looked toward the window.
"I tried talking to him about it last week, but your father already made up his mind before I could finish speaking." Her lips curved bitterly. "Then he walked out. Just like he always does."
Brandon frowned slightly. "What law?"
She lifted her eyes to him.
"Brandon... I want your father to abolish the ’no severance’ law."
Silence settled heavily across the chamber.
Princess Elara slowly turned toward her, stunned, while Brandon stayed still in his chair.
Luna Alexandra lowered her gaze to her fingers.
"I know this won’t be easy for you to hear,"
she said quietly. "But our bond is over."
Her throat moved as she swallowed.
Her hands loosened in her lap.
"I want a bond severance."
No one spoke.
The only sound was the fire cracking in the corner.
Brandon stared at her for a long mont while Elara sat frozen beside him.
Finally, his voice ca low and careful.
"Why?"
"We’re not happy anymore." Luna Alexandra rubbed her thumb slowly against the edge of her ring.
"He hates ... and he’s cheating on ."
Brandon’s head snapped up.
"Really?"
His stare locked on her. Didn’t blink.
"With who?"
"I don’t know." She gave a small shake of her head. "But I know he’s cheating."
He exhaled hard and turned toward Elara.
He leaned forward slightly.
"Elara... give us a minute."
Elara rose imdiately from the velvet cushion, smoothing her dress as she stepped away. She had barely taken two steps when Luna Alexandra’s voice stopped her.
"No." She looked up at her. "She’s an adult, and I invited her here because I want her to hear this too."
She gestured lightly toward the chair.
"Elara, please sit."
Elara hesitated before slowly walking back. Her hands tightened around the sides of her dress as she lowered herself into the chair again.
The words she’d heard already sat heavily in her chest.
Brandon leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees.
"You two have been having problems?"
She nodded once. "Yes."
"When did it start?"
A faint smile touched her lips, but it never reached her eyes.
"Twenty winters ago." She looked down at her hands for a mont. "And I can’t do it anymore."
Brandon’s eyes shifted to Elara. She wasn’t reacting—just sitting there, calm, like she already knew.
He leaned back slightly, jaw tightening. So she’s heard this before...
"What happened twenty winters ago?" he asked, voice low.
Luna’s fingers curled around the fabric of her dress. She shook her head once.
"I don’t want to talk about it."
Her gaze lifted to him, steady but tired.
"Brandon, just speak to your father. I want to go."
Elara leaned forward a little. "Mother... tell him. He needs to know."
Luna let out a quiet breath and looked away.
"I’m not discussing it with anyone." Her voice dropped. "It’s one of the worst things I’ve lived through."
She pressed her lips together, then slowly stood.
"I don’t want to talk about it again."
Brandon watched her carefully. "Alright... then let’s at least bring in a matebond counselor."
She stopped mid-step.
"No."
Her hand tightened at her side, fingers curling once before she forced them still.
"My mind is made up."
Silence held between them.
"I want out. Counseling won’t fix this."
Elara’s voice softened. "Mother... you signed the bond agreent. You can’t request severance like that."
Luna Alexandra turned back slowly.
"That’s why I called both of you first."
Her eyes moved between them.
"Before I speak to your father."
A faint pause settled in the air.
"You need to convince him to abolish the law... and let go when he arrives."
"Did you cheat on him?" Elara asked, voice careful.
"No." Luna shook her head, a faint, tired smile brushing her lips.
"When was the last ti you were together as mates?" She hesitated briefly before adding, "I an... when was the last ti you slept together?"
"Elara!" Luna’s head snapped up, sharp and quick.
Brandon lifted a hand slightly. "She’s an adult mother." His voice stayed calm. "Answer her."
She exhaled through her nose.
"Two winters ago."
The chamber went still. No one spoke.
Brandon blinked once. "And you’re saying he cheated?"
"Yes." Her voice rose a little. "Because it’s not my fault. He stopped coming to my chamber."
Brandon’s brow furrowed. "What happened to his chamber?"
"I stopped going," she shot back. "I got tired of being turned away every ti."
Elara leaned in slightly. "How often did you see each other before that?"
"Once every two or three full moons." Luna shrugged faintly. "We were fine with it."
Elara’s eyes widened. "Moon goddess..." She shook her head slightly, voice dropping.
"Mother, are you sure he was okay with that?"
"Yes."
Her fingers curled tighter into her sleeve.
"One week was already a lot..." Her voice wavered slightly. "And now it’s three full moons... and it just keeps stretching into two winters of drifting apart?"
She exhaled under her breath. "You really left him starving."
"No." Luna Alexandra’s gaze dropped to the floor.
"But if he wasn’t okay with it... he would’ve said sothing."
Elara went quiet for a beat. "Then why did you stop going to him?"
Luna’s jaw tightened. She looked away toward the window.
"I don’t want to talk about that."
Her gaze dropped to the floor. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve, holding on a second too long before she let go and looked away.
"But you’ve left no choice, Elara."
"He took you and Helena on vacation two winters ago." Luna’s gaze stayed fixed ahead. "When you ca back, I noticed sothing. The way he looked at her... the way she stayed close to him."
Elara’s head lifted sharply. "Mother, Helena volunteered to co with us because you broke the deal. Father loves traveling. He always has."
She leaned forward slightly, hands open on her knees.
"We traveled all the ti... until you started staying back with Brandon."
Luna gave a small, quiet smile. "Maybe Brandon and I just aren’t the traveling type."
Elara let out a short breath. "No one loves adventure more than Brandon." Her voice softened, but stayed firm. "We know why he stopped going with us. He didn’t want attention... he didn’t want to be seen."
She shook her head once.
"Sothing happened between them. I noticed it," Luna Alexandra said quietly.
Elara swallowed. Didn’t move back.
"Then you’re wrong about Helena."
Elara’s voice stayed low.
The words cut clean across the chamber.
Silence snapped shut.
Luna Alexandra’s hand stilled on her sleeve. Slowly, she turned.
"...What did you just say?"
Elara held her gaze. She didn’t back away.
"Helena didn’t do what you think she did."
Brandon’s brow pulled tight. "Elara..."
A knock hit the door.
Once.
Then again, harder this ti.
"The King will arrive in ten minutes," a guard called from outside.
The chamber went stil.
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