"Who are you?" Emma asked.
Brandon kept quiet and left her question unanswered. Tears clouded her eyes imdiately. She desperately needed an answer and knew to get it from him, she had to color her words in a neutral shade. She walked towards him, knelt at his back, and leaned on his shoulder.
"Brandon, I’m sorry; please, talk to ," she whispered.
"I introduced myself to you on social dia, and you called a scamr and blocked ! I followed you everywhere to tell you who I am, but you kept embarrassing and humiliating ," he snapped.
Emma blinked, confused for a heartbeat.
"Your mark... it’s gone."
Oliver’s golden eyes twinkled.
"All part of turning eighteen."
Emma nodded slowly, her mind racing. She knew wolves’ marks and powers evolved at that age, yet seeing him without it made her heart skip. He was the sa... and yet completely different.
"I’m sorry," Emma murmured.
"It’s fine," Brandon said.
"Why were you pretending to be soone else? Brandon, you don’t need to be him to get my attention," she added.
"I’m not pretending," he replied.
"W...w...what a coincidence, both of you have similar characteristics, and he... was also an... a... Soulcrafter," Emma sputtered as the beautiful painting he was making amazed her.
"You are looking at the breasts again," he teased.
"What!!" she exclaid and moved away imdiately because she had indeed been looking at the size of the breasts. She always did each ti Brandon drew her.
Brandon stood up, walked into his closet, and ca out with another painting. He gave it to her after staring at it for a while. She wiped her tears and took the painting from him. Her tears dried up imdiately, and her throat beca dry.
"You rejected this, but I kept it for you. I know that one day, you will appreciate it," he said.
Emma stood up and looked deep into his eyes. What she saw was more than a re pretense. She didn’t know what to do—run to him or away from him. She dropped the picture on the floor and began running towards the door. Brandon quickly stopped her and held her tight. They stood still for more than ten minutes. Her tears wet his pristine singlet.
"I visited the park every Saturday, hoping you would show up one day, but you never did," Emma whispered as she buried her face in his chest. He remained quiet, uttering no word.
"I wanted to thank you for pulling out of that hellhole territory. When my mother ca and took ho, I knew you had a hand in it. What did you do?" Emma asked softly.
"My absence scared the hell out of my parents. They almost declared missing. When I returned the next day, I opened up to my father. He scolded , sealed my secret exit, and kept under total surveillance.
He wanted to invite you to our house every Saturday to pose for , but after investigation, he brought another she-wolf instead. I did not stop drawing you whenever the new wolf posed because you are always in my heart and I’m used to you. I tried to draw the new wolf several tis, but the picture ended up looking like you," Brandon explained.
"Where is the she-wolf now?" Emma whimpered.
"My mother later adopted her, and she moved into our pack. She is the one my packmates and allies close to my pack-kin refer to as my mate," he replied.
"Where is she?"
"She is with my parents," Brandon said. Silence followed.
"Is she in love with you?" Emma asked.
"I think she is not; she is obsessed with ," he muttered.
"Oh...my moon goddess!... And you?"
"You are always in my heart, Emma. My heart beats for you," Brandon whispered, fixing his rare golden eyes on hers.
Silence fell again. He held her head firmly as their gazes locked. His rare golden eyes bore into her, and she felt a warmth she had never felt before.
"All the promises you made to , you never kept any," she said, lowering her face.
"I kept all, except claiming you when you turned eighteen," he murmured.
Emma lifted her head to look at his face.
"You did?"
"You will figure them out gradually," Brandon replied. Silence lingered in the chamber.
"Have you slept with her?"
"She is like a sibling to , even though she was not legally adopted," he said.
Emma knew the answer. Tears rolled down her cheeks and wet his singlet.
"When did you sleep with her last?"
"Just once; I was depressed and heartbroken."
"Why?"
"I looked unrecognizable because of what I went through, and it was all because of you. I couldn’t wait to hold you in my arms when I ca back from England. You were the first person I wanted to see, but you rejected and humiliated . I could not stand your rejection," he admitted.
"That was three years ago, right?"
"Yes," he confird.
"Since she ca to your pack house when she was just a teenager, you are probably her first," Emma guessed.
"No, I’m not," Brandon said.
"Can you guess your position?"
"Maybe her fourth or fifth," he admitted.
"Not all virgins bleed," Emma stated.
"I’m aware," he replied.
"Who then is her first?"
"I don’t know, and I don’t care," Brandon said.
"Since your pack-kins want you to mate with her, she can’t possibly have a mate," Emma reasoned.
"I don’t trust her, though she doesn’t have a moonmate. I believe she is seeing one of the dostic workers," Brandon said.
"Now I know why you keep warning to stay away from Bernard. Is your pack-kins aware you have slept with her?"
"No, but my blood sibling knows. I regret it every day, and she figured it out," he muttered.
"Did she know you are in love with sowolf?"
"My sibling?"
"No, your unreal mate."
"Yes, and she also thinks I love her too. She goes about telling wolves I love her so much."
"Why did she think you loved her?" Emma asked.
"I pictured her that day," Brandon whispered. Her tears increased.
"It’s okay, no one is perfect," she said, lifting her face slowly to look at the first painting again.
"She and your pack-kins are the lake, I guess," Emma said.
"No," he replied.
"Oh my moon goddess!"
"Who is the lake?"
"You will find out soon. My father knows you are with ," he said.
"Did you co back to because you complicated your mate bond with her?" Emma asked.
"We did not have a mate bond," he said.
"Did she co back for more?" she pressed, but he did not answer. Silence ant yes.
"What stopped you from coming back when you reached the consensual age?"
"My father gave conditions that I must et if I ever wanted to see you again. One was impossible, and I couldn’t complete it on ti."
"Did you complete it later?"
"No, but I tried my best. I’m still working on it though."
"You still paint every Saturday?"
"Yes, when I’m less busy or have no social or pack function to attend to," Brandon replied.
Emma put her hand around his waist as she leaned on his shoulder. Her mind recalled everything the maids said about Brandon spending ti with his mysterious mate and what Mr. Richard said about him doing the only thing that gives him joy. They were right.
"Do you think your father will accept ?"
"I have accomplished all his tasks, except one," he whispered.
"What is it?" she asked softly.
"He wants to et your blood parents."
"Oh my moon goddess! Did you find anything? Tell , please," she pleaded.
"No, but I found out what transpired between your blood -mother and your adoptive parents," Brandon said.
"Please, tell . I accepted my father and Mrs. Nazar’s horrible decision because of this information," Emma said.
"I will, but you need to eat first," he added.
"My father said my blood -mother is a criminal; is it true?"
"Not really, she was "Lunar wanderer". Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything," Brandon replied. He lifted her and led her to the bed where the food was kept.
"And my father?"
"No information about him yet."
She locked her teary gaze with his. Everything looked like a dream. He grabbed her palms and squeezed them gently.
"I miss you," she muttered.
"You really miss my moonheart," Brandon smiled for the first ti since she entered his chamber.
"How do you know?"
"You said it more than ten tis last moon-fall," he replied.
"Wait... what? You ca to my chamber last moon-fall?"
Emma asked. Brandon fixed his golden eyes on her. A faint glint of humor shone in them.
She had been wondering how he communicated with his guards—they always carried out his instructions without words. Now she understood: he talks with his mindlink. All the while, he had been communicating silently, and now she understood loud and clear. She shafully lowered her gaze. He cupped her chin and lifted her face.
"What do you do when you are sad, moonheart?" he asked.
"I write my stories," she replied.
"That’s what you should have done. I draw and paint you when I’m angry or sad," he whispered.
"I tried to write, but I couldn’t concentrate. I... wanted to see you," she sputtered. Brandon kept quiet, continuing to stare into her eyes.
"You are the most beautiful mate I have ever seen," he murmured.
She tried to look away, but he brought her gaze back.
"What part of my wolf did you enjoy touching?" she asked, sounding a bit naughty.
"Your hair; I like the silky texture," Brandon smiled. He kept the food on a cabinet beside his bed and pulled her in between his legs, holding her head firmly to his chest.
"Emma, I’m sorry," he whispered into her ear. "I lost control of myself last moonrise."
"It was the best mont of my life," she replied.
" too," he said.
"Why were you crying then?" she asked.
"Five reasons," he whispered into her ear.
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