"Luna Emma, you should not be doing this," Bernard said, pointing at the used platters she was carrying from the Alpha's grand pack hall. "The Alpha will grow furious with me if he sees you performing omega duties."
"He did not trust me enough," she murmured, her wolf unsettled beneath her calm exterior.
"What did Alpha say to you?" Bernard asked, gently taking the ceremonial dishes from her hands.
"He insisted I sit beside him. He would not taste the meal unless I joined him at the mating table," she replied, lowering herself onto a carved chair while Bernard restored order to the Private Hearth. His movements were swift and precise, like a Beta trained to guard his Alpha's dignity.
Silence stretched between them as he continued cleaning. She wanted to reopen the earlier discussion, but hesitation tightened around her ribs.
"Who has been speaking into your ears, Luna?" Bernard asked without turning.
"I have formed new alliances within the Pack already," she answered carefully.
"Which of them told you about the Alpha's hidden she-wolf?"
"I will not reveal their names. But tell me the truth—did he confine a she-wolf inside his private chamber?"
"Luna Emma, that mystery lies beyond my rank. Please, do not drag me into the Alpha's secrets."
She rose and stepped closer, her Luna aura sharpening.
"Did he imprison a she-wolf in his chamber? Yes or no?" she demanded.
"No," Bernard replied calmly. "But there is a truth you must uncover yourself."
She caught the slight shift in his scent. Her wolf recognized evasion.
"You are lying. Someone heard her voice last night," she pressed.
Bernard remained composed. She drew breath to repeat herself, but he spoke first.
"Whose voice did your informant claim to hear?"
"The she-wolf's voice! He was bonding with her against her will!" she exclaimed.
"Lower your voice," Bernard whispered urgently. "I am not supposed to discuss the Alpha's private life. But I am saying this for him… and for you. He has not shared his bed with any she-wolf since the day he found his fated mate. He is loyal to her."
"Lies! Is that what he told you? He left the intercom stone active last night!" she shot back, ignoring his warning.
Bernard continued cleaning in silence.
After a moment, guilt softened her tone. "Bernard… I am sorry. I am confused."
He nodded faintly.
"When did he meet his fated mate?" she asked quietly.
"I do not know. But it has been many seasons," Bernard replied.
"Why would he confine her inside his chamber?"
"She is in a better position to answer that question. You need to see her. Speak to her yourself. No explanation from me will satisfy you. You need to face the she-wolf he calls his own."
"That is exactly what I want. How do I see her?"
Bernard wiped his hands and joined her at the round stone table.
"You want to meet the she-wolf he is obsessed with?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I want to set her free."
Bernard studied her carefully.
"She is inside his chamber. But the voice your informant heard last night was not hers."
"Then whose voice was it?"
"I do not know," he admitted with a grin. "You ask too many questions."
She exhaled in frustration. Even her mother had warned her that not every curiosity should be satisfied. Yet her wolf refused to rest without answers.
"One last question. What should I do?"
"Go into his chamber and find out for yourself," Bernard said slyly.
"I understand. Thank you, Bernard."
He bowed respectfully and exited the Private Hearth.
Left alone, she lowered her head onto the table, trying to reconcile Richard's earlier explanation with Bernard's words. Slowly, she convinced herself there was no hidden she-wolf. Perhaps jealous tongues within the Pack had crafted the tale.
The scrape of a chair startled her.
"I see you like him," Brandon's deep voice echoed. He sat beside her, sipping from a cup of steaming chamomile infusion. Fresh from the bathing chamber, his mint-and-dominance scent wrapped around her senses.
"Alpha Brandon… I—"
"It is fine," he said, his tone gentle but possessive. "I went to your chamber, but you were not there."
"I wanted to speak with my family. May I use your communication device?" she asked quickly, deflecting.
"Of course," he replied, sliding it toward her.
"I did not come with my belongings. What is the code?"
"Use my face recognition," he said calmly, taking another sip.
She lifted the device. It unlocked instantly.
She dialed her mother's number.
"Hurry. The omegas must retire soon. I will be waiting for you," Brandon said before standing and leaving the hearth hall.
Her gaze followed him until he disappeared.
"Good evening, Mother."
"Emma?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Are you watching 'Inside the Alpha's Keep'?"
"No."
"Oh, I forgot. Your mate's stronghold probably does not entertain such broadcasts. Goodnight. I do not want to miss a single moment."
The call ended.
She climbed the staircase to dismiss her omegas. The device nearly slipped from her grasp when she entered her chamber.
Soft candlelight filled the room, scented with floral oils she loved. Nostalgia swept over her, awakening memories she had buried.
"You may retire to your quarters," she told the she-wolves.
"No, Luna. You must bathe first," Naomi replied.
"Are you going to bathe me as well?"
"It is our duty."
They giggled.
She placed the device on the bed and entered the master bathing chamber. One of the she-wolves followed with white towels. Emma removed her garments and handed them over.
"Thank you, Paige. Leave the towels and go."
"Yes, Luna."
"Switch on the viewing screen. I want to watch something before I sleep."
"As you wish."
Emma soaked in the warm bath, wondering how the Alpha planned to celebrate their howling union under the moon.
Suddenly, the sharp voice from "Inside The Alpha's Keep" filled the chamber.
She stepped out quickly, drying herself and wrapping a towel around her chest. She needed to change the channel before secrets resurfaced.
But she froze.
Alpha Brandon lay comfortably on her mating bed, eyes fixed on the viewing screen as though thoroughly entertained.
Her wolf stirred.
The Alpha's true trial seat had just begun.