"Daniel is dangerous!"

"He didn’t just kill him," Emily choked. "Emma... it looked planned."

"Mother, go to bed; he can’t do anything," Emma replied, keeping her voice calm despite the unease creeping in. Or at least... that’s what she wants to believe.

"Emma, you need to see what he did to Jason! He broke his head and he died instantly," Emily cried out, her words tumbling over each other. It was brutal... heartless...

"The footage..." Emma murmured, lowering her head. So it’s true... then this isn’t just fear—it’s evidence.

Emma’s grip tightened around the device.

What if this truth isn’t as simple as it looks...?

If Daniel really did this, the pack could tear itself apart.

But if he didn’t... then someone is framing a monster.

"Emma... that wasn’t just violence. It was cruel." He must rot in the dungeon!" Emily continued, her sobs growing louder. Some wolf like him doesn’t deserve to walk free.

"Mother, please do not act on it yet," Emma said quickly, her tone firming despite her racing thoughts. If we move too fast, we might miss something crucial.

"Why?" Emily demanded, confusion and pain lacing her voice. Why would you defend him... after this?

"I need a duplicate of the footage. I’m not defending him," Emma replied, her voice dropping into quiet determination. There’s more to this... she can feel it.

"Emma, you can’t watch this! He is so heartless! The Moon Goddess really saved you from him," Emily insisted, almost pleading. I can’t bear for you to see that horror...

"Did Penny watch the footage?" Emma asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. If Penny has seen it... then there’s another perspective she needs to understand.

"I couldn’t watch till the end... I couldn’t stand Allison’s cry and the blood of the innocent Jason on the floor, but Penny watched everything and was aggravated." Emily’s voice shook as she spoke. Even recalling it makes her feel sick... how could anyone do something so cruel?

"Where is she?" Emma asked quickly, her tone sharpening with urgency. If Penny saw everything, then she holds the clarity she needs.

"She is in one of the visitor’s chambers," Emily replied, trying to steady herself. At least she’s somewhere safe... for now.

"Are you sure she is still there?" Emma pressed, her grip tightening slightly. She can’t afford to lose track of her—not now.

"Some guards are watching over her," Emily assured. She made sure of it... she won’t let anything else go wrong.

"I want to take her to the kingdom on Saturday. Do you think she will agree to go with me?" Emma asked, her voice thoughtful. If she refuses, everything she’s planning might fall apart.

"I’ll convince her," she said firmly, though a hint of doubt lingered. Even if she has to beg, she’ll make her see reason.

"Alright... where is my father?" Emma asked, shifting the conversation. If he’s seen this, his reaction will matter.

"He couldn’t watch the footage either," Emily replied quietly. It broke him more than he’d admit.

"Is he there?" She asked again, her brows furrowing. Or has he already started making moves behind the scenes...

"He has been in his exclusive lounge since, annoyed that such a rogue wolf is walking freely in this kingdom," Emily explained. His anger is barely contained... and that worries her.

"Why did Allison put the camera in the chamber? Does it mean she knew something like that would happen one day?" She asked, her voice lowering with suspicion. Or was she already living in fear... anticipating this?

"Daniel installed the camera to monitor her but probably forgot to remove it when he committed the crime," Emily answered, her voice tight with unease. Or maybe... he was too confident to even care.

"To monitor her... why?" She pressed, her brows drawing together as her mind raced. There’s always a motive... and it never comes without consequences.

"He was accusing her of seeing Jason’s father," Emily said, her tone laced with quiet disgust. Jealousy... suspicion... all twisted into something monstrous.

"If he installed the camera... Why leave evidence?"

"Why kill instantly instead of warning?"

"Why was Jason there at all?"

She looked up when she felt a cold hand on her jaw. Brandon stood beside her, his eyes scanning the last page she had just written. How long has he been standing there... and how much did he hear?

"Mother,I’ll talk to you later," she said before hanging up, her voice softer than she intended. There’s too much to process... and she needs to think clearly.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Brandon replied calmly.

Too calmly.

He sat silently beside her, then leaned in and kissed her with quiet intensity before picking up her work. If he doesn’t distract her, she’ll drown in all of this. And Brandon... What does he know?

He never reacts blindly. He always looks like he already understands the ending.

"You’re overthinking," he murmured against her lips, his voice low and steady. "Let me handle this part."

He brushed his thumb gently against her cheek, gaze holding hers with quiet certainty. "Don’t carry this alone... not when I’m here."

He went through her story with a focused expression, making quiet corrections. He added scenes she had never imagined—details and depth shaped by his experience in a pack far beyond her Omega-born perspective.

She saw life through survival. He saw it through power, strategy, and hidden truths.

She watched him, admiration shining in her eyes. How does he make everything feel so complete... so right?

A soft smile touched her lips as a thought crossed her mind. She hopes their unborn pup takes after him... in every way that matters.

When he finished, he stood and leaned down, capturing her lips again—slowly this time, deliberately, as though sealing an unspoken promise between them. No matter what comes, she’s his... and he’ll protect her. Though she felt it, the fear of losing him to Lunara.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice carrying more than just gratitude. For this... for everything...

"You’re welcome," he replied simply, though his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer. She has no idea how much she means to him.

Then he turned and left the study chamber, leaving behind a quiet warmth that still lingered in the air.

In the moonfall of that same day, one of her father’s guards delivered the duplicate copy of the footage she asked for in a small glass case. She received the package with spasmodic trembling. She intended to rub sleep off the eyes of those who think Daniel was the best in law within the pack.

She was climbing the stairs slowly when she got a call from the high Luna and she was surprised because she had never called her. Although she noticed she had developed a likeness to her since she found out who Lunara truly was and the likeness kept growing every day like a forming bond. Despite the fact that she had no say in the verdict, she felt she had been accepted already into the royal bloodline.

"Moonfall, my High Luna," she greeted softly, her voice carrying respect and a hint of fatigue. She hopes she isn’t already upset... she really can’t afford tension today.

"How are you, Emma?" the High Luna asked, her tone calm but observant. She sounds distracted... something must be weighing on her.

"I’m fine, Luna," Emma replied quickly, steadying her voice. She should sound more composed than she feels.

"What time is it over there?" she asked, as though they lived in different territories. Emma glanced at her device screen before answering. She’s already checking her schedule in her mind...

"Twenty-nine minutes past six," Emma said, returning the device to her ear. Late... too late for this kind of call.

"What time was our appointment?" the High Luna asked, her tone tightening slightly. Don’t tell me you forgot...

"Oh my Moon Goddess!" Emma blurted out in sudden realization. I forgot... I actually forgot.

"Yeah, Moon Goddess! I canceled all my appointments today!" the High Luna snapped, frustration slipping through her composed voice. She rearranged everything for this appointment...

"I’m sorry, my Luna, it completely slipped my mind," Emma admitted, guilt settling in her chest. I really messed up this time.

"Keep a daily to-do list! Get a small notepad where you can write down tasks that need to be done!" the High Luna instructed firmly. She needs structure... or she’ll keep slipping like this.

"Sure, I will," Emma responded quickly. She’s right... she can’t keep forgetting things like this.

"Will you come tomorrow?" the High Luna asked after a brief pause, her tone softening slightly. Maybe she just needs time to reset.

"No, Luna," Emma replied, hesitating for a moment. I can’t... not with everything piling up.

"Oh... so you never wanted to see me at all?" the High Luna said softly, disappointment threading through her voice. "And here I was, thinking the appointment simply slipped your mind."

Emma’s breath hitched. So that’s how she sees it...

The silence that followed felt heavier than the call itself.

Then the High Luna’s voice dropped—colder, sharper.

"Emma... tell me the truth."

A pause.

"What exactly are you getting yourself into?"