The King’s fingers tightened slowly around the armrest of his throne, the faint creak of wood the only sound that dared to exist in the heavy silence.

His gaze never left Brandon.

For a long moment, he said nothing—yet the weight of his silence pressed harder than any shout ever could.

Then, at last, he rose.

Not in haste. Not in anger.

But with a measured calm that sent a quiet ripple of unease through the hall.

"You speak as though you understand the weight of a crown," he said, his voice low, controlled... and far more dangerous for it.

A pause followed, deliberate.

His eyes flickered briefly toward Emma before returning to Brandon, sharper now.

"Tell me, then," he continued, each word precise, "what truth is worth tearing a kingdom apart—what happens between me and my Luna is not something you get to wield as a weapon."

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, pressing in on all three of them.

The King took a single step forward.

"Or is it," he added softly, "that you have already decided the cost means nothing to you?"

"No," Brandon said quietly, his voice steadier than he felt. Truth doesn’t spare anyone... but lies? They destroy everyone without exception.

"But she deserves to know the truth. When I first found out, I was devastated."

"After some days, I overcame the shock and moved on," he continued, his gaze distant for a moment. Or at least, I learned how to breathe through it. "The High Luna will be shattered...for moons, for winters... but she will survive."

The King lowered his head, silence swallowing him whole. Regret clung to him now, heavy and inescapable. Too late... far too late.

"I know this is impossible," he muttered after a long pause, his voice completely stripped of pride. "But I still have to ask... can you leave his moonpup for him?"

His throat tightened. "Maybe... just maybe... I can still hold on to something. Anything at all."

"I’m sure you already know the answer," Brandon replied, not unkindly—but unyielding all the same.

"There are some things even a king cannot take from me... no matter how much he wishes otherwise."

The King’s head dropped again, lower this time, as if the weight of his crown had finally become unbearable.

"Call me when you’re ready to address the kingdom," Brandon said, his tone softening just a fraction. "I will stand beside you... to strengthen you." He paused briefly. Not as your prince... but as your pup. "For now, I am just Brandon Oliver."

He walked toward Emma and took her hand gently. She looked back at the King, and their eyes met...his filled with regret, hers with something far more fragile. Tears rolled down Emma’s cheeks in silence—slow, heavy, and unstoppable—each one carrying everything she couldn’t bring herself to say. He loves his prince... that much is true.

A pang of guilt twisted inside her. Maybe she was too difficult... maybe she asked for too much. She blamed herself, even when she shouldn’t. None of this would have happened if Brandon hadn’t tried to defend her in the only way he thought would make her happy.

Brandon wiped her tears softly, his touch grounding her, and together they turned to leave.

"This is all my fault," she whispered under her breath, the words barely audible—but still heavy enough to follow them out into the silence.

"Moonheart, don’t even go there," Brandon said gently—but firmly, his grip on her hand tightening just a little, as if grounding her back into reality.

Don’t carry a burden that was never yours to bear. "Didn’t you hear what the High Fang Regent said? ’...and all the young she-wolves who have come close to him."

"He knows my father very well," Brandon continued, his voice lowering with quiet certainty. Better than I ever wanted to believe. "And apparently... Lunara isn’t the first she-wolf he’s had an affair with."

"Sin is one of the sweetest temptations in the packland..." A faint, bitter smile touched his lips. "But the payment for it?"

He exhaled slowly. "That is one of the hardest debts any wolf will ever be forced to face. And no matter how long it takes... it always comes due."

"The earlier wolves understand that truth doesn’t stay buried forever, the better," he added. "No matter how deep it’s buried... no matter how carefully it’s hidden... truth always finds its way back to the surface eventually."

"Truth must prevail," he finished quietly, because if it doesn’t... then nothing means anything anymore."

"We don’t pay for our sins in some distant hell," Brandon said after a pause, his tone resolute now. "We pay for them right where we committed them." He glanced ahead, jaw set. "He has to do what the High Fang Regent asked of him."

Still speaking, he guided her toward the private flying beast waiting on the helipad, its low hum cutting through the heavy silence around them. This is the beginning of the end... or perhaps, the end of something far worse that had only just begun to reveal itself.

She turned at the sound of noise behind her. A cluster of pack news reporters, held back by the perimeter, were calling out...beckoning, desperate for a word, a glance, anything.

She ignored them, her expression hardening slightly as she shifted her gaze away... landing instead on the only car parked on the premises. Some stories aren’t meant for the pack... not yet.

She had never known Princess Elara to have such a humble heart—not until now. Seeing her, of all wolves, helping the domestic workers load Lunara’s belongings into the trunk of a car... it didn’t feel real. A princess... doing this?

Elara noticed her staring and waved, her face lighting up with warmth before she started walking toward her. There was no hesitation, no pride...just sincerity.

Before Emma could brace herself, Elara pulled her into a tight bear hug, nearly knocking her off balance.

"Oh, my Moon Goddess, Emma...I’m so happy!" Elara exclaimed, her voice bubbling with relief. You’re safe... that’s all that matters. "I was so scared when I heard what she and her pack-kins were planning to do."

"The High Luna won’t sleep this moonfall," she added, her tone dropping slightly. "She tried to convince the King to send Lunara away... but nothing worked." For once, even she had no power over him.

"The King actually shouted at her a few moons ago," Elara continued, shaking her head. "She kept insisting Lunara had to leave." And still... he chose silence over sense.

"I wonder what will be going on in the High Luna’s mind," Emma said with a shrug.

"I’m sure she’s in her chamber right now, writing—and only the Moon Goddess knows what the outcome will be," Elara replied.

They both turned as Lunara’s car began to move, slowly pulling away from the royal mansion. The moment felt heavier than expected...like the closing of a Chapter no one fully understood. Then... their eyes met. She gave her a look that said, it isn’t over.

Emma knew the war wasn’t over yet, not even close...but at least this time, she would be more careful.

"No more Inside The Alpha’s Keep Show. No more ’my prince this’ and ’my prince that’. No more ’Emma was messing around with a random wolf’. If she had known Brandon was that ’random wolf’, she wouldn’t have said any of those things," Elara said with a playful smirk, though a faint tension still lingered in her eyes.

"The first time she said it, I was devastated. I felt so ashamed, not knowing Brandon was actually the ’random wolf’ I had messed around with," she said, rolling her eyes.

They all burst into laughter.

"Daniel and his sibling have been taken into custody and will be proceeding to court to defend themselves," she grinned again. "Today is one of the happiest days of my life," Elara added, her voice laced with triumph.

Tears rolled down Emma’s cheeks, silent and heavy. None of this would have happened to her... not if she had stayed away from their story...away from their pure heaven. The thought clung to her like a shadow she couldn’t escape. Elara pulled her closer to her chest, gently patting her back in an attempt to soothe her.

"Emma, why are you so soft-hearted?" Elara murmured, though a trace of impatience hid beneath the concern in her voice.

"Lunara is evil. I know she will still plan something more."Stop crying and rejoice with me."

They were chatting when... suddenly, a newswolf interrupted them.

"Hi, can I talk to you?" a pack reporter called out, having slipped past the security guarding the perimeter.

"No, you can’t talk to her," Elara cut in sharply, stepping slightly in front of Emma.

"Please... just three minutes," the reporter pleaded, desperation edging into his voice.

Elara’s eyes narrowed. "What do you want to ask?"

"Where, how, and when did you and Moon Prince Brandon meet? Where did you get the video that was shown in the throne hall? Did the King accept you into the royal pack?" the reporter fired rapidly, barely pausing for breath.

"One question at a time, please," Elara replied calmly, keeping her composure despite the chaos around her.

"Alright, who..." the reporter began again.

"You know what?" Elara interrupted, a faint, knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"She is writing her story... and if you want to know everything about her, keep your eyes on our social media page—and the Novel platform."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and continued walking toward the great beast waiting ahead, her steps calm as the chaos behind her faded into noise.

The reporter blinked, thrown off balance. "She... is writing a book?" he asked, disbelief sharpening his voice.