Chapter 181: She’s Already in Trouble
They finished their showers and changed fast, too excited to stay inside. Music drifted up from the beach below, mixed with laughter and the sound of waves crashing against the shore.
Emma drifted toward the window while Brandon stayed on his device, his voice low as he spoke to another on the other end.
Her eyes narrowed.
Down below, a figure slipped past the trees.
Too fast.
Emma straightened, fingers brushing the edge of the curtain. The figure was gone before she could get another look.
A familiar feeling tugged at her chest.
She didn’t notice Brandon until his voice sounded right behind her.
"Hey." His hand settled lightly at her waist. "What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?"
Emma blinked and looked back at the window. "I... thought I saw a wolf I recognized."
Brandon glanced outside, then back at her. "Or maybe your mind’s just playing tricks on you."
Emma let out a quiet breath and rested her hand over his.
"Maybe." Her eyes stayed on the dark trees outside. "But it didn’t feel like nothing."
She finally turned to him, a small crease still between her brows.
"It felt... familiar."
Brandon’s thumb moved slowly at her waist as he leaned in.
"Come on," he murmured. "You’ve been thinking too much."
A faint smile pulled at his mouth.
"Maybe your wolf’s just turning shadows into figures again."
Emma let out a small laugh, eyes still flicking toward the window.
"Haha... maybe."
His hand stayed at her waist as he guided her back, step by step, away from the window.
A few minutes later, Bernard and Elara walked in. Elara brushed damp hair over her shoulder and dropped onto the bed beside Emma. Her crop top hugged her perfectly, and the tight denim showed off her long legs.
The two of them drifted toward the windows. Disco lights flashed across the beach, painting the water blue, red, and gold. Beyond the shore, tall skyscrapers glowed against the night sky like something out of a dream.
Brandon and Bernard pulled the menu closer and started arguing over food while Emma leaned toward Elara.
"So," Emma whispered near her ear, "which side are you guys disappearing tonight?"
Elara burst into laughter and fell backward onto the bed, clutching a pillow to her chest.
Emma laughed too, watching her kick her feet against the mattress.
"I wouldn’t mind staying here and watching from the window," Emma whispered again, leaning even closer just to tease her.
Elara’s eyes flew open. "What?" she shouted.
"It’ll save you a whole lot of explaining. Don’t you know that?" she whispered with a smirk.
Elara grabbed a pillow and shoved it against her shoulder. "Go away, Emma," she said through a laugh. "We’re not mated, and it’s illegal here. I was joking."
"I know," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Across the chamber, Brandon and Bernard sat at the table with the menu spread open between them.
"We should try some Italian dishes," Brandon said, running his finger down the list. "What do you think?"
Bernard leaned back in his chair. "Let the ladies decide."
He turned toward the bed. "Ladies, what are we eating tonight?"
"I love Italian food!" Elara bounced where she sat, her eyes lighting up.
Bernard looked at her for a second too long before the corner of his mouth lifted.
Emma caught it immediately and smiled to herself.
Bernard noticed her staring and cleared his throat, looking back at the menu.
"Moonheart?" Brandon lifted his eyes toward Emma. "You wanna try Italian too?"
Emma nodded. "Yeah."
Brandon closed the menu. "Alright then. Italian."
Bernard picked up the table device and called the restaurant and bar. The moment he ended the call, he pushed his chair back.
"Sit down," Brandon said without looking up.
Bernard paused, then dropped back into his seat.
Brandon folded his arms across his chest. "Thanks for putting all this together."
A grin spread across Bernard’s face. "You’re welcome, Alpha."
Silence settled over the table for a second before Brandon spoke again.
"And... I’m sorry for shouting at you the other day." He rubbed his jaw and looked down at the menu. "If you’d told me from the beginning, I wouldn’t have gotten pissed. I asked you more than once, and you kept denying it."
Bernard let out a quiet breath and lifted one shoulder. "I shouldn’t have hidden it, but..."
"I know." Brandon cut in and shot Elara a brief look before facing Bernard again. "She compelled you to keep quiet."
Bernard held Brandon’s gaze for a brief second, then lowered it.
"Yes, my Alpha," he said evenly.
His hands tightened slightly behind his back before relaxing again.
"She made her choice clear," he added quietly. "And I respected it."
He shifted his stance, eyes fixed somewhere past Brandon’s shoulder.
"That is all."
Bernard lowered his eyes with a faint smile.
A few seconds passed before Brandon spoke again.
"You told me you’d leave the estate next winter." His fingers tapped lightly against the table. "Are you still planning that?"
"I’m leaving next week," Bernard said calmly.
Brandon’s head lifted immediately. "Stick to the original plan."
Bernard held his gaze for a moment, then nodded once. "Alright."
Emma’s device vibrated beside her hand.
She picked it up absentmindedly, but the second she read Lunara’s message, her eyes widened.
"What?!" Emma shouted.
Brandon and Bernard both looked up at once.
Emma stared at the screen, her chest rising sharply. "Why does she keep dragging me into her problems?" she muttered under her breath.
Elara scooted closer and took the device from her hand. Her eyes moved across the message slowly. The smile on her face disappeared.
"She wants to start a business or something?" Elara asked, lifting her head.
Emma threw her hands in the air. "I don’t know! I sent her fifty thousand silver crowns last moonfall!"
"Moonheart," Brandon said carefully, "what happened?"
She looked at him. "Lunara just asked me for a hundred thousand silver crowns."
Brandon’s brows pulled together. "What does she even need that much silver for?"
"I don’t know!" she snapped, frustration cracking through her voice.
Brandon leaned back slowly, studying her face. "Something’s off." He tapped his fingers against the table once. "Don’t send anything until she tells you exactly why she needs it."
Emma nodded, but her eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
"I think Alpha Julian is blackmailing her again," Elara said quietly. "She already has enough silver crowns. The King sent her thousands of silver crowns after she left."
Brandon shook his head once. "No. This feels different." He pointed at the device in her hand. "Call her."
Emma wasted no time. She tapped Lunara’s contact and pressed the device to her ear.
The call connected almost immediately.
"Emma," Lunara said softly.
"Did you send that message yourself, or did some wolf use your device?" Emma asked sharply.
Nobody spoke for a few seconds.
Then Emma heard a male voice murmuring somewhere in the background.
"I... I sent it," Lunara said at last, the words dragging slowly out of her mouth.
Emma’s eyes narrowed.
"What do you even need that much silver for?"
"I have bills to pay," Lunara whispered. "The silver crowns you sent last moonfall wasn’t enough."
Emma pressed her fingers against her forehead and let out a long hiss through her teeth.
"Is Alpha Julian still blackmailing you?"
"Who?" Lunara asked too quickly.
"Alpha Julian."
A pause followed.
"No."
Emma didn’t believe her for a second.
"Well, I’m not around right now," she said flatly.
"I’ll think about it when I get back."
"Can you come see me when you return?"
"No."
The answer came so fast the chamber went quiet.
"Please," Lunara whispered.
Emma stared at the floor. "Why?"
Lunara sniffed softly on the other end.
"I’m in trouble right now," she murmured. "And I don’t have anybody left to talk to." Her voice cracked. "Grandmother refuses to see me. My moonallies stopped answering my calls. I can’t even leave the house anymore because of the pups around the packhood."
Her breathing shook faintly through the device.
"I need your help, Emma. Please."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I’ll tell you when you get here."
Emma let out a short laugh. "I’m not coming. I don’t trust you, Lunara. I can’t just forget everything you’ve done."
"Would you mind if I come instead?"
Emma’s face tightened. "Don’t show up at my house. Got it?"
"Yeah..." Lunara’s voice dropped.
Emma’s fingers tapped against the edge of the device. "And the ashes... have you scattered them? Or buried them?"
"You didn’t hear me?" Lunara’s voice cracked. "I can’t even step outside. I’ve been inside this house the whole time. Grandmother wants us to scatter them in her garden."
Emma let out a sharp breath through her nose. "Grandmother didn’t even know I existed," she said, eyes steady. "I’ve got a royal mating to deal with. Handle your own problems."
The line went dead.
Elara glanced at her. "Something’s wrong with her."
"Yeah," Emma said, tossing the device onto the bed. "I heard a male voice too."
"I guess that’s Damon’s voice."
"Which Damon?" Elara asked, eyes still on the screen.
"Your cousin," she said.
"How do you know it’s him?"
"The High Luna said he’s dating Lunara."
Elara’s jaw tightened. "She’s in trouble. Damon is dangerous."
Elara leaned back against the headboard. "Maybe we should go see her."
"Emma gave a small nod. "Alright. I’ll take the chance to talk to the neighbors for her. At least give her some peace."
No one spoke right away.
"Are you sure they’ll stop bothering her?" The question came after, quieter now.
Emma’s eyes flicked away, her jaw tightening for a second. She drew in a slow breath through her nose.
"If they don’t..." Her hand closed at her side. "Then I’ll bring in our security warriors.
One way or another, this ends."
Her voice lowered.
"I can already feel what she’s carrying."
Knock. Knock.
Emma’s head turned toward the door.
