Chapter 2 - The Claim Was Fake—Until the Moon Said Otherwise
Nathaniel took Emma to a secluded mountain estate outside town.
The house was enormous.
Stone walls.
Dark timber beams.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking pine-covered hills.
Emma stepped inside and immediately felt uncomfortable.
“This is your house?”
“One of them.”
She turned.
“One of them?”
Nathaniel removed his coat from her shoulders.
Emma suddenly felt colder without it.
He noticed.
“You can keep it.”
She looked down at the heavy black fabric.
“It smells like you.”
His mouth twitched.
“I know.”
Emma blushed.
Nathaniel turned away before she could see the expression on his face.
A woman entered from the kitchen.
She was in her sixties and carried a tray.
“Alpha.”
“Mara.”
Mara smiled at Emma.
“Finally.”
Emma blinked.
“Finally?”
Mara looked at Nathaniel.
“Don't scare the poor girl on the first night.”
Nathaniel sighed.
“I am not scaring her.”
“You're six feet six and built like a wall.”
Emma covered a laugh.
Nathaniel stared at Mara.
She smiled innocently.
Emma realized something.
Everyone had described him as terrifying.
Yet here was an older woman teasing him without fear.
“Your room is ready,” Mara told Emma.
“I don't need a room here.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You're staying tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because someone followed us.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
“The black SUV.”
She looked toward the windows.
“You knew?”
“I saw it.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't want you panicking.”
Emma folded her arms.
“You really need to stop deciding what I can handle.”
Nathaniel paused.
Then nodded.
“Fair.”
The admission surprised her.
He actually listened.
Mara set down the tray.
“Tea?”
“Yes, please.”
Nathaniel sat at the far end of the room.
He gave Emma space.
That should have made her feel safer.
Instead, it made her more curious.
“You said your first mate died.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Nathaniel looked into the fire.
“She was murdered.”
Emma's breath caught.
“By who?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why does Daniel act like you had something to do with it?”
“Because people need simple stories.”
He stared into the flames.
“My first mate was named Clara.”
Emma looked at him.
“Clara loved books.”
A faint smile crossed his face.
“She used to leave novels in every room.”
“What happened?”
“We were attacked while traveling between territories.”
“By rogues?”
“No.”
Nathaniel's voice became colder.
“By wolves wearing territory insignias.”
Emma stared.
“So someone from another pack killed her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She discovered information about an alliance between the three major territories.”
Emma frowned.
“What kind of alliance?”
“An arrangement that should never have existed.”
“What was it?”
Nathaniel didn't answer.
“I'm not ready to tell you.”
Emma looked disappointed.
He noticed.
“You've known me six hours.”
“And already you've told me three different times that I need to wait.”
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
“You noticed.”
“Yes.”
He leaned back.
“Because if I tell you everything tonight, you will become part of a war you never asked for.”
Emma thought of the ballroom.
“You already made me part of it.”
“No.”
He looked directly at her.
“You made yourself part of it when you held my hand.”
Emma remembered the bond.
She still felt it.
Like a quiet warmth beneath her ribs.
“What was that?”
Nathaniel's expression changed.
“I don't know.”
“You don't know?”
“I know what everyone thinks it was.”
“The mate bond.”
“Yes.”
“But?”
“My wolf has never behaved like that.”
Emma hugged herself.
“Neither has mine.”
Silence.
Then Mara entered with tea.
She looked between them.
“Oh.”
“What?” Emma asked.
Mara smiled.
“Nothing.”
“That's not a nothing face.”
Mara laughed.
“Leave the girl alone, Nathaniel.”
He frowned.
“I haven't said anything.”
“You haven't needed to.”
Mara left.
Emma looked down at her cup.
“What does she mean?”
Nathaniel was quiet.
Finally he said:
“She means my wolf has been alone for eleven years.”
Emma looked up sharply.
“Eleven?”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
“My wolf recognized something.”
“What?”
Nathaniel's gaze moved to her.
“You.”
Emma's pulse jumped.
She immediately stood.
“This is insane.”
“Yes.”
“You can't just walk into a ballroom, put your coat on me, and suddenly decide we're mates.”
“I didn't decide.”
“Then who did?”
“The moon.”
Emma stared.
“That sounds convenient.”
Nathaniel almost smiled.
“It isn't.”
Before she could respond, a loud howl echoed from the forest.
Nathaniel stood immediately.
Emma felt the atmosphere change.
“What is it?”
“Stay here.”
“There you go again.”
“Emma.”
His tone changed.
Not controlling.
Protective.
“You need to stay inside.”
She stared at him.
“Why?”
“Because the scent outside is wrong.”
She followed him to the window.
Several wolves stood at the edge of the trees.
Their eyes reflected silver beneath the moon.
Nathaniel moved in front of Emma.
A warning growl left his chest.
The wolves disappeared.
Emma watched.
“Who were they?”
“I don't know.”
He turned.
“Pack.”
The doorbell rang.
Mara answered.
A man stood outside.
He bowed.
“Alpha Mercer. Council delegation.”
Nathaniel's face hardened.
“Tell them I am unavailable.”
The man looked past him.
His eyes landed on Emma.
“We know.”
Nathaniel stepped between them.
“No one enters.”
The council messenger handed him an envelope.
“For the woman.”
Emma stepped forward.
Nathaniel opened it first.
Inside was a single photograph.
Emma at her payroll desk.
Taken through the office window.
Underneath it:
She is not who you think she is.
Nathaniel's expression changed.
Emma saw it.
“What?”
He handed her the photograph.
Her stomach dropped.
“I didn't know anyone was watching me.”
“I know.”
“What does the message mean?”
“I don't know.”
The messenger spoke.
“The council requests Emma Whitmore be brought before the elders.”
Nathaniel looked at him.
“She is under my protection.”
“She is not your mate.”
Nathaniel's eyes flashed.
“That remains to be determined.”
The messenger left.
Emma looked at Nathaniel.
“You don't know who I am?”
“No.”
“You think I'm hiding something?”
“I think someone wants us to believe you're hiding something.”
That distinction mattered.
The following morning, Nate's team began investigating Emma's history.
Birth records.
School records.
Employment.
Medical history.
Nothing seemed unusual.
But then they found an inconsistency.
Emma's mother's maiden name had been altered in the official territory records.
Her original name had been removed.
Nathaniel looked at the screen.
“Rose Whitmore.”
Mara went pale.
“Not Rose Whitmore.”
Nathaniel turned.
“You know her?”
Mara slowly nodded.
“She wasn't Emma's mother.”
Emma, standing in the doorway, heard every word.
“What?”
Mara closed her eyes.
“I knew this day would come.”
Nathaniel moved toward Emma.
“Wait.”
Emma's voice shook.
“You knew?”
“No.”
Mara stepped forward.
“I did.”
“Who was my mother?”
Mara swallowed.
“Her name was Evelyn Stone.”
Emma stared.
“That means nothing to me.”
“It will.”
Nathaniel saw the fear in Emma's eyes.
He immediately said:
“We'll find out.”
Emma looked at him.
“You promise?”
“Yes.”
That evening, Daniel Reeves appeared outside the estate.
He came alone.
Nathaniel met him on the porch.
“You have ten seconds.”
Daniel looked exhausted.
“I need to talk to Emma.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“Why?”
Daniel looked over Nathaniel's shoulder.
“I was threatened.”
Nathaniel's eyes narrowed.
“By who?”
“The Blackridge elders.”
“Why?”
“Because they knew Emma's identity.”
Nathaniel went still.
“What identity?”
Daniel swallowed.
“She isn't an ordinary unmated wolf.”
Nathaniel's voice dropped.
“What is she?”
Daniel looked at the house.
“The last living daughter of the Moon Council bloodline.”
Nathaniel's face changed.
For the first time, genuine shock appeared in his eyes.
Inside, Emma heard every word.
She stepped onto the porch.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel looked at her.
“It means the reason everyone has been watching you has nothing to do with Daniel choosing Madeline.”
Emma stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel whispered:
“Your mother was the last female guardian of the Silver Gate.”
Nathaniel stepped closer.
“Daniel.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Do you really want to know what happens when the council discovers she has bonded to you?”
Nathaniel's answer was immediate.
“I don't care.”
Daniel shook his head.
“You should.”
“Why?”
“Because they killed Clara.”
Silence.
Emma looked at Nathaniel.
The scar near his temple seemed darker under the moonlight.
Daniel continued.
“They killed your first mate because she discovered the truth.”
Nathaniel grabbed Daniel's shirt.
“Who?”
Daniel looked terrified.
“Your own uncle.”
Nathaniel froze.
“My uncle died fifteen years ago.”
Daniel's eyes filled with fear.
“No.”
May you like
He whispered.
“He didn't.”
