The Betrayed Luna's Three Alpha Mates

8. WHY?

DENISE

The moment I stepped inside the pack house, I was awestruck. I was astounded by the magnificence of the setting, its walls reverberating with luxury, unlike anything I had ever seen before.

I had nothing against my old packhouse, but compared to this place, the Blue Moon packhouse was nothing less than ordinary.

Brandon led me through the impressive foyer, his stride confident and assured as if he owned the place—and from the way everyone around us reacted, he might as well have. If I didn’t know already, I would even think he was the Alpha, not the Alpha’s son.

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the stares that followed me, eyes scrutinizing every inch of my being. It suddenly made me alert, and I felt like an outsider in a world I knew nothing about, which is technically what I was.

Despite the curiosity in their gazes, none of them questioned Brandon. Instead, they bowed their heads in respect as he passed, their curiosity and nervousness clear in their demeanor.

Each turn in the packhouse's maze of opulent halls and corridors revealed a new exquisite detail, such as intricate tapestries covering the walls, ornate chandeliers casting a warm glow, and polished marble floors directly beneath my feet. I was amazed.

Brandon, seemingly unfazed by the attention, continued walking, his stride powerful. He glanced at me with a sly smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've had a room prepared for you," he said, his voice low and smooth. "And it's not too far from mine."

I blushed, my cheeks warming at the implication of his words. His flirtatious smile sent a shiver down my spine, a mix of excitement and nerves. The possibility of being close to him—of being near someone who I knew was my mate—filled me with a need for a passion that I could only experience with him.

"I look forward to sneaking in," I replied, my voice barely more than a whisper.

He chuckled, his attention momentarily diverted as he called out to a nearby servant named Nessa. "Nessa, please show Denise to her room."

Nessa, a young woman with a warm smile, stepped forward and curtsied. "Of course, Prince Brandon."

"Why her? Can’t you show me to my room, yourself?" I asked, not exactly liking the idea of being separated from him.

"I have to do something very quickly, so I can’t, sweetheart," he said, and I pouted slightly.

"If you need anything though," he continued, his tone soft and reassuring, "just ask Nessa. She'll take care of you."

With a final, lingering glance, Brandon excused himself, leaving me with Nessa, who seemed like she had a million questions but was only stopping herself from asking.

"Follow me, please," Nessa said, her voice gentle as she guided me toward my new room.

I followed Nessa through the maze of hallways, my footsteps light as I tried to take in every detail of the magnificent building.

As we reached my room, I couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

The door opened to reveal an exotic bedroom. The walls were painted in colors that kind of depicted nature, and I loved the fact that he had kept it neutral with the colors, even though everything else was rather lavish and obviously expensive. Not that I was complaining, though.

Nessa, who was watching me closely, smiled at my reaction. "I'm glad you like it, Miss Denise. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Nessa. I appreciate your help," I replied, my gratitude genuine.

As Nessa left, closing the door behind her, I found myself alone in my new room. I took a moment to collect my thoughts, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.

Memories of my former pack and my family surfaced, threatening to drag me back to the misery I felt just a few hours ago. I wondered how they were faring without me. I knew they would all most likely be fine since I was no longer relevant in their lives, and I most certainly wouldn’t be missed.

It hurt me to even think about it, but realizing that I was only going to get in a bad mood, I pushed the thoughts away, unwilling to let them consume me.

With a deep breath, I made a silent promise to myself—a promise to embrace this new beginning with Brandon and try my best not to think about my family.

I couldn't change what had happened, but I could control how I would handle myself now that I was in a different space, and I wasn’t going to let what Sage and Simon did to me haunt me anymore.

****

I woke up to the sound of persistent knocking on my bedroom door, my eyes still heavy with sleep. Before I could gather my wits, Nessa, the servant who had guided me to my room the previous night, barged in, carrying a tray of food. Her voice, warm and melodic, cut through the haze of my drowsiness.

"Good morning, Miss Denise," she greeted, her smile reaching her eyes. I mumbled a groggy response, my mind struggling to process the early hour.

Nessa's eyes twinkled with a mix of amusement and curiosity as she relayed Brandon's message: I was to be ready within the hour and meet him in his office.

Confusion furrowed my brow as I asked her why he wanted to see me, but she merely shrugged, her expression one of ignorance.

"I don't know, Miss. Prince Brandon only told me to pass on the message," she explained, her tone apologetic. I nodded, feeling a pang of nervousness twist in my stomach.

What could he possibly want from me so early in the morning, and why couldn’t he just come here himself?

"But you know I don’t even know where his office is, right?" I reminded her, my voice slightly groggy.

Nessa smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Miss Denise. I'll escort you there when you're ready to leave."

I thanked her, and she excused herself, leaving me to myself.

An hour later, I had managed to drag myself out of bed and into a pair of casual jeans and a sleeveless crop top. I called for Nessa, and she appeared promptly, ready to guide me to Brandon's office located on the other side of the packhouse.

I followed her through the maze-like corridors, my mind buzzing with anticipation and curiosity. Why did Brandon want to see me? And why so early in the morning?

My thoughts were interrupted when we arrived at his office door. Nessa gave me an encouraging smile before stepping back, leaving me to face whatever awaited me inside.

I knocked tentatively, and Brandon's voice, smooth as silk, invited me in. Pushing open the door and walking in, I found myself face-to-face with him, seated behind his imposing desk, dressed impeccably in a suit that accentuated his powerful frame.

The room exuded an air of authority, and my heart began to race.

A rush of desire hit me when I saw him—a mixture of anxiousness and excitement. Thoughts I shouldn’t be having flooded my mind, urging me to act on impulse, to jump into his arms and succumb to the fiery desire that burned between us.

The temptation to let my desires run wild was almost overpowering. I imagined what it would be like to have him right there, right then.

But I resisted those thoughts, pushing them to the back of my mind, reminding myself that this is the office of a prince, and I had to be cautious. Instead, I approached him with a smile, trying to ignore the way my body responded to his presence.

As soon as our eyes met, he pulled me closer, his touch sending shivers down my spine. Without a word, he captured my lips in a long, passionate kiss, his intensity matching my own. I was taken aback by his sudden kiss, but I didn’t bother to resist.

My hands found their way to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as the world around us faded away.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. The questions in my mind were silenced by the electric current that passed between us. I surrendered to the kiss, letting myself be carried away by the raw, unbridled passion that flared to life with his touch.

For how long we stayed like that, lost in each other, I couldn't tell. All I knew was that I didn't want it to end. But eventually, I had to pull away to catch my breath, and his eyes darkened with desire as he looked at me.

"Why did you invite me to your office, Brandon?" I questioned, my voice barely more than a whisper. "You could have just visited my room."

Brandon met my gaze, his eyes serious. "I can't be seen going in and out of your bedroom, Denise. We need to be discreet about you being here, and you know that already."

"But why?" I asked, my brow furrowing. "I still don’t get why things have to be like this."

He sighed, and his expression was stern. "Denise, I want to protect you. But if the pack finds out about you, they might treat you in a way that won’t be favorable. We need to remain low-key to avoid unnecessary complications, and it’s only going to be for a while."

"What am I supposed to do, then?" I asked, my voice tinged with frustration. "How do I navigate this... this secret relationship, or whatever you’d call it?"

Brandon's lips curled into a thoughtful smile, and he leaned forward, his eyes capturing mine. "Denise, I have a proposition for you," he said, his voice gentle yet decisive.

"What proposition?" I asked, wondering what he had in mind.

"How about becoming my personal assistant?" he proposed, and I almost couldn’t believe my ears.