Chapter 3 Wedding Plan

"Where am I?" Emma asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her wide eyes fixed instantly on the woman with piercing green eyes who regarded her with a faint, enigmatic smile.

"Oh, you are awake," the woman replied, her tone light yet completely inscrutable. Emma’s heart raced as a wave of confusion churned violently within her chest.

She had fully expected to be dead or thrown into a dark dungeon, given that crossing the TMN pack’s borders was usually a swift death sentence, but here she was resting on a remarkably soft bed.

Emma’s stomach tightened in sheer fear as different terrifying scenarios crossed her mind. What if they were planning to use her as a sex machine, just like her abusive father had done to her for years? The very thought made her stomach turn with absolute revulsion.

She hadn’t even crossed the pack borders on purpose. Days of wandering the wilderness, weak from hunger and exhaustion, had made her completely desperate. When she had suddenly spotted some ripe bananas hanging from a tree, a tiny flicker of hope had ignited in her soul. She had simply planned to grab the bananas quickly and continue her frantic escape.

But as soon as she entered the area, she saw the fierce pack warriors closing in from the trees. Panic exploded in her chest, propelling her to run for her life, the bananas slipping from her useless hands. In her frantic, blind dash, she had stumbled into the old cottage, hoping its dark shadows would hide her.

The cottage had been utterly stifling, filled with the stale scent of dust and rotting wood. She had huddled in the corner of a worn-out wardrobe, her breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps. Her heart had thundered in her chest, each heavy beat resonating loudly in her ears.

Every single creak and murmur from outside had made her flinch. The Alpha’s voice, commanding and dripping with authoritative power, had caused her to shiver uncontrollably. The heavy footsteps had grown louder, each step in perfect sync with her pounding heart. She could barely make out the exact words, her hearing completely impaired by her own blinding fear.

Emma’s thoughts raced wildly. Her gaze darted frantically around the room, taking in the sparse furnishings and the gentle, warm glow of the lamp. The woman's unyielding stare felt like a massive weight pressing down on her small frame.

Emma's fingers twitched nervously against the sheets, and she clenched and unclenched her fists tightly in her lap. Her throat was completely dry, and she swallowed hard, trying to calm the tremors in her voice. "Why am I here?" she finally asked, her voice cracking slightly.

The woman’s smile widened, her eyes holding an unreadable, mysterious glimmer. "I am Luna Essa of the TMN pack—or should I say, ex-Luna, since you, my dear, are about to take over," she said smoothly.

Emma stared at her in absolute disbelief, her eyes wide with total confusion.

"I don't understand what you are saying, ma'am. I know I committed a grave sin by crossing your border, but I assure you, I had no malicious intent at all. I was just hungry and saw some bananas. I only wanted to take a little and leave, so please stop with these mocking words about me being mated with an Alpha," Emma said, her lips trembling violently as she looked at the woman with pleading eyes.

"Oh dear, what don't you understand? Is it the fact that you are to be the next Luna of the TMN pack, or something else entirely?" the woman asked gently.

"Yes," Emma stammered in reply, her expression completely lost and confused.

The woman looked at her thoughtfully, analyzing her fear. "Well then, let me explain further," she said. "I am the mother of Gregory, the Alpha who discovered you after you crossed the pack borders without permission."

As soon as Emma heard that name, her heart pounded furiously against her ribs. Alpha Gregory was the single most feared name among the rogues she had met while running away from her father.

The way they had always warned her never to go near his pack ringed loudly in her ears now. But she had ignored their warnings and went straight into the lion's den all because of a few pieces of banana, and look at what it had caused her.

The memory of the Alpha's piercing eyes as he discovered her hiding in the wardrobe flooded back into her mind. She had come face-to-face with him, his presence overwhelming and terrifying, which had made her faint at that exact time.

Her entire body trembled uncontrollably as she could still feel the raw intensity of his gaze, the way it had made her feel utterly exposed and vulnerable. Her knees felt weak under the covers, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

"I remember," Emma whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. "He found me... in the wardrobe."

Luna Essa nodded, her expression turning serious. "Yes, Gregory found you. And that discovery has changed everything."

Emma's mind raced with deeply conflicting emotions. On one hand, she felt a tiny glimmer of hope—an Alpha could protect her, shielding her from the dangers she had faced alone for so long. But then, a massive wave of doubt washed over her. "Will he actually accept me as his mate?" she asked, her voice barely audible. "I'm just a rogue."

Luna Essa's expression softened into something genuinely warm. "My dear, be reassured," she said gently. "I know my son, and Gregory would never make a decision that would harm his pack. The Moon Goddess has chosen you as the next Luna, and she has her reasons. I trust my son's judgment completely." She smiled. "You just need to trust and believe in the power of fate."

Emma took a deep breath, trying to steady her erratic breathing. "I still don’t understand everything, but I’ll try," she said, her voice wavering.

"That's all I ask," Luna Essa replied, her smile warm, open, and reassuring. "We’ll take this one step at a time, together."

"Okay," Emma finally replied, this time managing a small smile as the way the older woman spoke reminded her deeply of the way her own mother would always try to reassure her.

The sudden memory of her mother made her thoughts drift back to the memories of her childhood and the tragic time she spent with her father.

The thought of her mother brought hot tears to her eyes as she recalled how much better her life had been when she was still alive. Emma was the daughter of Alpha Evan from the Whispery pack.

During the pregnancy, Emma's father had lavished endless love and attention on her mother, hoping for an Alpha son. But when Emma arrived, declared an omega, his love evaporated like mist in the hot sun.

Growing up, Emma had never felt her father's love. He was rarely home, and when he was, he barely acknowledged her existence. Anytime she saw him, his mood would darken as soon as he noticed her enter a room.

She remembered running to him as a little girl, arms outstretched for a warm hug, only to be pushed aside or ignored entirely.

When her mom was still alive, she had done her absolute best to protect Emma from her father's cruelty.

But after her mother died, he became a beast and showed his real, monstrous colors, forcing her to work as a sex slave for any man who wanted her.

She remembered the nightmares of being bound and helpless, subjected to the cruel whims of multiple men, which still lingered vividly in her mind, making her skin crawl.

She remembered the terrifying sound of her father's belt buckle whenever he wanted to punish her for resisting any of those men.

The absolute worst of them was when she had discovered she was pregnant and had happily told her father, but he only beat her mercilessly and gave her a harsh drug that made her bleed uncontrollably.

She had cried the entire night from the intense pain, both from the stabbing physical pain in her abdomen and also the deep emotional pain of losing her child.

The memories of all she had been through brought more tears to her eyes. She took a deep breath and used her trembling fingers to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.

Turning to look at the woman who claimed to be her mate's mother, Emma asked, "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

Luna Essa's eyes crinkled warmly at the corners as she reached out to pat Emma's hand reassuringly.

"Well, we are going to plan a wedding. Your wedding."