HannahI returned home that night feeling lighter than air, unable to hide the small smile playing on my lips.The Luna Council meeting had gone better—so much better—than I could have hoped. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I had a new purpose, a new step in the right direction. The shackle
Noah’s jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek. “Hannah, I’ve apologized profusely for locking you in, and I am genuinely sorry for that. I was wrong, and I’m trying to make amends for that and for everything else. Can’t you see that?”I shook my head, feeling a sudden surge of anger that I had
HannahI picked up my phone, my heart racing as I dialed a number I hadn’t called in months. As it rang, I paced back and forth in my bedroom, my free hand nervously fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.My sister, Lily, still lived at home with our parents. We hadn’t spoken in some time; after I got
I just… never cared before. All I cared about was marrying a handsome man and becoming his Luna. I was weak before. But not now; now, I intended to take up my birthright and put that weak, simpering girl behind me.“Oh, you know, just... worried about the family,” I replied, perhaps a little too qui
HannahThe car ride stretched on endlessly as we made our way to Silvermoon. Noah had insisted on driving, citing environmental concerns and my pregnancy as reasons to avoid flying. I stared out the window, watching the landscape blur by, trying to ignore his presence beside me.“We should reach the
But that boy was gone.Our food arrived a little while later, and we ate in silence. Noah made no further attempts at conversation, seemingly lost in thought. As we finished our meal, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt for my behavior. Still, I quickly reminded myself of all the reasons I ha
HannahI woke first to the glow of the sun hitting my face, and then to the warm sensation of an arm around me… and a hand cupping my breast.“Mm…”Smiling, I snuggled back into the familiar body that was pressed up against me. In my sleepy state, it felt natural, comforting. Happy even. A warmth sp
The same waitress from last night greeted us with a bright smile on her face. “Good morning! How was your night? You two were so sweet together at dinner.”I felt my face heat up, remembering my over-the-top display of affection. It had been fabricated just to make Noah feel bad, and yet…Before I c
Noah pushed himself harder, letting out a playful howl as he gained on her, the hunt pulsing through his veins like a drug. She glanced back, her ears twitching, and he saw her eyes flash with excitement before she put on an extra burst of speed. It became a game of cat and mouse, each of them pus
Noah For the millionth time that morning, Noah’s gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window. The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape. Just seeing the expans
Noah didn’t say anything, just looked at it with a faint smile, his hand sliding over Melody’s stroller handle. I could tell that he liked it. A lot. “That’s beautiful,” I said, glancing at the price tag. “If you want it, you should buy it.” I gestured to my own bags sitting in the back of the str
Hannah Amber’s big move weighed on me for days. I was happy for her, genuinely. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to miss her like hell. And with her going-away party coming up, I wanted to do something special before she left. I thought about finding her a small going-away gift, just a
Amber shook her head, blinking quickly to dispel her tears. “It’s like this weight I can’t shake. No amount of therapy is helping. And I realized... I think I just need to get away. I need to start over, somewhere far from here. Somewhere I can figure out who I really am, without all the... the bagg
Hannah When Amber called and said she wanted a girls’ night, I nearly dropped my phone. The last time we had all had a proper girls’ night, just us, had been… Well, I actually couldn’t remember the last time. Maybe not since Melody had been born. Of course I said I would go even though it was a
Noah took a deep breath, nodding. “You’re right.” “And then there’s your father,” he mused after a beat of silence. “He thought he was protecting you, setting you up for a safe future by arranging our marriage, but… he never really stopped to think about what you were getting into. He never took t
Hannah It took some time to get Melody to bed that night, what with all the sugar and excitement of the overwhelming day. Noah and I had to take turns pacing back and forth across the nursery, bouncing her and cooing to her until she finally gave up and let her eyes flutter closed. By the time s
Sighing, I said softly, “I could say the same for myself. But people change.” Her gaze lifted to mine. “Yeah, I guess they do. Thank you, Hannah. Really. I wouldn’t have even thought about it if you hadn’t put in a good word for me.” I shrugged, brushing it off with a smile. “I just suggested th