HannahI sat stiffly at the dinner table, my gaze flickering between Noah and my father.The tension in my shoulders refused to ease as I waited for some sign, some hint of the deal I was convinced they had struck earlier. Lily told me that Noah had handed my father a check to help with his failing
“There we go, little one,” he said in a soft voice. “We’ll have you all clean and comfy in no time.”I must have made a sound because Noah looked up, his eyes meeting mine in the doorway. “Did you need something, Hannah?”I shook my head, still trying to process what I was witnessing. I wanted to pi
HannahNoah’s warm hand rubbed gentle circles on my back as he held my hair, his voice soft and soothing.“I’m here for you, Hannah. Just let it out.”His tone was more tender than I had ever heard it, a contrast to the cold, calculated demeanor he usually wore. The touch of his hand, the reassuranc
As the words left my mouth, I was surprised to feel a pang of… disappointment.Why did I feel this way when all I had wanted lately was to escape? My heart seemed to betray me, caught between the freedom I had sought and a longing for something I thought was lost.Noah nodded solemnly, rising to his
HannahI made my way down to the dining room the next morning, my eyes still bleary from a fitful night of sleep. Today was the day of my father’s birthday party, and I was sure that the day would be a blur of activity. But I had my own plans today.Noah, Lily, and my parents were already at the tab
“Penpal program?” Noah asked, taking the seat opposite me. “That sounds interesting. Tell me more.”I explained the concept to him, surprised by his genuine interest. When I finished, he was nodding, thinking deeply.“That’s a great idea, Hannah,” he said. “I’m glad you have a new project to focus o
HannahThe ballroom was alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of champagne glasses. The chandeliers glittered overhead, catching the sequins on my emerald green dress. I floated from group to group, trading gossip and pleasantries with people I hadn’t seen or heard from since last year.I sho
I chewed my lip, thinking. The idea of letting my cousin take over Silvermoon sounded like a nightmare. And Lily couldn’t take over; she didn’t possess the special gene that allowed one to be an Alpha. Only Alpha and I qualified for the role, since he was my father’s only nephew.“So you think I sho
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