HannahNoah’s body tensed beneath me as he finished with one last resounding growl, his fingers digging deeply into the soft flesh of my hips.I collapsed onto his chest, panting and heaving, my heart racing. The cool night air kissed my sweat-dampened skin, and I became acutely aware of the fact that the forest had gone silent around us—the nighttime creatures going quiet at the sound of two predators howling in the clearing.As I caught my breath, I realized that my flower crown had slipped off during our passion. Noah’s chest rumbled with a soft chuckle as he sat up, cradling me in his lap. He reached over, plucking the crown from where it had fallen on the grass beside us.With gentle hands, he placed it back on my head, adjusting it carefully. “A crown for my queen,” he murmured, his green eyes twinkling in the moonlight.I couldn’t help but giggle, feeling giddy and lightheaded. “I thought I was your princess,” I teased, running my fingers through his tousled hair.“After that p
The next morning, I woke with another beaming smile on my face.My lower belly still radiated with warmth, a delicious reminder of the night’s activities. We had made love well into the night after the party had ended, over and over until we were both sore.Now, with sunlight streamed through the curtains, my eyes found my pink dress from the party hanging on the back of the closet door. It was miraculously intact despite Noah’s feral passion last night. We’d hardly made it back to the room before he was growling in my ear and ripping my dress off of me.I rolled over, reaching for him, but found his side of the bed empty and cool.Frowning, I sat up, wrapping the sheet around me as I looked around the room. “Noah?” I called out, but there was no response.Slipping on a robe, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air, and I found Ana bustling about, cleaning up some remaining platters and bowls from the party.“Good morning, Luna,” she greeted m
HannahMy mind reeled as I stared at those words.Notice of Divorce.The world seemed to tilt on its axis as I read them over and over and over again. If I’d had the strength to do so, I might have even pinched myself to find out if I was having some kind of nightmare. But I just stood there, frozen
I turned to head upstairs and pack my things, but then paused at the foot of the staircase. My fingers curled around the banister, my arm trembling.“I died and came back for you,” I said softly, my voice breaking. “Now I just see it was a waste.”Noah simply shrugged, unmoved by my revelation. “The
HannahIt was well past midnight by the time I stumbled into my family’s mansion, my vision blurred by tears and my throat raw from sobbing.The familiar scent of the home I had grown up in barely registered as I collapsed to the floor just inside the doorway. My claws extended involuntarily, scrapi
My father’s fists clenched. “I’ll kill him,” he growled, his eyes flashing gold. My mother put a hand on his arm, but that fire didn’t go out.“No,” I said firmly. “I don’t want anyone to do anything. I just want to put it all behind me.”A heavy silence fell over the room. Finally, I looked up at m
HannahI was in my room, trying to distract myself with a book, when I heard the crunch of tires on gravel.My heart leapt as I immediately recognized the red car pulling up the sunlit driveway. Viona.Without thinking, I tossed the book aside and raced down the stairs, nearly tripping over my own f
HannahThat gaudy ring flashing on Zoe’s finger felt like an insult.And it was. Noah had gotten engaged to her mere days after our own divorce had gone through. Three days—that was all it had been since I collapsed in the foyer of my childhood home. Three days since I had keened and dug gouges into
“Almost done…” she murmured, leaning in with a touch of gloss for my lips. I couldn’t help but laugh at how serious she looked, as if I were some delicate art piece she was trying to perfect. Finally, she stepped back with a smile. “There. Now, the dress.” Amber was already at my side, helping m
Hannah The next morning, I woke with a flutter in my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness. Sunlight filtered softly through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I blinked up at the ceiling, letting that first realization sink in. It was the day of our wedding. In le
Hannah Mornings had gotten louder since Melody learned to walk. And she wasn’t just walking—she was trying to run, arms flapping and her chubby legs barely holding her up as she went. This morning, she seemed to be hell bent on dashing down the hallway as Noah tried to brush his teeth and I hunted
I laughed, hoping it sounded more natural than I felt. “Hey, I can spoil you once in a while if I want. Just because it’s a Thursday doesn’t mean I can’t surprise you.” We chatted about our day as we ate, filling each other in on all the usual things. But every so often, his eyes would flicker to
Hannah My hands shook a little as I straightened the delicate flower crown over Melody’s soft hair, adjusting it so the petals framed her tiny face just right. She blinked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes, slapping her hands contentedly on the top of her high chair. I smiled as I ran my f
Hannah By the time we stepped out of the ring, it felt as if my entire body was on fire. Every muscle seemed to be taut, every heartbeat one thump away from shifting. I couldn’t tell if I wanted to run circles around the building or maybe tear up the walls like a caged animal. What was wrong wit
Hannah For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, I sidestepped Drake’s punch with ease, narrowly dodging his hook. Training with him had become an obsession of mine lately. He’d pushed me in ways I hadn’t expected, helping me learn how to use my speed and endurance instead of relying on
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