Hannah’s POVAs I pulled back from Xavier's embrace, a sense of calm washed over me. His words, his touch, had soothed my frazzled nerves, and for the first time in a long while, I felt truly safe.I looked up at him, his deep blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. I saw the sincerity there, the promise to protect me, and I knew I could trust him.Xavier's fingers brushed against my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. "I'll always be here for you," he whispered, his voice low and husky.I nodded, offering him a smile. The rest of the day drifted by in a haze. My thoughts were scattered—a jumble of memories and half-formed plans. When I finally crawled into bed, exhaustion pulled me under almost immediately, but when I awoke the next morning, I found myself alone.The bed, vast and cold, felt emptier than it should have. My eyes swept across the room and toward the couch, searching for Xavier’s familiar presence, but it was empty.Disappointment
HANNAH’S POV“I’m Xavier’s mate,” I repeated, my voice firm.She raised an eyebrow. “You? A weak werewolf like you? I don’t think so. Xavier is a powerful Lycan, and he would never choose someone like you as his mistress, let alone his mate.”I felt a surge of anger at her demeaning words but kept my cool. “I assure you, I am his mate, whether you believe me or not.”The female Lycan’s lips curled into a mocking sneer, her eyes narrowing with contempt. "Even if that were true, which I highly doubt, there is no claim mark on you. Xavier would never leave his mate unmarked. You’re just a pathetic little werewolf trying to claim a connection to someone far superior to you.”My heart sank, realizing that she was right. I did not bear Xavier’s mark as he had yet to mark me, but that still didn’t give her the right to talk down to me. I stood as tall as I could, meeting her gaze with all the strength I could muster.My voice was steady, though inside, I was trembling. "I don’t need to prove
XAVIER’S POVAt Hannah's request, I allowed my features to settle into a more serious expression, my gaze locking onto hers. Her eyes, usually so full of light, now reflected a deep concern that sent a jolt of worry through me. The subtle lines of worry etched into her forehead told me something was off—something that had been gnawing at her in my absence."What’s wrong? Did something happen while I was away?" My voice softened, dropping to a gentle tone as I tried to coax the truth from her.Hannah hesitated, her breath catching as if she were weighing each word carefully. Finally, she took a deep breath, the rise and fall of her chest mirroring the tension between us. "I—I went out of your room," she started, her voice faltering. But before she could continue, my instincts flared, and I interrupted, unable to suppress the panic rising within me."You did what?" My voice was sharper than I intended, the fear I felt twisting my words. "Hannah, I thought I told you to stay here until I
XAVIER’S POVHannah and I continued talking about the upcoming party, sharing ideas and plans, when I noticed her expression shift. Her eyes dimmed, and the smile that usually brightened her face faded. Something was clearly bothering her.I reached out, gently taking her hand in mine, feeling the slight tremor in her fingers. "Hannah," I said softly, my voice laced with concern, "what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."She hesitated, her gaze dropping to our intertwined hands. The silence stretched between us, and I could almost hear the unspoken words weighing on her mind. Finally, she looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity. "Xavier," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "you've never talked about your parents. Why is that?"The question hit me like a cold wind, and I felt my heart constrict in my chest. I hadn’t expected this. My eyes drifted away from hers, focusing on a distant point in the room as memories flooded back, pulling me
Xavier’s POV Kasper’s eyes narrowed, his jaw set in a firm line. "I’m not against you showing her off, Xavier. I’m just saying, be cautious. A grand party will put Hannah in the spotlight, making her a target. A simple dinner would be safer."A low growl rumbled in my throat, but I kept it in check. "You’re being paranoid, Kasper," I growled, barely restraining the irritation that bubbled to the surface. "As long as Hannah remains within the pack’s territory, she’s safe. That bastard wouldn’t dare try anything on our land. Besides, I want Hannah to feel welcomed. A grand party is exactly what she needs, and that’s final."Kasper met my gaze, his expression unwavering. "I understand your desire to make her feel at home, Xavier, but I have to look out for her safety—and yours. We don’t know what ‘he’ is planning. A public celebration could be the perfect opportunity for him to reappear."I leaned back in my chair, trying to rein in the frustration that gnawed at me. Kasper’s caution wa
HANNAH’S POVThe day of the welcoming party had finally arrived, and despite Xavier’s reassurances that Kara—his Beta’s mate—would be coming around to help me get ready, I couldn’t shake the nervousness gnawing at me.The way Xavier had spoken about Kara, his eyes lighting up as he described her, made me believe she would be kind. Yet the fluttering in my stomach persisted—a mix of anxiety and anticipation twisting within me.Xavier had left early that morning, muttering something about needing to check on the party preparations. But I knew better; it was just an excuse to give Kara and me some space. I appreciated the gesture, especially since I was feeling both lazy and nauseous from the pregnancy hormones.The mere thought of dragging myself out of Xavier’s king-sized bed felt like an Olympic feat. But I had to look presentable before Kara arrived, so I forced myself up, each movement a small victory over the fatigue weighing me down.The cold tiles sent a shiver up my spine as I p
HANNAH'S POVEver since arriving at the Blue Moon pack and being confined to Xavier's room, the outside world had become a distant memory. The walls of his quarters were both my shelter and my prison, with only fleeting glimpses of the world beyond through half-closed curtains.So when he finally told me about the party, I could only think of one thing: freedom, at last. But the momentary joy was quickly replaced by a creeping sense of dread. Xavier mentioned that he had invited all the neighboring packs and allies.Could Coby be among them?The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine, my palms dampening with the anxiety that gripped me. As we walked down the long hallway, my fingers instinctively tightened around Xavier's arm, my anchor in this storm of uncertainty."Are you okay?" Xavier's voice, always so controlled, now had an edge of concern. His eyes flickered toward me, softening at the sight of my tension.I forced a smile, though my stomach was in knots. "Yeah, just... a lit
HANNAH’S POVMy breath caught in my throat the moment I saw him—Andrew. His familiar chiseled jawline, the messy hair that always looked like he had just woken up, and those deep brown eyes that always seemed to be watching, observing everything. My heart stuttered for a second as a mix of shock and something else—something I didn’t want to name—rushed through me. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, and I certainly didn’t expect to find him at Xavier's lavish party. The room around us faded; the hum of laughter and clinking glasses reduced to a dull buzz as my eyes locked onto him. “Andrew?” The word slipped out, barely above a whisper, my voice betraying my disbelief. I swallowed hard, feeling the sudden dryness in my throat. “What are you doing here?” His lips curled into a small smile, but his eyes... they told a different story. A hint of something—perhaps relief, or maybe something darker—flickered there. “Hannah,” he said softly, his voice like a memory. “It’s good to see you again.