Chapter 0448
Hannah
My heart leaped into my throat, pounding so fiercely I was sure it echoed in the quiet night air.
Was Noah actually proposing? Here, now, in a hot tub under the stars, with nothing but the sound of bubbling water and the distant rustle of trees to bear witness?
I searched his face, my pulse quickening as I tried to decipher the emotions hiding in the dim light. His expression was calm, composed even, but there was something there–something deeper in the way his lips twitched at the corners, as if he was holding back some kind of secret.
But then I caught the mischievous glint in his eyes, that ever–present hint of playfulness, and my excitement crumbled. I felt the thrill in my chest deflate, like air leaking from a balloon.
“You’re teasing me,” I accused, narrowing my eyes at him as I splashed a handful of water his way, sending tiny droplets shimmering in the moonlit air.
Noah laughed and ducked to avoid the splash, his smile growing wider. “Maybe,” he admitted with a shrug, his tone unbothered. “But I’d be curious to know if you’d say yes.”
Then, he added with a cock of his head, “Hypothetically speaking, of course.”
I froze again, his words sending another ripple through me–one that wasn’t so easily dismissed this time. The question hung there once more, hovering between us like an invisible thread, full of implications I wasn’t sure I was ready to untangle.
I bit my lip, glancing away as I trailed my fingers through the warm water, watching the gentle ripples chase each other across the bubbling surface.
“Noah, I…” The words felt heavy on my tongue. “It’s complicated. You know that.”
“Tell me again,” he said softly. “We haven’t talked about it in so long.”
I sighed, gathering my thoughts. My voice was softer now, more contemplative as I said, “Being a female Alpha is… hard. It’s exhausting, it really is, but I love it. The challenge, the responsibility, the way it pushes me to be better, to be stronger. I love you, too, but…”
My words trailed off, and I found it impossible to finish. How could I explain to him that it wasn’t so simple to choose between him and my calling?
Noah tilted his head, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as he studied me. Then, in that same quiet, understanding way he always had, he spoke the words that neither of us had spoken in months now.
“But you still don’t want to give up your title. Even after all this time. Especially after all this time.”
It wasn’t a question. He’d hit the nail right on the head.
I nodded. “Exactly,” I said softly. “I feel like I only just started to hold my own as an Alpha–only just started receiving respect for all my work.”
shook my head and added, If there was a way… a way I could marry you without either of us losing our packs or our titles, I hope you know I would do it. In a heartbeat, I would do it a thousand times over. But as things stand right now, I just don’t see how we could make it work. A marriage, I mean.”
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0448
For a long moment, Noah didn’t say anything, his eyes distant, as if he were contemplating something far beyond the stars above us. I grew worried that I’d hurt him–that maybe after these months had passed he thought that I had changed my mind, that I wanted to be his Luna again.
But then, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke again and his voice was not hurt or judgmental, but thoughtful.
“What if… what if there was a way to combine our packs?” He turned and locked his gaze with mine, the intensity of his eyes catching me off guard. “What if we became the first duo of equal leaders? Would you consider that?”
I blinked, my mind scrambling to catch up. “Equal leaders? Like, true equals? Not just a title, but in every way? We’d both be Alphas?”
He nodded, and I chewed the inside of my cheek, considering for a moment. “If that were possible… If that were real, you know I would do it in a second,” I finally said.
The words were out before I could stop them, and I realized just how much I wanted this, wanted him- but not at the cost of everything I had worked so hard for.
