Chapter 0319

Hannah

The ballroom buzzed with music, laughter, and the clinking of champagne glasses. 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 should have felt excited, surrounded by family and Silvermoon pack members. This was my father’s birthday party, after all, a yearly event I looked forward to for months.

But instead, I felt strangely out of place this year, caught between two worlds. My smiles felt fake, the gossip thin and meaningless. Silvermoon had once been my haven, but now I was an outsider here, just as I was in Nightcrest.

“Hannah, darling,” my mother’s voice cut through my thoughts. She appeared at my side, looking beautiful as usual in a sapphire blue gown that complemented her silver hair. “Walk with me, won’t you?”

I nodded, grateful for the distraction, and fell into step beside her. We made our way to a quieter corner of the room, passing groups of chattering guests and a string quartet playing softly.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, her eyes searching my face.

For the millionth time, I replied with a chuckle, “I’m fine, Mom. Really.” She’d asked me that question countless times today, ever since I told her I was pregnant, as if I had a bomb strapped to my chest. But I wasn’t lying; I felt fine. I was still me, still Hannah, just occasionally nauseous. And maybe a little morose, but that had nothing to do with the pregnancy.

She nodded, then lowered her voice. “And… how are things with Noah?” She raised an eyebrow and wiggled it knowingly.

I froze, my eyes widening. The champagne flute in my hand, filled with sparkling juice, suddenly felt slippery. “Did Lily tell you?” I asked through gritted teeth, my eyes scanning the crowd for my sister, who I intended to throttle.

My mother shook her head and caught my arm before I could storm off. “No, dear. A mother can tell these things. There’s tension between you two. I’ve seen the way you avoid each other’s gaze, the stiffness in your posture when you’re together.”

I sighed, my shoulders slumping. Leave it to my mother to always see the truth, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. “It’s true,” I admitted. “We’re having issues.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her voice was soft, non-judgmental.

I hesitated, then nodded. The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “We’re staying together for the pregnancy, but we plan on divorcing afterward. It’s just not working, Mom. We’re like strangers living in the same house. It’s been that way for years.”

My mother’s face fell. “Oh, Hannah, I had no idea it was that bad.”

“Will Dad be angry?” I asked, suddenly feeling like a child again, afraid of disappointing my parents. “About the divorce, I mean.”

She shook her head, squeezing my arm reassuringly. “No, sweetheart. We’ll support you, no matter what. Your happiness is what matters most to us. But… there’s something you should know.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Your father plans to abdicate his role as Alpha within the year,” she said softly, her eyes darting around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. “If you intend to take over the pack as female Alpha, your chance would be soon. Before your cousin, Alvin, gets the role instead.”

I felt a flash of annoyance, hot and sudden. My eyes scanned the crowd until I spotted Alvin lounging in an armchair across the room, surrounded by beautiful women hanging on his every word. His laughter carried across the room, loud and boisterous. I grimaced at the sight of his golden hair.

“Alvin?” I hissed, turning back to my mother. “He’d be a terrible Alpha, Mom. He’s a playboy, not a leader. Just last month he was claiming he’d found his fated mate, and now look at him.”

My mother nodded, a look of resignation on her face. We both knew what Alvin was like; his head was constantly in the clouds, and always had been. He was more interested in women, money, and expensive cars than running a pack. He’d run Silvermoon into the ground if he took over at this point. He needed to mature first, grow up a little bit.

“Why is Dad abdicating now?” I asked, turning back to my mother. “Why so soon? He’s not that old.”

She sighed, her gaze drifting to where my father stood, chatting with some of the pack elders. “His arthritis has been getting worse lately. It’s making it harder for him to handle day-to-day Alpha responsibilities. Some days, he can barely sit without being in pain. Plus, with Lily’s new baby, he wants to be at home more to be a good grandfather.”