Chapter 369

Hannah

I was in my room, trying to distract myself with a book, when I heard tires crunching on gravel. My heart leaped as I recognized the red car pulling up the sunlit driveway. Viona. Without thinking, I tossed the book aside and raced downstairs, nearly tripping in my haste. I burst through the front door and sprinted down the drive, meeting Viona halfway as she got out of her car.

We collided in a tight embrace, swaying together as tears pricked my eyes. For a moment, I felt like I could breathe again. I’d been home in Silvermoon for two days, although it felt like an eternity. My friends knew something had happened, but only a little. I’d told them Noah and I had divorced, but the rest… I couldn’t bear to tell them everything. Not over the phone, at least. But Viona had come. She’d said she would, and she did.

Viona pulled back, her hands on my shoulders, looking at me with concern. “Hannah, are you okay? You look exhausted.” She turned me this way and that, as if checking for a broken bone.

I managed a weak smile. “I’m fine. Just… tired. And humiliated.”

“Let’s go inside. We have a lot to talk about.”

I nodded, leading her up the path to my house. As we entered the foyer, I noticed Viona’s gaze drop to the floor. My mother had tried to cover the deep gouges I’d left that first night with a rug, but the edges were still visible.

“What happened there?” Viona asked before I could adjust the rug.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “That was me. The night I came back… I was a mess. I couldn’t control myself. I clawed at the floor like an animal.”

Viona chuckled softly. “There’s my psycho friend,” she teased, bumping her shoulder against mine.

I chuckled. It felt good, like a release valve had been opened. “Come on,” I said, leading her to the living room. “I’ll tell you everything.”

We settled onto the plush sofa, and I poured out the whole story—the sweet words and promises, the passionate nights, and then the abrupt change into a cold demon who’d thrown those divorce papers in my face as if he hated my guts. Viona listened intently, saying nothing, although her face grew ashen as I spoke.

When I finished, she looked as if she’d seen a ghost. She shook her head in disbelief. “Hannah, this doesn’t make sense. Noah genuinely seemed to have changed. That night at your baby shower, he was all over you, head over heels. Everyone heard you howling from the woods.”

My cheeks flushed at the memory. That night had been amazing. Too bad it had been tainted by… everything.

“Yeah, well, apparently it was all an act,” I spat bitterly. “He probably planned this whole thing from the start. Maybe with Zoe’s help, although who knows?” I couldn’t decide which was worse: the idea that he’d planned it with Zoe, or that he’d done it all on his own.

Viona’s frown deepened. “But Hannah, he can’t be that good of an actor. The way he looked at you at the baby shower… it seemed so real.”

I stood up abruptly, pacing the room. “Well, it wasn’t. And you know what? It doesn’t matter anymore. I have other plans. Ones that don’t involve him.” I paused, turning to face her. “It looks like I’m going to become Alpha of Silvermoon after all.”

Viona’s eyes widened. “So soon? Are you sure you’re ready for something like that?”

I nodded firmly. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. It’s about time I took my rightful place. He may think he shattered me, but he didn’t. Not permanently.”

A slow smile spread across Viona’s face. “Well then, I guess I made the right choice.”

“What do you mean?”

My friend stood and crossed the room, taking my hands. “I made you a promise, remember? If you and Noah got divorced, I would come to Silvermoon with you. I’ve already applied to transfer to the cosmetology school here.”

I felt a lump form in my throat. “Vi, you don’t have to—your apartment—”

“Oh, screw the apartment. I want to come,” she interrupted. “You’re my best friend, Hannah. Where you go, I go.”

Overcome with emotion, I pressed my forehead against hers. “Then my first act as Alpha will be to accept you into my pack,” I whispered.

We stood like that for a moment, sharing a breath, until a familiar voice called from the doorway. “Hannah?”

I looked up to see Drake standing there, backlit by the sun. His eyes glowed with anger, his chest heaving. Without thinking, I broke away from Viona and ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. Viona watched from the window, wringing her hands.

Drake held me tightly, stroking my hair. I could hear low growls of fury. “I heard what happened. I’ll kill the bastard,” he murmured. “I’ll shred him. Playing with your heart like that…”

I pulled back, wiping my eyes. “That won’t be necessary,” I said. “It’s in the past now. I’m moving forward—I’m going to take over as Alpha of Silvermoon.”

Drake sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening. “Really?”

A slow smile spread across Drake’s face. “Well then, consider me your ally. Whatever you need, I’m here. And my aunt is on your side too.”

I let out a breath. I did know, but hearing it out loud was a relief. “Thank you, Drake. For coming, for supporting me… for everything.”

“Always, Hannah. You know that.”

Suddenly, a gasp from behind us made us both turn. Viona clutched her phone, her face pale, her eyes wide with shock.

“That prick…” she croaked.

Drake and I exchanged glances. “What is it?” I asked, walking over to her.

Wordlessly, she showed us the screen. I felt the blood drain from my face as I saw the image—a photo of Noah and Zoe, both smiling, with Zoe’s hand pressed against Noah’s chest. A big diamond ring glittered on her finger. An engagement ring. My eyes dropped to the headline, and I thought I might be sick. “The star-crossed lovers announce their engagement!”