"Before you start asking questions," I said, raising my hand to stop Viona, "it's true. Noah and I have decided to make things official again."

My friend's face paled with shock. Drake's lips curled into a cheeky grin. "I guess that means I've officially missed my shot with you, Hannah," he teased, earning a well-deserved smack to the chest from Viona.

I couldn't help but grin as I looked up at Noah. My mate. My boyfriend. I leaned against him, savoring the warmth of his arm around my waist.

Noah came over for dinner that night—to celebrate our dual victories in court, of course. But unbeknownst to my parents and sister, we had something else to celebrate.

We waited until dinner plates were cleared and dessert was served to tell them. Beneath the table, I felt Noah's hand around mine, warm and reassuring. I caught Lily's eye across the table; a knowing look in her gaze—but if she knew what I was about to announce, she didn't say it aloud.

"I—we—have an announcement," I said, my fingers tightening around my glass of white wine. "Noah and I…" I glanced at Noah, and he squeezed my hand. "We're back together. Officially."

My parents' faces lit up; my father's eyes widened. Lily simply leaned back, a small "I knew it" smirk playing on her lips as she sipped her wine.

"That's wonderful news!" my father practically shouted. "When did this happen? Today?"

I nodded and glanced at Noah. "I asked her this afternoon," he replied. "After the trials. It took some convincing, but she agreed to be my girlfriend."

I blushed, averting my gaze to my lap as I recalled those moments. My emotions had battled between elation and terror, with elation ultimately prevailing. "Yes," I'd finally said, throwing my arms around his neck. "Yes. Let's give this another go. A real one this time."

In my heart, during those moments, I knew I couldn't be without him any longer. I kept thinking back to that night we played frisbee, to the feeling of those invisible threads slowly re-forming between our hearts. He was my mate, and he had almost been taken from me forever. I couldn't refuse his request.

Perhaps he was simply unsurprised. Perhaps he'd planned on suggesting the same thing. It was the most logical outcome, after all.

Melody's soft coos filled the air as I gently bounced her in my arms, pacing the carpeted nursery floor. Quiet lullabies played on her moon-and-stars mobile; a gentle purple glow cast on the crib from the low LEDs lining the walls.

Before Melody was born, I'd painstakingly designed this nursery to be a relaxing space—not just for her, but for me as well. I'd chosen the most comfortable chairs, filling the room with plush pillows, stuffed animals, and soothing lighting. I knew I would be in here a lot, often in the middle of the night, so I'd wanted to make it a space I enjoyed being in.

But tonight… I felt anything but relaxed. Melody was sweet as ever, drinking her milk and getting ready for bed like a champ. She wasn't the source of my anxiety. Rather, it was my father's words that kept roiling in my head. The most logical outcome…

I was elated to be back together with Noah, don't get me wrong. But I never wanted to give up my status as Alpha. Maybe I wasn't the best at the job, maybe I made a lot of mistakes, but it was the one thing in this world—aside from being a mother to Melody—that I felt was meant for me. How could I give it up so soon?

"You don't have to do it, you know."

The sound of Noah's voice made me jerk my head up. He was leaning against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, hair slightly mussed from drinking downstairs with my father.

I flushed and looked away, settling Melody in her crib.

"Noah, if we wanted to get married again at some point…"

"Then we'll figure it out," Noah whispered, crossing the room to me. He placed both hands on my shoulders, his eyes serious. "We've figured everything else out so far. Why not this?"