Chapter 0445

Hannah

I couldn't help but feel guilty as I stared out the car window. The tall trees blurred past in a dense green haze, the scent of pine and fresh air filling my nostrils even from inside the car. The sky was the clearest blue, perfect for a countryside outing. Melody cooed happily in the backseat, without a care in the world.

Noah was taking us on a weekend trip—just the three of us—and I should have been elated. But instead, I felt tired, panicky, and a little confused.

"Quit picking at your lip," Noah said abruptly, his voice jolting me from my reverie. "I swear, Hannah, if you're thinking about work right now—"

"It's just so unexpected, that's all," I replied, quickly covering my mouth to stop nervously picking at the dry skin on my lower lip. "If I'd had a couple of weeks' notice, I could have prepared things, worked some late nights to get more done—"

"And that's precisely why I didn't tell you," Noah said, glancing at me from the driver's seat, a look of mild disappointment on his face. "You'll work yourself to the bone, you know. I don't even have a Beta, and I'm not half as stressed as you."

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. "Maintaining respect as a female Alpha is enough to stress anyone," I quipped. "One weekend vacation could paint me as a 'lazy housewife' in the other Alphas' eyes."

Noah looked as though he wanted to roll his eyes—I'd brought up my struggles as a female Alpha more than once—but instead sighed and said, "I know. But you're still Hannah, beyond being an Alpha. And I happen to know Hannah well enough to know she needs time to recharge, just like anyone else."

I almost retorted but quickly shut my mouth and slumped further into my seat. "You're right," I admitted, shaking my head. "I guess I have been a workaholic lately, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have. And I'd appreciate it if I could still see my girlfriend and daughter occasionally."

There was no arguing that—especially not when he reached over and squeezed my thigh. That gesture alone was enough to set me on fire, and suddenly, the idea of a weekend getaway in the countryside, away from work and my rather nosy family, did seem rather tempting.

Finally, around lunchtime, we reached the rental Noah had chosen. The GPS led us up a narrow, potholed dirt road, causing Melody to whine in protest in her car seat. But once we pulled up to the house, even she seemed to realize the bumpy ride had been worth it.

"Oh, Noah… where did you find this place?" I breathed as we climbed out of the car.

Noah beamed and draped his arm across my shoulders. "It took a lot of rental hunting, trust me."

I lacked the words to describe its beauty. It was a sweet little cottage nestled at the edge of a forest clearing, a little stone path leading to the front door winding through a garden full of wildflowers. Baby blue shutters lined the whitewashed walls, birds chirping on the windowsills.

"Come over here," Noah said, before we could go inside, carrying Melody in one arm with his other still wrapped around my shoulders. "You'll want to see this."

My eyes widened as we rounded the house and saw, in the back, the world's tiniest farm. It was just a small pen with two goats and a few chickens, really. But being the spoiled rich girl I was, even this felt like home on the range.

I turned to Noah, my mouth agape as I pointed at the goats. "You—how—what—"

"They're just pygmy goats, Hannah," Noah laughed, adjusting Melody in his arms. "You can pet them if you want. The rental owner says they're very friendly."