Chapter 448

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 hidden in the dim light. His expression was calm, composed even, but something lingered—something deeper in the way his lips twitched at the corners, as if he were holding back a secret.

But then I caught the mischievous glint in his eyes, that ever-present hint of playfulness, and my excitement crumbled. The thrill in my chest deflated, like air leaking from a balloon.

“You’re teasing me,” I accused, narrowing my eyes 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 widening. “Maybe,” he admitted with a shrug, his tone unbothered. “But I’d be curious to know if you’d say yes.”

Then, cocking his head, he added, “Hypothetically speaking, of course.”

I froze again, his words sending another ripple through me—one not so easily dismissed this time. The question hung between us, 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. “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. “Being a female Alpha is… hard. It’s exhausting, but I love it. The challenge, the responsibility, the way it pushes me to be better, stronger. I love you, too, but…”

My words trailed off. How could I explain that choosing between him and my calling wasn't simple?

Noah tilted his head, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied me. Then, in that same quiet, understanding way, he spoke the words neither of us had uttered in months.

“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 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.” I shook my head and added, “If there were 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, I just don’t see how we could make it work. A marriage, I mean.”

For a long moment, Noah said nothing, his eyes distant, as if contemplating something far beyond the stars. I worried I’d hurt him—that after these months, he thought I’d changed my mind, that I wanted to be his Luna again.

But then, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke again, his voice thoughtful, not hurt or judgmental.

“What if… what if there was a way to combine our packs?” He turned, locking his gaze with mine, the intensity catching me off guard. “What if we became the first duo of equal leaders? Would you consider that?”

I blinked, my mind scrambling. “Equal leaders? Like, true equals? Not just a title, but in every way? We’d both be Alphas?”

He nodded. I chewed the inside of my cheek, considering. “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’d worked so hard for.