Chapter 0449
“But only if we’d truly be equals, Noah,” I added firmly. I won’t be relegated to ‘Luna’ duties, hosting charity events and serving as some kind of trophy wife!
I frowned, the thought churning my stomach. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being a Luna,” I amended quickly. “It’s a respected position, and I admire those who choose that path, but it’s just… it’s not me.”
Noah’s expression softened; his serious gaze never left mine. “I know, Hannah,” he said quietly. “And I wouldn’t expect you to change for me. You’re meant to be an Alpha—you possess the gene. I wouldn’t want you to be anything less.”
A soft laugh escaped my lips, the tension in my chest easing slightly. But before I could say anything else, Noah grinned, that familiar mischievous spark returning to his eyes. “Besides,” he said, leaning in closer, “you were always pretty terrible at being a Luna.”
I gasped, feigning outrage as I smacked his arm. “I was not!”
Noah’s laughter filled the air, rich and warm, and for a moment, everything felt light again. But then, his hands found their way to my face, cupping my cheeks as he gently brushed a strand of wet hair from my eyes. His fingers lingered there, tracing the curve of my jaw, and when his gaze met mine, it was so intense, so full of emotion, that I could hardly breathe.
“I want you to be happy, Hannah,” he said, his voice low and serious. “Would you be interested in pursuing this? Combining Silvermoon and Nightcrest, becoming the first Alpha/Alpha couple?”
“Hypothetically?” I whispered.
Noah didn’t respond, just kept looking at me with those forest-green eyes. My heart stuttered in my chest. I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting myself sink into his embrace as I mulled over the enormity of his request.
“I… I would,” I whispered after a few moments. “But it’s not something we could just… decide on our own. The Alpha Council would need to approve it. And that could take months. Maybe even years.”
I pulled back slightly, searching his face. “Are you really willing to go through all of that? To fight the Council, possibly letting it drag on until Melody is old enough to remember the strain of it all?”
Noah’s smile widened, that all-too-familiar glint returning to his gaze. “What if I told you it would only take six months?” His voice was teasing again, that playful edge creeping back in. “And what if I told you… those six months were already up?”
I stared at him, incredulous. “You’re joking. Again,” I laughed, shoving him away. I sank down until the bubbles came up to my chin and said, “If that were true, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. But come on, Noah. Stop messing with me.”
But Noah didn’t laugh. His expression suddenly turned more serious than I’d seen it all day, the playful glimmer in his eyes replaced with something far more intense.
“You… you are joking, right?” I whispered, sitting up straighter. “Right, Noah?”
Noah didn’t answer. Instead, he climbed out of the hot tub, water cascading off his nude body as he strode across the deck with purpose. I turned and watched, my confusion growing, until he returned with a small bundle of papers in his hand.
“What’s that?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Without a word, Noah handed me the bundle. “See for yourself. Then tell me if I’m messing with you.”
The moment my eyes landed on the familiar seal of the Alpha Council, my breath caught in my throat. My hands shook as I flipped to the first page, the words blurring before my eyes.
“Alpha Noah and Alpha Hannah’s Appeal for Equal Leadership,” the document’s title read.
I felt my stomach turn to air as I saw the green stamp below it. Slowly, I lifted my tear-filled gaze to meet Noah’s, and he nodded, his jaw set hard.
“It’s already been approved, Hannah,” he whispered. “All we have to do is sign it.”