Chapter 419: Chapter 438

Before you start asking questions,” I said, holding up my free hand to stop Viona, “it’s true. Noah and I have decided to make things official again.”

My friend’s face went pale 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, to which Viona gave him a well–deserved smack in the chest.

I couldn’t help but grin myself as I looked up at Noah.

My mate.

My boyfriend.

Tleaned against him, savoring the warmth of his arm as it snaked 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 my sister, we had something else to celebrate.

We waited until the dinner plates were cleared and dessert was being served to tell them. Beneath the table, I felt Noah’s hand around mine, warm and reassuring. I caught Lily’s eyes across the way, and there was a knowing look in her gaze–but if she knew what I was about to announce, then she didn’t say it out loud.

“I–we–have an announcement,” I said, my fingers tightening around my glass of white wine. “Noah and I ...” I glanced over at Noah, and he gave my hand another squeeze. “We’re back together. Officially.”

My parents‘ faces lit up, my father’s eyes immediately going as wide as saucers. Lily just leaned back in her chair with a tiny ‘I knew it‘ smirk and sipped her own wine.

“That’s wonderful news!” my father practically shouted. “When did this happen? Today?”

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

I couldn’t help but blush a little, averting my gaze to my lap, as I recalled those moments. My emotions had warred between elation and terror, with elation finally taking over. “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 that 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 reforming between our hearts.

He was my mate, and he had almost been taken from me forever. I couldn’t refuse his request. Not +25 BONUS Perhaps he was simply unsurprised. Because perhaps he had 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 back and forth across the carpeted nursery floor.

Quiet lullabies played on her little 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 picked out the most comfortable chairs I could find, filling the room with plush pillows and stuffed animals and soothing lighting. I knew that I would be in here a lot, often in the middle of the night, so I’d wanted to make it a space that I enjoyed being in as well.

But tonight... I felt anything but relaxed.

Melody was sweet as ever tonight, 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 inside 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 caused me to jerk my head up. He was leaning against the door frame, his hands in his pockets, hair slightly mussed from drinking downstairs with my father.

I flushed and looked away, setting 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 meet me. He placed both hands on my shoulders, his eyes serious. “We’ve figured everything else out so far. Why not this?”