Chapter 279
Hannah
My mind that night was consumed by thoughts of Noah. I tossed and turned, unable to find sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, felt his hands on my body. Every time I shifted, I imagined him sleeping beside me, his hands pulling me close.
No matter how hard I tried to dismiss it, the memory of our night together replayed endlessly in my head, intertwined with the events of the summer hunt. "A release," he’d said, pinning my wrists against the wall. "For both of us."
When he’d withdrawn his fingers from between my thighs, they’d been slick and shiny. I saw those fingers repeatedly in my mind, flashing between slick and damp to deep red with blood—my lips, still bearing the metallic taste of the deer's flesh.
Something had awakened in me that night, and it had grown stronger since we'd hunted that deer together. An outlet. Yes, that was what we needed.
My eyes kept darting to the locked bedroom door. What if I unlocked it? Would Noah be waiting in the hallway, lurking in the shadows? The thought sent a shiver down my spine, a potent mixture of fear and excitement. I imagined his eyes glowing in the darkness, predatory and hungry. I pictured him slipping through the unlocked door, sliding into bed with me, nipping at my neck… The image brought an animalistic smile to my face. But I left the door locked.
By morning, I was exhausted. I dragged myself to the kitchen for breakfast and coffee, then to my study, my eyes heavy and my mind foggy despite the caffeine. As I sat at my desk, I rubbed my weary eyes. Two hours. That's how long I'd slept; and to make matters worse, I'd experienced morning sickness, further weakening me. Any sane person would have stayed in bed, but I couldn't. I had to keep busy, anything to distract myself from…
I couldn’t help but consider Noah’s proposition for what felt like the millionth time. Release. Sweet release. We were getting divorced in a month, but until then… Maybe I should take him up on his offer, I thought wryly. After all, I was still a young woman. I had needs, desires. And the thought of going without intimacy for who knows how long after the divorce was unappealing, to say the least.
But could we really do it without drama? It seemed like a recipe for disaster. And yet, it was all too tantalizing. I was becoming desperate, pathetic even.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on the paperwork. But the words swam on the page, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Noah’s hands, his lips, his…
Suddenly, a knock interrupted my thoughts. “Come in,” I called, grateful for the distraction.
To my surprise, Leonard walked in. I tensed, remembering our confrontation at the feast.
“What do you want?” I asked, not bothering to hide my irritation.
Leonard closed and locked the door. The sound made me sit up straighter. I eyed him suspiciously as he approached my desk, my claws extending slightly, just in case.
“I need to speak with you about something… sensitive,” he said, his voice low.
I raised an eyebrow, my claws retracting slightly. “And that requires a locked door?” I asked, tilting my head.
He nodded, looking oddly serious. “I believe you and Drake might be secretly sleeping together.”
For a moment, I just stared at him. Then, I threw my head back and burst out laughing. “What?” I managed between fits of giggles. “What the hell makes you think that?”
Leonard’s face reddened, but he pressed on. “You two have been awfully close lately. And I saw you talking at the hunt yesterday, looking very… intimate.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’re friends, Leonard. Friends talk to each other. It’s not a crime.”
“I believe there’s more to it than that,” he insisted, taking a step closer. I instinctively leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking. “The Luna Council, the charity gala… there’s no way you could have accomplished all that on your own.”
“Is it so preposterous?” I asked, stifling another laugh.
Leonard shrugged. “For years, you have been a… a trophy wife,” he blurted, his eyes narrowing. “Nothing more than a pretty face to hang off our Alpha’s arm at events. I find it hard to believe that all of these recent changes…”
He paused, gesturing around my office—at my desk covered in paperwork, the mail in my inbox, the open laptop, all indications of hard work. “To put it simply, I believe you must have had help. Male help.”
My earlier amusement had vanished, replaced by cold anger. “I hope you’re kidding, Leonard,” I said, slowly rising. “Otherwise—”
“Come on, Hannah,” Leonard interrupted, his tone patronizing. “We all know a woman, especially one like you, couldn’t have done all that you’ve done without a man behind her. It’s just not possible.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage building inside me. My wolf stirred, bristling at the insult. I could feel her clawing at the surface, itching to put Leonard in his place, but I dug my nails into the desk to quell that urge.
“I did all of those things myself, Leonard,” I said calmly, quietly. “I don’t need a man to accomplish great things.”
Leonard scoffed, crossing his arms. “Please. A woman couldn’t possibly—”
“Couldn’t possibly what?” I interrupted, baring my teeth in a snarl. “Couldn’t possibly have ideas? Couldn’t possibly organize events? Couldn’t possibly lead a pack?”
Leonard just shrugged, staring at me with a self-satisfied smirk.
Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. I sank back into my chair and shook my head. “Drake is my friend, Leonard. That’s all. We work together sometimes, yes, but he’s not secretly running things behind my back.”
“Prove it,” Leonard challenged, his eyes narrowing.
I threw my hands up in exasperation. “How? How can I prove that I’m telling the truth?”
A slow, unsettling grin spread across Leonard’s face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with clear liquid.
“Take this truth serum,” he said, holding it up to the light, “and then we’ll know for sure.”