Chapter 0403

Hannah

The pain in my battered body was immense. Drake and Viona helped me to a seat in the back room of the church, away from prying eyes, supporting my weight the entire time. The wedding had devolved into chaos as guards chased Zoe. Scott, too, had vanished with her, escaping through a back door.

“Catch him!” Noah cried. “I want that bastard in handcuffs!”

My legs felt like jelly, weak and unsteady from the adrenaline crash and the pain radiating from my side. Each breath sent a sharp stab through my chest—I was certain I had at least one broken rib.

“Easy does it,” Drake murmured as they lowered me onto the plush chair. “Just take it slow, Hannah.” I winced as I settled, trying to find a comfortable position. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice hoarse.

Before anyone could speak, the door burst open. Noah rushed in, his tuxedo disheveled and his hair wild. His eyes locked onto mine, and instantly, he was on his knees, wrapping his arms around me in a tight embrace.

“Hannah,” he breathed. “Oh, Hannah…”

The sudden pressure on my injured ribs made me choke and sputter. “Ow…” Noah immediately pulled back, his eyes wide.

“Shit. Fuck. I’m so sorry,” he said quickly, his hands hovering uncertainly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay?”

I nodded, trying to catch my breath. “I’m fine,” I gasped. “Just… broken rib, I think.” Viona scoffed. “Just a broken rib,” she said. “The ambulance should be here soon.”

Noah’s face twisted with anguish. “Oh, Hannah. I’m so sorry. For everything.”

He turned to Drake and Viona. “Thank you both. If you hadn’t come when you did…” He shook his head, his face darkening. “I would have married Zoe. She would have used me to make Adam the heir to Nightcrest. And after that…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I think she might have even killed me. With Scott’s help.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Noah,” I said softly, taking his hand. “What happened?”

He took a deep breath, his thumb tracing circles on my hand. “After I left you at Darkmoon, I went home to work on getting you released. I hadn’t told Zoe I remembered everything yet—I wanted to have her quietly removed from the house first, to avoid trouble or frightening Adam.”

Noah’s eyes clouded with anger. “But when I got home, I found her burning the pictures and letters I’d discovered. She knew I’d gone to see you because Scott had betrayed me. He’d been watching me and told Zoe everything.”

Chapter 0103

“He’s been working with Zoe all these years,” Noah continued. “He was there when she initially severed our mate bond, Hannah. He was one of the people holding me down.”

Hot fury burned through me. No wonder Scott had seemed so incompetent lately… He wasn’t trying to help me or Noah; he was working with Zoe, worming his way through our lives, tripping us up whenever possible.

And to think I had once confided in him. Asked him to help me with WhiteRabbit.

I wondered if Zoe had paid WhiteRabbit to sell me those contraceptives, to ensure Noah and I didn’t produce an heir. I’d have to look into that later.

“When I found Zoe burning everything, I tried to stop her,” Noah went on. “But she was furious. She had Scott hold me down again, and she poured this special jasmine tea down my throat. It… it fogs memories, makes them easier to alter.”