Chapter 88
Hannah found herself in a dark room—her room. No, her bathroom. She couldn’t see it clearly, but she recognized the smell, the cool marble tiles under her hips, the hot steam in the air. Somewhere, the shower ran. But it didn’t matter. She was dying.
“I gave you another chance,” a woman’s voice whispered.
Hannah whipped around, but saw no one. Or at least, she didn’t think she saw anyone. It was too dark.
“Who are you?” she asked.
The woman paused. “I gave you another chance, and you’re going to ruin it. If you don’t… be careful…”
Her voice trailed off, the last words echoing faintly. Hannah reached out blindly, calling out.
“Moon Goddess… Moon Goddess…”
“Hannah.”
She woke with a jolt, a firm hand on her shoulder pulling her from her strange dream. Blinking rapidly, she wiped away drool from the corner of her mouth. Goddess, how embarrassing.
“Hannah.” Noah’s deep voice made her stiffen. She straightened, pushing back her hair as she turned to see him towering over her desk, phone in one hand, the other on his hip.
“Noah? I thought you were working,” she said, trying to keep her tone neutral despite her racing heart. His unannounced intrusion—especially seeing her passed out—was unsettling.
His gaze dropped to the chaotic mess on her desk. She followed his eyes, feeling self-conscious about the disarray. Her entire office was a disaster; the one room in the mansion entirely hers, a space she never allowed anyone to enter—not friends, servants, or even Noah.
He didn’t know this—or maybe he did—but she secretly loved collecting antiques. It had been a hobby before they were together, and though it had dwindled, she still enjoyed the hunt for rare finds. Her office housed her collection: old clocks, quirky statuettes, yellowed books, interesting art. It was her sanctuary. And now Noah was here, uninvited.
Before she could speak, Noah picked up a page covered in her handwriting. “What’s all this?” he asked gruffly.
Hannah swallowed, her shoulders straightening slightly. “Just… some plans I’ve been working on. For the Lunar Festival celebrations.” She wet her lips nervously. “I was thinking we could have a community picnic, soon. To garner more support from the Alpha Council before their decision.”
Noah scanned the page, his expression unreadable. “Hm. A picnic,” he repeated flatly, looking up. “In the middle of winter?”
“Yes,” she replied. “A large one, on the grounds near the gardens. With live music, dancing, locally-sourced food, and entertainment vendors to showcase our pack’s talents. We’ll have fire pits.” She sat up straighter. “It could be a great way to show the Alpha Council what we can do.”
A heavy silence fell, the weight of Noah’s cold stare making her shift uncomfortably. She searched his face, dread twisting her stomach. He was going to dismiss the whole idea, she just knew it.