Chapter 0279 Hannah


    My mind that night was consumed by thoughts of Noah. I tossed and turned all night, unable to find sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face, felt his hands on my body. Every time I flipped to one side or another, I imagined what it would be like to see him sleeping next to me, to feel his hands tug me closer against his body.


    And no matter how hard I tried to push it away, no matter how much I tried to pretend that it hadn''t happened, that memory of our night together yed on repeat in my head, mingling with the events of the summer hunt.


    A release, he had said, pinning my wrists against the wall. For both of us.


    When he had pulled his fingers out from between my thighs, they had been slick and shiny. I saw those fingers in my mind on repeat, shing between slick, clear, and damp to deep red with blood-my lips, covered in the metallic taste of the deer''s flesh. Something had awakened in me that night we had slept together, and it had grown in power since we had hunted down that deer together.


    An outlet. Yes, that was what we needed.


    My eyes kept darting to the locked bedroom door, and I couldn''t help but wonder... 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 heady mixture of fear and excitement. I imagined his eyes glowing in the darkness, predatory and hungry. I imagined him slipping through the unlocked door, sliding into bed with me, nipping at my neck...


    The image brought an animalistic smile upon my face.


    But I left the door locked.


    By the time morning came, I was a wreck.


    I dragged myself first to the kitchen for breakfast and coffee, then to my study, my eyes heavy and my mind foggy despite the caffeine now in my system. As sat at my desk, I rubbed at my weary eyes.


    Two hours. That was how long I had sleptst night; and to make matters worse, I had had a bout of morning sickness this morning, further weakening me. Any sane person would have stayed in bed, but I couldn''t. I had to keep myself busy with work, anything to keep my mind off of...


    I couldn''t help but consider Noah''s proposition for what felt like the millionth time sincest night. 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 physical


    Intimacy for who knows how long after the divorce was... unappealing, to say the least.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    But could we really do it without drama? It seemed like a recipe for disaster. And yet, it was all too tantalizing. I was bing desperate, pathetic even.


    I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on the paperwork on the desk in front of me. But the words swam on the page, my mind too preupied with thoughts of Noah''s hands, his lips, his.....


    Suddenly, a knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. "Come in," I called out, grateful for the distraction.


    To my surprise, Leonard walked in. I immediately tensed up from head to toe, remembering our confrontation at the feast.


    "What do you want?" I asked, not bothering to hide my irritation at his sudden presence.


    Leonard closed the door behind him, then turned the lock. The sound made me sit up straighter, suddenly on edge. I eyed him suspiciously as he approached my desk, my wsing out slightly just in case I needed to be prepared for another confrontation. "I need to speak with you about something... sensitive, he said, his voice low.


    I raised an eyebrow and my ws retracted slightly, although notpletely. "And that requires a locked door?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.


    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 outughing. "What?" I managed between fits of giggles. "What the hell makes you think that?"


    Leonard''s face reddened slightly, but he pressed on. "You two have been awfully closetely. 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 that there is more to it than that," he insisted, taking a step closer to my desk. I instinctively leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight. "The Luna Council, the charity g... there is no way you could have aplished all that on your own." "Is it so preposterous?" I asked, stifling anotherugh.


    Leonard simply shrugged. "For years, you have been a, a... a trophy wife," he burst out, his eyes narrowing." Nothing more than a pretty face to hang off of our Alpha''s arm at events. I find it hard to believe that all of these changestely..."


    He paused, gesturing around at my office-at my desk covered in paperwork, the mail in my inbox, the openptop, all indications of hard work. "To put it simply, I believe you must have had help. Male help."


    My earller amusement had died in my throat at some point during his monologue, reced by a cold anger. "I hope you''re kidding, Leonard," I said, slowly rising from my chair. "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 wing at the surface, itching to put Leonard in his ce, but I dug my nails into the desk in an attempt to quell that urge.


    20


    "I did all of those things myself, Leonard," I said calmly, quietly. "I don''t need a man to aplish great things."


    Leonard scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Please. A woman couldn''t possibly-"


    "Couldn''t possibly what?" I interrupted, pulling my upper lip back to reveal 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 on his face.


    Sighing, I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headacheing on. I sank back down 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 to slits.


    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."