Chapter 161

Hannah

I sat on the edge of my hospital bed, watching Noah fidget uncomfortably in his. We had been placed in the same room for overnight observation. The tension between us was palpable, but I couldn’t deny the way that being close to him gave me a bit of relief.

The room was small, with two beds separated by a thin curtain that was currently pulled back. The walls were a pale green, and the only window offered a view of the dimly lit parking lot. The steady beep of monitors and the occasional squeak of shoes in the darkened hallway were the only sounds breaking the silence.

“I hate hospitals,” Noah muttered, annoyedly adjusting his arm sling while his eyes darted around the sterile room.

I was about to chide him for being fidgety when I suddenly remembered—his mother had died in a hospital much like this one, just days after we had snuck in to see her as teenagers. “I know,” I said with a soft sigh. “But it’s just for one night.”

Noah grunted in response, shifting restlessly in his bed. “We should just leave. I’m fine, you’re fine. We don’t need to be here.”

“The doctors want to make sure we’re okay,” I reminded him. “It’s standard procedure after what we’ve been through.”

Huffing, Noah sank a bit further down into his bed and grabbed the nearby television remote. I watched for a few minutes as he flipped through various channels, all of which were filled with nothing but the usual late-night trashy TV, before he shut it off again and tossed the remote aside.

A brief silence filled the room after that. I nuzzled down beneath my thin blanket, wishing I was back home—back with my plush pillows and velvet drapes. Goddess, I had gotten spoiled over the years.

Suddenly, Noah grunted softly and prodded at his shoulder—which had gotten dislocated when he had grabbed the side of the cliff. They had popped it back into place, but he would need to wear a sling for a few days to reduce movement.

I glanced over at him and furrowed my brow. “How did you keep holding on like that?” I found myself asking.

Noah quirked an eyebrow at me. “What?”

I gestured to his shoulder. “You dislocated your shoulder, but you held onto both of us earlier. How did you do that?”

“I just did,” he said with a shrug. “Nothing could have made me let go.”

I studied him for a moment, my face flushing ever so slightly as I thought back to tonight’s events. The image of him leaping after me had seared itself into my mind, even more so than the sound of Jake’s screams as he plummeted into the waterfall.

“You saved me,” I whispered without really meaning to.

Noah snapped his gaze over to mine, his green eyes flickering with something that I couldn’t quite read. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” he said simply.

I opened my mouth to respond, although I struggled to come up with the right words. Then, as if on cue, Noah’s stomach let out a loud growl and broke the moment. He looked embarrassed, a rare sight that almost made me laugh.

“When was the last time you ate?” I asked.

Noah shrugged. “I don’t know. This morning, maybe?”

I shook my head, suddenly feeling protective over him in a way that I hadn’t felt in a very long time. “That won’t do. I’ll be right back.”

Before he could protest, I climbed out of bed, carefully holding my hospital gown so it wouldn’t fall open, and grabbed my wallet. I slipped out of the room and made my way to the vending machines I had spotted earlier.

Truthfully, I just needed a moment to stretch my legs and clear my head. Noah’s admission had left me blushing deeply, which I could see clearly in a mirror on the wall as I padded down the hall. Thankfully, the hallway was blissfully quiet, most of the patients already asleep.

Finding the vending machines, I stuck my card into the slot and punched several different numbers: chips, cookies, a couple of sodas, candy. All decadent junk food that I never would have partaken in before, but something about almost dying for a second time made me realize how ridiculous it was to restrict myself—especially now.

I returned to our room a few minutes later with my arms laden with an assortment of snacks. Noah’s eyes widened as I dumped the haul onto his bed. “What’s all this?” he asked, sitting up.

“Dinner,” I said with a small smile. “Or the closest thing we can get right now.”

Noah prodded one of the bags of chips with his finger and eyed me warily. “You’ll really eat this stuff?”

I shrugged and nodded at the same time. “It’s not like I have much of a choice right now. And besides, I’ve missed all this glorious junk food over the years.”

He smirked slightly. “Finally coming back to the dark side, huh?”

Nodding, I climbed onto his bed, sitting cross-legged across from him. After a moment’s hesitation, Noah reached out and grabbed one of the bags.

“This feels like we’re kids at a sleepover,” he commented as he unwrapped a baggie of cookies.

I laughed, the sound surprising both of us. “Well, it’s better than thinking about why we’re really here.”

We ate in companionable silence for a while, the rustle of wrappers the only sound in the quiet room. As I watched Noah relax slightly, I felt a warmth in my chest. This felt... nice. Normal, even.

“Remember when we used to do this?” I asked suddenly.

Noah furrowed his brow. “When we got married, you mean?”

“No.” I shook my head. “Before that. Like when we first met when my sister and I were on vacation, and we raided the snack pantry at your parents’ house.”

For a moment, Noah just blinked at me in confusion, and I felt my stomach drop slightly. He didn’t remember, did he?

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t…”

“Forget it,” I said, waving my hand and forcing a small smile. “It was a long time ago.”

Neither of us said anything else after that. I couldn’t deny the feeling of disappointment in my chest at the thought that he had truly forgotten our first meeting after all, and it just reminded me of how he got the dates mixed up at that party all those weeks ago.

It wasn’t that long ago, really. In fact, I still remembered it like it was yesterday.

But it seemed that Noah’s memories of that week together were somewhat less… profound.

We ate for a little while longer, eventually clicking the TV back on to watch some cheesy soap opera that was playing. Soon, the snacks dwindled away, and we were left with full bellies. As I watched the TV, my hand fluttered to my stomach, feeling the slight swell there.

I should tell him, I thought to myself, pursing my lips. Perhaps it was time. I’d begin to show soon anyway, and then I really wouldn’t be able to hide it from him. Finally, deciding to just do it and not even think about it, I sat up and took a deep breath.

“Noah, I’m pregnant.”

But there was no answer. Turning, I realized that Noah’s eyes had drifted shut. His breathing had evened out, and he was leaning slightly to one side. He had fallen asleep.

I looked down at him, feeling a mixture of disappointment and… relief. Part of me was glad that I wouldn’t have to deal with his reaction right now, but another part wished he had heard me.

Sighing, I finally decided that it was time to go to sleep myself, and I stood to head back to my own bed. But as I moved, Noah’s hand suddenly shot out, grabbing my wrist. I gasped, nearly losing my balance as he pulled me back toward him.

“Noah?” I whispered, wondering if he had heard me after all, but there was still no answer; he was still asleep.

His grip was strong, and before I knew it, I’d fallen onto the bed beside him. Noah’s arm wrapped around me, holding me close. I froze, unsure of what to do. It seemed his wolf had reacted instinctively in his sleep, wanting to keep me near.

The last time we had slept together like this was... I couldn’t even remember.

I should get up, I thought. I should go back to my own bed. But as I lay there, listening to Noah’s steady heartbeat, I found myself unable to move away from him.

Before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep, nestled safely in Noah’s arms.