Chapter 168

Hannah

I followed Zoe’s finger, and there he was: Leonard, standing by the entrance with the most smug look on his face that I had ever seen. Bastard. He set this up—trying to get under my skin again, wasn’t he?

Well, I wasn’t about to let him. Not again.

“Is there a problem?” Noah, whose presence I had momentarily forgotten, sidestepped around me.

I shook my head and offered him a serene smile, gesturing to the empty seat next to Zoe. “Looks like we’ll be having some additional company tonight.”

Noah glanced back and forth between me and Zoe for a moment, clearly trying to discern whether I was being facetious or not. Finally, when my smile didn’t falter, he nodded and took his seat. I did as well, making a pointed effort to smile the whole way, just in case Leonard was watching me.

Despite my earlier upset, the opera was simply breathtaking. The music filled the vaulted ceilings of the theater, the singers’ voices ringing out like angels descending from above.

Soon, my annoyance had subsided, too enthralled by the beauty of it all to care about anything else. I leaned forward in my seat, completely enraptured by the rich voices, and even felt a tear come to my eye during the first kiss scene even though I couldn’t understand the language that they were singing in.

During a particularly emotional scene at the climax of the show, the male and female leads of the opera were being pulled away from one another by actors dressed in black robes and masks. Their voices grew strained, desperate, and my breath caught as I pressed my fingers against my lips.

Without thinking, I placed my other hand on the armrest beside me, accidentally brushing against Noah’s fingers as I did.

A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact, my wolf stirring inside of me. It had been so long since we had touched like this, even accidentally—far too long.

The warmth of his skin against mine brought back a flood of memories—stolen kisses, tender caresses, moments of intimacy that seemed like they had happened a lifetime ago. And for a moment, the opera faded into the background, and there was nothing left except for the tips of my fingers and the warmth of his hand.

I hesitated, not wanting to pull away. For a moment, I allowed myself to remember what it was like when things were good between us, when a simple touch could convey so much. My wolf whined softly, urging me to maintain the connection.

Curious about Noah’s reaction, I glanced over at him.

But my heart sank as I realized he hadn’t even noticed our hands touching. He was leaning toward Zoe, whispering something in her ear that made her giggle softly, her delicate gloved hand fluttering to shield her lips.

The sight of them, so close and comfortable, made my stomach churn.

Anger and hurt flared viciously inside of me. I yanked my hand away, clenching it into a fist in my lap. Noah didn’t notice the sudden absence of my warmth. Hot, stinging tears pricked at the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Not here, not now. I forced my attention back to the stage, but the beauty of the performance was lost on me now.

Eventually, the opera came to a tragic end; the female lead perished at her lover’s hand. Her lover, believing that she had slept with another, had become overcome with jealous rage and stabbed her in the back.

She died in his arms, the last strains of her voice gentle and melancholic. The actress held a red scarf in her hand to signify blood as her fingers came up to cup his face, and only then did the male lead realize his mistake.

But it was too late, and he fell on his knife, joining her in death.

As the final notes of the orchestra faded away, the audience was silent for a moment before suddenly erupting into applause. I clapped mechanically and rose to my feet to join the standing ovation, although my mind was admittedly elsewhere.

How fitting, I thought to myself as the curtain closed on the male and female lead, their bodies wound together in a deadly embrace. Would that, too, be my future with Noah? Perhaps not dead in a literal sense, but in an even more tragic way? To live, loveless and betrayed?

The reception afterward was a blur of faces and polite small talk. I made my way to the bar, deftly swapping my champagne for a flute of sparkling juice before anyone could notice.

As I sipped the bubbly liquid, I scanned the room, taking in the fruits of my labor.

The decorations sparkled under the chandeliers. The guests mingled happily, their laughter and chatter filling the air. The scent of expensive perfumes and aftershaves mingled with the aroma of gourmet hors d’oeuvres and alcohol. By all accounts, the gala was a resounding success.

But then, my eyes landed on Leonard, standing across the room. He was watching me intently, a smug expression on his face.

Anger bubbled up inside of me again. How dare he mess with my seating arrangements? How dare he put Zoe next to Noah? How dare he meddle with my night?

Making a decision that I would hold my tongue no longer, I set my glass down, prepared to march over and give him a piece of my mind. But before I could take a step, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Luna Hannah. It has been far too long.”

I turned to find myself face to face with the Luna Queen herself. She was just as regal as I remembered, her presence immediately commanding the respect of not only myself, but also my wolf. Her silver hair was styled in an elegant updo, and her dark gown was practically sparkling under the lights.

“Luna Alanna,” I said, curtsying to her. “It’s a pleasure to see you. I’m so glad you came.”

She nodded slightly, the tiniest smile tugging at her lips. “I wouldn’t have missed it.” She paused, looking around, as she swirled her wine around in her glass. “I must say, your charity gala appears to have been a tremendous success already.” Then, leaning in and dropping her voice: “I left a sizable donation in the booth earlier."

I blinked in surprise at her words. “Wow… Thank you, Your Majesty. That means so much to me. The funds raised tonight will make a huge difference in our community.”

“I have no doubt they will,” she replied with a curt nod. “Or rather, I have no doubt that you will make a huge difference, Luna Hannah.”

My cheeks flushed, but before I could respond, she suddenly said, “In fact, I’m so impressed by your work that I would like to extend an invitation; I want you to visit my council for a day, to be evaluated by the other women before you join.”

Her words left me so taken aback that I nearly stumbled right where I stood, my fingers tightening around the stem of my glass. Was she really…?

Keep it together, I told myself. I didn’t want to give Luna Alanna another impression that I was timid, so I kept my voice even as I said, “That would be an honor, Luna Alanna. I’m looking forward to attending.”

The Luna Queen nodded, clearly pleased by my cool demeanor. Her eyes scanned the room like daggers seeking a target. “Now, where is your husband? I’d like to congratulate him on the event as well.”

My stomach dropped. I looked around, realizing that Noah hadn’t stayed consistently by my side all night, not since Zoe had taken her seat next to him at the opera. The realization stung, a sharp reminder of the distance between us.

Across the room, I spotted him chatting with a group of people. Zoe was among them, of course, standing closer to Noah than was strictly necessary. Her hand rested lightly on his arm as she laughed at something he said.

The sight made my wolf growl with jealousy.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile back onto my face as I turned to the Luna Queen. “Oh, Noah is mingling tonight,” I said, my voice steady despite the lump in my throat. “Greeting our guests and making connections. You know how men can be.”

The Luna Queen raised an eyebrow, her gaze following mine across the room. “I see,” she said, her tone neutral. “Well, perhaps we can catch up with him later. Tell me more about your plans for the charity, Luna Hannah. I’m quite interested in hearing about the impact you hope to make.”

Grateful for the change of subject, I launched into an explanation of our goals and initiatives. I pushed Noah and Zoe from my mind, reaching deep into myself to dredge out that perfect, practiced smile that I had gotten so good at as of late.

I wouldn’t let them get to me. Not anymore. Not tonight.