Chapter 196

Hannah

I sat stiffly at the dinner table, my gaze flickering between Noah and my father.

The tension in my shoulders refused to ease as I waited for some sign, some hint of the deal I was convinced they had struck earlier. Lily told me that Noah had handed my father a check to help with his failing business deals, and I was certain he would use it to ensure my entrapment in this marriage.

Because why else would he help my struggling father? It certainly had nothing to do with kindness. No, Noah was up to something—I was sure of it.

As the evening unfolded, however, I saw nothing that matched my suspicions.

In fact, Noah was being the epitome of a perfect gentleman. He didn’t bring up the check or our marriage once, nor did he hint at any ulterior motives he might have.

Instead, he engaged in light, pleasant conversation about pack politics and recent community events.

“Alpha Stephen,” Noah said, turning his attention to my father with a courteous nod, “I heard that the new community center is nearly complete. That must be quite exciting for Silvermoon.”

My father’s face lit up with a proud smile. “Indeed it is. It’s going to be a fantastic resource for our youth. It’s been a long time coming.”

“Lily and I are planning on hosting a weekly reading day for the children,” my mother added with a beaming grin. “Hannah, you should try to join us sometime. I know it’s far, but it would be so nice to do something as a family.”

I swallowed my bite of roast chicken, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I’d love to,” I said.

My mother didn’t know yet that I planned on staying here anyway. I wondered if she would still think it was ‘nice’ once I broke the news, or if she would be devastated in the wake of Noah using that check against us all.

Perhaps he would suddenly ask for the money back, plus interest, and I would be the bad guy for making a decision that harmed our family.

“What do you think, Noah?” I asked, turning to look at him. I searched his face for any hint of deception or… something.

But there was nothing. He nodded simply, flashing me a pleasant smile. “That sounds great. I think you’d be good at it, Hannah.”

I stabbed another piece of chicken on my fork, avoiding his gaze.

Dinner continued, and still I found nothing amiss about Noah’s demeanor. In fact, when I glanced over at the glistening potatoes on his plate, he leaned in.

“Would you like some?” he asked, gesturing to the potatoes with his fork. I glanced at my own plate; I had already finished mine, although I was still hungry. But it was too many carbs, and a second helping wasn’t necessary.

But before I could refuse, Noah had already scooped a generous serving of the potatoes onto my plate. Then, to my utter shock, he speared a piece on his fork and held it up to my lips.

“Here,” he said softly.

I was taken aback, but I couldn’t refuse. I opened my mouth, and he fed me the bite. The flavors exploded on my tongue, but I barely registered them, I was so caught up in the unexpected tenderness of the gesture.

I chewed slowly, my eyes fixed on Noah’s—those green orbs watching me, waiting… softening.

Suddenly, Olivia’s cries pierced through the room. Lily, who had been quietly enjoying her meal, started to rise with a sigh, placing her napkin on the table.

However, Noah was quicker. He was on his feet before she could stand, his hands on his hips.

“I’ve got it,” he said confidently, striding over to the bassinet where little Olivia was squirming. “You rest, Lily. You deserve a break.”

Lily hesitated, halfway out of her chair, her brow furrowed. “Are you sure? She probably needs her diaper changed, and…”

Noah shrugged her off. “I can handle it. Really, sit and enjoy your meal.”

Lily and I exchanged twin glances of shock and confusion. Noah, changing a diaper on his own? Was I dreaming?

As Noah left the room with Olivia, I couldn’t help but follow. I hovered in the doorway of the nursery, watching as Noah expertly laid Olivia on the changing table. His movements were practiced and gentle, as though he had done this hundreds of times before.

“There we go, little one,” he said in a soft voice. “We’ll have you all clean and comfy in no time.”

I must have made a sound because Noah looked up, his eyes meeting mine in the doorway. “Did you need something, Hannah?”

I shook my head, still trying to process what I was witnessing. I wanted to pinch myself to see if it was real. “How… how do you know how to do this?” I blurted out.

Noah shrugged, his focus returning to Olivia as he fastened the fresh diaper. “As soon as I found out you were pregnant, I started reading everything I could find. Books, articles, YouTube videos—you name it, I’ve probably watched or read it.”

“But it’s only been a few weeks.”

“That’s plenty of time to get my research done.”

He lifted Olivia into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She cooed happily, blowing little spit bubbles on his shirt, which—once again, to my utter surprise—didn’t faze Noah in the slightest.

“I know I have a long way to go,” he said, “but I wanted to get a head start. I thought it was important to be as prepared as possible.”

I just stared at him, open-mouthed, completely unable to hide my shock.

“What?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I… I never thought you’d actually care enough to learn all this,” I admitted. “I figured you’d just expect me or a nanny to handle it.”

Noah’s face fell slightly, a hint of hurt flashing in his eyes. “Hannah, of course I care. It will be my child too. I believe a father should take on at least half of the childcare, if not more.”

He gently rocked Olivia as he continued, “A woman goes through so much with a pregnancy—the physical pain, the hormonal changes, and then there’s the matter of labor, which is some of the worst pain imaginable.”

He shook his head. “The least a man can do is step up and make a mother’s life as comfortable and easy as possible. It’s the bare minimum for all that work she does bringing a child into the world.”

His words hit me harder than I expected, embarrassment and shock washing over me. I didn’t know what to say—not that it mattered, anyway, because he was already brushing past me with Olivia in his arms.

We made our way back to the dining room in silence, my steps stumbling behind him as I tried to wrap my head around the version of Noah I thought I knew and… whatever this was.

As we resumed our places at the table, Lily looked at us with a hopeful expression. “How did it go?”

I felt my cheeks flush, the heat rising to my face as I mumbled, “He’s really good with kids.”

The rest of dinner passed in a blur. I barely tasted the food, my thoughts preoccupied with the new side of Noah I was encountering. Was this kindness always there, hidden beneath his seemingly cold exterior? Or was this a recent development?

Or… was this just another ploy? An act to make himself seem like the good guy in front of my parents? A tactic to keep me complacent so I wouldn’t leave him?

When dessert was served—a soft lemon custard dish that I normally loved—a wave of nausea washed over me. The sight and scent of the dish were enough to turn my stomach, and I knew I had only seconds before the battle with my gag reflex would be lost.

“Excuse me,” I managed to choke out before bolting from the table.

I heard my mother’s voice calling after me, but I couldn’t stop to explain. I barely made it to the bathroom in my old bedroom before the contents of my stomach made a hasty reappearance.

As I heaved over the toilet, the sound of the bathroom door opening reached my ears. Warm hands gathered my hair, holding it back from my face

“I’m here,” Noah said gently.