Chapter 225

Hannah

It was well past midnight by the time I stumbled into my family’s mansion, my vision blurred by tears and my throat raw from sobbing.

The familiar scent of the home I had grown up in barely registered as I collapsed to the floor just inside the doorway. My claws extended involuntarily, scraping against the polished hardwood as I curled in on myself.

The sound of my wails echoed through the grand foyer, bouncing off of the high ceilings and marble columns. I couldn’t stop the animal sounds escaping my throat, couldn’t control the way my body shook with each ragged breath.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and I heard a gasp. “Hannah? What are you doing here?”

Through my tears, I could make out the blurry form of my sister, her nightgown billowing around her as she rushed to my side. The scent of milk clung to her—she must have been up feeding the baby.

I tried to speak, to explain, but all that came out was another gut-wrenching sob. My claws dug deeper into the floor, leaving long, jagged gouges in the wood.

“Oh, Hannah,” Lily murmured, dropping to her knees beside me. She wrapped her arms around me, and I collapsed against her, my body wracked with tremors. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

I just kept wailing. By then, I had awoken the entire house.

More footsteps, more voices. Hands reached for me, voices overlapping in a cacophony.

“What’s going on?”

“Is she injured?”

“Someone call Noah!”

At the sound of his name, a fresh wave of anguish washed over me. I let out a keening wail, my claws tearing at the floor with renewed vigor.

“Don’t!” I managed to choke out. “Don’t call him!”

I heard murmuring, and then strong arms lifted me from the floor. Through my tears, I recognized my parents’ head of security, an aging wolf who had watched me grow up. “I’ve got her,” he said. “Where should I take her?”

“Her old room,” my mother’s voice came from somewhere nearby. “Quickly, now.”

I was carried up the stairs, my body limp in the security officer’s arms. The familiar scents of my childhood bedroom enveloped me as he laid me gently on the bed, mingling with the lingering scent of Noah from the last time we had slept here.

I wanted to tell them that I couldn’t bear to be here, that I needed another room, but I had officially run out of strength.

Eventually, darkness claimed me, and I fell into a fitful sleep.

…

Morning came too soon, harsh sunlight streaming through the windows. My eyes felt swollen and gritty, my throat raw. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was or why I felt so awful. Then it all came crashing back—Noah, the divorce papers, the cruel words.

Bastard. I hated him. Hated him.

A soft knock at the door roused me from my haze. “Hannah?” My mother’s voice was gentle. “Are you awake, sweetheart?”

I managed a hoarse “Yes,” and the door creaked open. My parents entered, followed closely by Lily, who was carrying a tray of gently-clinking teacups. They all wore matching expressions of concern.

“How are you feeling, honey?” my father asked, perching on the edge of the bed.

I sat up slowly, wincing at the ache in my muscles. “Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” I croaked.

“Hannah,” my mother said softly, “what happened? Why are you here?”

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “Noah... he divorced me. He said…” My voice broke, and I had to swallow hard before continuing. “He said he never loved me. That it was all an act.”

A collective gasp filled the room. My mother’s hand flew to her mouth, while my father’s face darkened with anger.

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Lily protested. “I thought you two were staying together. That you were working on the marriage.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, well, Noah is a liar. He said he was just keeping me happy so I wouldn’t try to take money or items from the house when he divorced me. He said I was an idiot for ever believing him.”

My father’s fists clenched. “I’ll kill him,” he growled, his eyes flashing gold. My mother put a hand on his arm, but that fire didn’t go out.

“No,” I said firmly. “I don’t want anyone to do anything. I just want to put it all behind me.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Finally, I looked up at my father. “I’ve decided I want to take over Silvermoon as Alpha when you abdicate.”

My parents exchanged glances, their expressions ranging from surprise to concern.

“Hannah,” my mother said gently, “perhaps you should take some time to relax and process everything before making such a big decision. And if you change your mind, Alvin could—”

“No.” The word came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t soften my tone. I abruptly stood from the bed on legs that were surprisingly strong despite how I felt.

I strode over to the table in the center of the room and forcefully poured myself a cup of steaming tea. “I’ve had enough of being the meek woman who cries and wallows. Alvin will destroy this pack. I’m here to claim my rightful role as Alpha of Silvermoon, and if you will not give it to me, then I will challenge Alvin to a duel.”

Behind me, I heard a collective gasp. I turned to see that my parents and my sister had gone ashen.

Just to drive the point home, I let my fangs drop, and I felt my eyes begin to glow. “And I will win.”

My parents stared at me, wide-eyed and silent. I could practically hear their hearts pounding as I sipped my tea. Challenging someone to a duel in our world was no joke—it was a fight to the death.

Finally, my mother spoke. “You know you would have to kill him in a duel, right?”

“Of course I know.” I set my teacup down. It tasted like ash in my mouth anyway. “I’ve been training for months, and I could take Alvin down in a heartbeat. He’s nothing but a lazy playboy who just wants money and power.”

Another long silence followed. I could see the internal struggle playing out on my parents’ faces—their desire to protect me warring with the fire in my eyes.

Suddenly, Lily piped up from where she’d been lingering in the doorway. “If you don’t let my sister take what’s rightfully hers,” she whispered, “then I will leave. I will take my child and leave.”

I whirled around, eyes wide. “Lily—”

She held up a hand, silencing me. Her gaze was fixed on our parents, her chin lifted in defiance. “I mean it. Hannah is the rightful heir. She’s more than capable, and she’s been through hell and is still capable. If you can’t see that, then I don’t want to be part of this family anymore.”

My father sighed heavily, running a hand through his graying hair. “No. That won’t be necessary, Lily.” He turned to me, his expression serious. “Hannah, I haven’t officially abdicated yet. If you want to take over Silvermoon, then it is your right; you are my heir, after all.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Good.”

My father nodded. “So long as you’re ready, we can begin the process of my abdication and transferring leadership to you. We could have a coronation within the week.” He paused, searching my face. “But are you sure you’re ready for this, Hannah? Really ready? Even after everything?”

I stood tall, my fangs still dropped, my eyes glowing with determination. My heart was broken, but not my spirit. Noah could never take that from me.

“I’m ready.”