Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

hapter 0421

Chapter 0421

Hannah

Years ago…

+25 BONUS

The sun beat down mercilessly, the smell of hot pavement and summer flowers filling the air. I stood in front of the ice cream stand, counting the crumpled bills in my hand with growing dismay.

“Oh, damn…” I muttered, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’m a dollar short…”

Suddenly, I felt a familiar presence lean over me. I recognized the smell of his cologne immediately, mixed with the scent of sweet sweat and salt water on his skin.

“N–Noah!” I exclaimed, surprised–and wholeheartedly trying not to blush at the fact that he was shirtless, wearing only his swimming trunks and a pair of sandals, his dark hair still damp from swimming in the ocean. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Buying ice cream?” He plucked the cash from my palm and counted it, his brow furrowing. “You’re a dollar short.”

“Lknow.” I took my money back and pocketed it, turning to the ice cream vendor. “Sorry, mister. I didn’t mean to waste your time-”

“Don’t go anywhere.” Noah fished into his beach bag and pulled out a wad of cash. The bills were slightly wrinkled, evidence of a summer job well–spent. “I’ll buy it for both of us.”

I felt my cheeks burn as Noah stepped up to the counter, holding out the bills. “Two cones, please. Vanilla, bean for me, and…” He glanced over at me, raising one dark eyebrow in silent question.

“Um… Strawberry cheesecake.”

The vendor scooped our ice cream into two waffle cones. Noah handed mine to me, our fingers brushing as the treat passed between us. I thought I might pass out from the contact.

“Thanks.”

with me?” Noah jerked his head down the street, sending a small spray of salt water onto his shoulder. I nodded and followed him, my flip–flops smacking

Noah. The way the sunlight caught his hair, the little smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he enjoyed his ice cream–so different from the dark worry that had filled his gaze just a couple nights ago, when we

bring that up now. If he didn’t want to talk about it, then that

threatened to escape down the side of the cone. “Thank you for buying it for me. Strawberry cheesecake is my

ice cream

the street, a car came speeding through the

+25 BONUS

Chapter 0421

“Hannah!”

wrapped around my waist and yanked me back. The next thing I knew, the world was tilting

And the hard ground.

on the hot sidewalk, my hands on either side of his head.

“Hannah… Are you

swallowed hard myself. “I… I

down to my lips. The world seemed to slow down, the sounds of horns

me.

cream cones lay demolished on

sitting

He had recounted the story with such vivid detail, as if it had happened yesterday instead of

you remember all that?” I

day I realized how I felt about you, Hannah. How could I forget?” I was so stunned by his recollection that

Noah reached out, grabbing my wrist gently. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through me, reminiscent of that summer day all those years ago. Before I could react, he leaned in and licked around

my skin, sent a wave of heat through me that had nothing to do with the afternoon sun. When he looked up, his eyes

invisible electricity. The

was going to say, when a fussy cry broke

little face scrunching up unhappily. Noah immediately turned his attention to her, cooing softly as he reached into the stroller. The spell