Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

hapter 0421

Chapter 0421

Hannah

Years ago…

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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.”

head down the street, sending a small spray of salt water onto his shoulder. I nodded and followed him, my

arms bumping occasionally, I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at 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 had visited his mother in

didn’t dare to bring that up now. If he didn’t want to

said, licking a drop that threatened to escape down the side of the cone. “Thank you for buying it for me. Strawberry cheesecake

of vanilla ice

we were about to cross the street, a car came speeding through the red light. I froze, the screeching of tires

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Chapter 0421

“Hannah!”

and yanked me back. The next thing I knew, the world was tilting into a

And the hard ground.

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

throat bobbed. “Hannah… Are you okay?”

swallowed hard myself.

eyes, those mesmerizing green eyes, flickered down to my lips. The world seemed to slow down, the sounds of horns honking and worried pedestrians fading into

saved me.

my eye then, breaking the spell. Our ice cream cones lay demolished on the sidewalk, melting into one big colorful

sitting up. “Our ice

and I found myself staring at Noah in amazement. He had recounted the story with

you remember all

so stunned by his recollection that I completely forgot about the ice cream in my hand. A drop of melted strawberry

electricity through me, reminiscent of that summer day all those years ago. Before I could react, he leaned in and licked around the rim

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

other, the air between us charged with invisible electricity. The sounds

my mouth, not even sure what I was going to say, when a fussy cry broke through

immediately turned his attention to her, cooing softly as he reached