Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0456

Hannah

I cursed under my breath as I read Noah’s text again, wishing that it wasn’t real.

His father was coming for dinner. This weekend. The words felt like stones sinking in my stomach.

Marcus.

It had been years since I had seen the man, and every memory of him was colored in black and white. He was a cold bastard, and I’d never liked him.

I squeezed my phone tighter, resisting the urge to toss it across the room.

A flood of unwelcome images came rushing back in that moment–the way Marcus had tried to keep Noah from seeing his mother one last time. Noah’s clammy hands as we’d snuck into the hospital just so he could see her. His look of relief when he had finally stepped out of that room.

What kind of a father doesn’t let his teenage son say goodbye to his own mother?

As far as I was aware, Marcus had never found out that I had helped Noah see his mother before she died. In fact, I didn’t think that he knew Noah had talked to her at all.

I hoped it stayed that way, too. Noah and his mother both deserved to have those moments to themselves. Even I had never asked what had been said in that room that night because I felt it was too personal. And Noah had never shared, either, not even to me.

If Marcus found out, then he would likely sap what little beauty there was out of that memory.

‘But this wasn’t about me. I understood why Noah was doing this. Family could be a bitter, complicated mess, and if Noah felt it was the right thing to do to accept his father’s request for dinner, then I wouldn’t complain. It was just dinner, after all.

Sighing, I texted back my agreement, even though the knot in my stomach didn’t ease.

The rest of the week sped by in a blur, with my nerves steadily building, although I tried not to let it show. When Saturday finally arrived, I found myself staring into my closet, rifling through my clothes in frustration.

that,” Viona teased from the edge of my bed. She held up a sleek black dress. “Just wear this. You need something that feels like armor, anyway. Something that says ‘I’m

It was actually perfect–structured, elegant sleeves, a harsh point

This’ll do,”

be like when we were kids–Marcus didn’t have power over us anymore. Not over Noah. Not

stepped into a pair of high heels. “You’ll knock him flat,” she

Chapter 0456

+25 BONUS

hope so,” I muttered,

dug through her closet until I found a soft white dress with a little bow on the ruffled collar. I wanted her to look as sweet and angelic as ever for her first meeting with her grandfather, because there was no doubt

wonder, as I dressed her, how Marcus would react to

Silvercrest.

little world? Would he see her as a threat to the pack that he had once controlled,

give a shit about her at

which of

when I arrived a little while later, and for a moment, all

in a crisp white shirt and dark slacks. His hair was neatly combed to the side except for that one stray piece that always insisted

even more so when Melody

out to him.

balanced on my hip, and offered him a teasing smile. “You don’t look so

body, his arm wrapping around both me and Melody and pulling us all together. “I’m sorry about all this,” he murmured into my hair.

don’t forget that we’re

flickered with something I couldn’t quite read, and he kissed me again, firmer this time. “You’re right,” he said. “It’s just been so long. I’m getting

on gravel broke our moment. Noah stiffened, his gaze darting to the window. The guest of honor was here, right on time,

a breath as if steeling himself before opening the door to reveal Marcus standing on the porch. The sight of him was enough to send an icy chill down my spine. He looked almost exactly the same as

hadn’t softened him,