Noah stared in shock as Zoe glided across the stage towards him, a young boy in tow. The other new pack members instinctively parted for her, like a pair of hands parting reeds in a river. Paparazzi clambered to the front of the audience as they tried to be the first to catch a picture of the reunited lovers.
Noah stiffened at the thought of how Hannah was going to react to Zoe’s return. He glanced briefly at Hannah, but she was not looking at Zoe. She was looking at him.
Why would she be looking at him? Did Hannah think that he had something to do with Zoe’s return? Did she think that he had chosen not to tell her about it?
He had been too busy with other pack duties to even deal with the applications for new pack members himself. There was no way that he could have known about Zoe’s return, let alone warn Hannah about it.
Noah could not remember seeing Zoe’s name among those on the list of new pack members that Scott had given him in advance of the Acceptance Ceremony. He searched his mind for any hint that this was going to happen, for any memory of being told that Zoe was going to arrive, let alone with a child. Nothing.
A mixture of anger and confusion built up inside of Noah. He wanted to charge over to Scott and confront him right that moment, but he knew that he could not, not during the middle of a ceremony, not in public, and certainly not on live TV. Instead, he mentally pulled himself together so that no one would be able to detect his internal turmoil.
Noah offered Zoe a smile as she came to a halt in front of him.
“My son, Adam, and I wish to seek refuge under Alpha Noah’s rule in the Nightcrest Pack,” Zoe declared.
Noah just barely stopped himself from stumbling over the next part of the ceremony. To everyone present, though, it appeared as though he completed it flawlessly.
“Your application for refuge has been accepted,” he said. “Please, have you and your son state your allegiance to the Pack.”
“I pledge allegiance to the Nightcrest Pack…”
As Zoe recited the pledge of allegiance, Noah established a mindlink with Scott.
Why didn’t you tell me about Zoe’s return? he demanded.
With your preoccupation with the Lunar Festival, I thought it best to treat her like any other new pack member applicant, Scott defended his choice. She would have just been another distraction for you. Besides, would you have objected to her return if I had told you?
Noah mentally cringed at the mention of the Lunar Festival. He had been preoccupied with the competition among the packs to host the event, delegating the approval of new members to Scott as a result.
And why wouldn’t he?
The pack that the Alpha Council voted to host the event would gain substantial tourism, business development, and support from the Alpha King. This event was the most important in the entire course of Noah’s time as Alpha of the Nightcrest Pack. Of course, he would put all of his time and energy into securing the Nightcrest Pack that honor.
He had hardly even been back to his home, spending most of his time at his office, even sleeping there most nights. It didn’t hurt that working so much kept him away from Hannah’s emotional neediness, but his focus was on the future of the ever-growing Nightcrest Pack.
Noah returned his attention to Zoe and Adam. The little boy was now trying to recite the pledge of allegiance and stumbling over some of the bigger words, so his mother was helping him as he went along.
The last thing that Noah knew, Zoe was married to that rich playboy Drake. If Zoe was now coming back to the Nightcrest Pack alone with her son, she must have hit upon hard times and undergone a divorce. There was no other way that she would be there without her husband, seeking refuge.
His wolf roared in discontent deep inside him. He would have never let Zoe get to this point if they had been together, and he and Zoe would be together if it weren’t for Hannah.
Noah struggled against the impulse to blame Hannah. He had agreed to the marriage as well, and he knew that it wouldn’t be fair to place all the blame on Hannah because of that. It was what the Nightcrest Pack needed at that time.
That was what his father, Marcus, had convinced him of. A union between the Nightcrest Pack and the Silvermoon Pack, former Alpha Marcus had insisted, was all that could save the Nightcrest Pack from war at the time. Noah only did what was best for the pack, as he always did.
Try telling Hannah and Zoe that.
Noah fought against the memory of the night that he and Zoe severed their bond as it came rushing back to him. It had been the worst night of his life. He could still feel the white-burning pain as the silver blade cut through the invisible cord that had tied them together.
Shortly after that night, Zoe married Drake, and Noah married Hannah. They never saw each other again, until this Acceptance Ceremony. She was just as beautiful as the day that she left.
Realizing that Adam had finished his pledge of allegiance, Noah lifted his arms and recited his blessing upon them.
“May the Moon Goddess watch over you and guide you through the rest of your days with all her glorious wisdom. Welcome, my sister and brother, to the Nightcrest Pack.”
Silence fell upon the crowd as everyone turned to Hannah.
Even Noah shifted his gaze to his wife, concerned that she would be stressed by Zoe’s return. He did not intend to cause such pain to his Luna; despite the troubles in their marriage, he still cared about her. He knew, though, that Hannah was sensitive about other women being around him, and this particular woman had a past with him.
However, Noah did not see any of the tell-tale signs of Hannah being upset. Her jaw did not clench, her arm muscles did not tighten, and her eyes did not water. She did not sputter in her speech or falter in her movements.
She did not even seem to be surprised.
Instead of reacting with anger and jealousy, Hannah smiled broadly at Zoe and stepped up to her. She pulled the other woman into a warm embrace, then released her to hug Adam.
Noah’s eyes widened in surprise. He could scarcely believe that this was the same woman that he had been buried to for so long. He had never seen her so open to new pack members or to any woman around him, so for her to be this way with Zoe of all people was…unexpected, to say the least.
Noah watched as Hannah backed away and opened her arms wide to the two newcomers.
“Welcome back to the Nightcrest Pack,” she announced loudly for the entire assembly to hear.
Noah could not wrap his mind around the scene unfolding before him. Who was this woman, and what had she done with his Luna?
