Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Chapter 0011 +25 BONUS I tried to tear myself away from Noah, but his grip tightened. His face contorted in anger, and I felt a wave of fear rush through me. Surely, Noah would never hurt me–and definitely not in public–but then again, I did not know how he would react to me dishonoring him like this.

I stared at Scott, silently begging for his help. He nodded at me, as though to assure me that he would not let anything happen to me. Then he stepped forward cautiously, slumped forward slightly to make himself look like less of a threat to an irate Noah, “Alpha Noah,” Scott said, raising his hands placatingly, release Luna Hannah gently.”

Noah did nothing for a minute. He breathed slowly in and out through his nostrils, like a bull face–to–face with a matador. Then–I suppose realizing that we were still in public–he let me go.

I rushed to Scott’s side. It took all of my will to not cower like a submissive Luna, instead holding myself as tall as I could manage. I would not be that kind of person anymore.

“You really should be kinder to your Luna,” Scott remarked.

I noted that Scott took a protective stance slightly in front of me. Apparently, Noah did not miss it, either.

had never seen such a darkness flash in Noah’s eyes before.

“Scott, what is going on?” Noah asked, his nostrils flaring.

Scott raised his chin to Noah defiantly and squared his shoulders.

“You started this conflict,” Scott argued. “Luna Hannah did not. I warned you to discuss Zoe’s return with your Luna, but you did not listen.”

Noah’s hand curled into a fist, but he forced the hand to relax.

“Do you no longer obey your Alpha?” he asked Scott:

Scott did not answer.

Noah motioned with his head towards the door.

“Leave,” he commanded Scott. “I need to address some issues with Hannah.”

Scott’s eyes darted towards me, as though looking to see if I would be okay. I nodded. We were in a public place, and I felt certain that that would keep him from doing anything crazy.

Scott took one last look at Noah before he walked out of the bar, the other patrons staring after him. When they tried to turn their attention to us, one glance at Noah’s infuriated expression was all that they needed to go about their own business and act as though we did not exist.

Once he was certain that no one was watching us, Noah grabbed my arm and forced me to sit down at the table that Scott had been occupying minutes ago. let him, not wanting him to think that he had the power to bother me with just a little physical force.

“Now,” he said, releasing my arm, “why don’t you explain to me what just happened?”

I shrugged as nonchalantly as I could manage.

“I had low blood sugar and couldn’t stand properly,” I lled. “Scott was just there to catch me when I +25 BONUS Chapter 0011 needed a little help. That’s all.”

Noah huffed, but he did not try to argue with me.

“What did you mean by ‘playing hard–to–get‘?” I asked.

Noah slammed his fist on the table and then pointed an accusatory finger at me.

“You used my brother to get my attention,” he said through gritted teeth. “You’ve gone too far.”

I raised my brow.

“Scott is merely aligning with the side that supports me and my needs.”

I sat back letting the implied fact that I needed Scott’s support over his sink in.

“I will not allow my Beta and my Luna to keep secrets from me.”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Oh, really? Who were you with in the private room? Zoe?”

“It was an old friends‘ gathering.”

This time, I huffed.

“Yeah, right. You’re really old friends, all right.”

I leaned across the table, getting as to Noah as I possibly could.

“Scott believed that you shouldn’t have brought back your fated mate into the Pack without respecting my right–as your Luna–to know,” I growled. “You didn’t even bother to discuss her return with me and almost subjected me to great embarrassment and ridicule.”

“Enough!” Noah snapped His brow furrowed in what appeared to be pain. This took me aback. What about this could be hurting him?

“My relationship with Zoe is not what you think it is,” he continued. “Zoe is divorced, with a child, and vulnerable. I cannot simply refuse my former family and subjects because it makes you uncomfortable.”

He rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb.

“To me, Zoe is no different from any other new pack member. I’m simply trying to help her integrate better. I would think that you, of all people, would be able to appreciate that.”

pursed my lips and shook my head. More excuses. He would always put Zoe over me.

Noah sighed.

“Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth,” he said.

“Whatever,” I mumbled.

Noah glared at me for a moment, then he reached into his messenger bag and pulled out his schedule folder.

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+25 BONUS Ugh. I used to think that folder was a uniquely antiquated way to keep track of all his events, but now I hated it.

He flipped to the page I events that we had to attend together.

“We have a charity ball coming up in two days,” he said without looking up from the folder. “We must attend together. As long as we’re not divorced, you’re still obligated to fulfill your duties.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, I am well aware.”

“You’ll be ready?”

“Yes, I’ll be ready.”

Noah snapped the binder shut.

“Just don’t forget.”

“Can I be excused now?” I said as sarcastically as I could manage.

Noah narrowed his eyes at me as he put the binder back in his messenger bag.

“Watch yourself.”

I watched him as he stood up and walked to the door He paused for a moment outside the private room, as though contemplating whether he should go back in there, then looked back at me. I raised my eyebrow at him, daring him to do whatever he pleased Noah shook his head and walked out the door.

Once I was sure that Noah was gone, I returned to the table that I had been sharing with Viona. The nachos were nearly gone, as were Viona’s beer and my soda.

Despite the tension of the situation, I chuckled to myself. Viona tended to binge eat and drink whenever things got hard for her to handle.

“Are you okay?” she asked as I sat down.

I motioned for the bartender to give us a refill of everything.

“Yeah...mostly.”

“What was that?”

Her eyes widened, and her speech grew rapid.

“I mean...the fall, the stand–off, that binder? What the fuck?”

1 laughed again at her cartoonish antics.

“I’ll tell you later,” I said. “For now, would you like to help me choose a dress?”

“What for?”

“A charity ball. It’s in two days.

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Chapter 0011 Viona stroked her chin in consideration.

That sounds like fun,” she finally said. “I’ll text Amber. We can set something up for tomorrow and make a whole day out of it.”

A smile broke out over my face. A girls‘ day actually sounded nice.

“It’s a deal.”

+25 BONUS Chapter 0012