Chapter 115: Chapter 121

+25 BONUS Chapter 0121 Chapter 0121 Hannah “You’re embarrassed.” Noah’s low voice ran across the side of my ear, making me flinch. “I can tell from the redness in your cheeks.”

I recoiled, blinking owlishly up at him as he smirked down at me, one broad palm braced against the wall beside my head. His cheeks were somewhat rosy from drinking, and his breath smelled faintly of sweet champagne.

“1-I’m not embarrassed,” I stammered, cursing the waver in my voice that betrayed me-so much for following the Luna Queen’s advice. “You’re just seeing things because you’re drunk already.”

“I’m not drunk yet.” Noah narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. “And besides, from where I’m standing... You certainly look as sheepish as ever. Was it what I said earlier? Calling you a good girl?”

Even just the mention of those words again made my thighs clench. I felt the flush creeping down my chest and pressed my lips together firmly, looking away.

“You’re imagining things,” I muttered, unable to meet that piercing green stare. “Whatever you think you saw back there, it wasn’t... that.”

A low hum worked its way out of Noah’s throat as his free hand reached out, his fingertips grazing my jawline to tip my chin upwards. I froze, my pulse kicking up several more notches at his touch. “You’re sure about that?” His thumb traced the curve of my lower lip, sending a shiver down my spine,” Because your pupils are expanded, your breathing is heavy...” Noah leaned in closer, his cologne overwhelming my senses. “Signs of a woman who’s aroused, if I’m not mistaken.”

My mouth worked uselessly as he spoke. No matter how hard I tried, no words would come; and ! certainly couldn’t manage to force my body to walk away from this nonsense, either.

“Go on,” he murmured. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

I swallowed hard against the lump forming in my throat. Because he was right-the unmistakable feeling of desire was still very much present, like embers of a fire burnt down in my core. All because of a few words he had uttered while trying to convince me to eat.

But with that realization also came a pang of shame, like my own body had betrayed me. Getting worked up over a few words from a man who never wanted me to begin with? It was pathetic, really.

Noah, seeing the shift in my expression, nodded. “I see.

Before I could respond, he dropped his hand from the wall and took a step back, leaving me suddenly chilled in the cold corridor by the lack of his body heat, “Well then...

With a few taps on his phone, Noah pulled up his calendar app and studied the screen with furrowed ows. I watched in bewilderment, opening and closing my mouth a few times before managing to speak.

“Are you... checking a schedule right now?” I sputtered Incredulously.

“Just cross-referencing the dates,” he muttered without looking up. “What in the goddess’s name are you-”

Chapter 0121 +25 BONUS Before I could finish, Noah slipped his phone back into his pocket and fixed me with a serious look. “Your ovulation period ended recently. And you’re still... Interested?”

His words hung in the tense silence between us as I gaped at him, utterly dumbfounded. Had I really heard what I thought I had heard? Or was I simply going mad?

Noah c***d his head slightly in the wake of my silence, regarding me with genuine confusion etched across his face. “Shouldn’t you only be interested in sex when you’re fertile?”

At first, I could only blink at him, certain I must have misheard. But when his frown deepened, the realization set in-he was dead serious. I felt like I might be sick.

“Are you... are you kidding me right now?” Outrage surged through me, snapping me out of my dumbfounded stupor as I planted my hands on my hips. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! You have to be messing with me.”

Noah shrugged and shook his head at the same time. “I’m not. I thought that you were-

“Women have sexual urges at any given point in their cycle, Noah,” I said through gritted teeth, fighting to keep my voice low.

“Not just during ovulation.”

His brows drew together for a moment before he cleared his throat. “I know that women have sexual urges during any given point,” he clarified, “but not you. Because of your body.”

I gaped at him, half-convinced this had to be some elaborate prank. But the utterly earnest look on Noah’s face revealed the truth-he actually believed the words he was speaking.

Goddess, was I trapped in some kind of absurd nightmare?

“And where, pray did you even hear such an asinine thing?” I demanded. “Because I know you’re not that dumb.”

Noah’s frown deepened as he shifted his weight to his other foot. “It’s what our family doctor told me when we first married,” he said gruffly. “He provided me with the specific dates of your ovulation cycle, stating that your body was too frail to handle intimacy at any other point in the month. That you couldn’t even become aroused at any other time due to a lack of hormones.”

My jaw dropped as I processed his words. Of all the insane, nonsensical bullshit... did he not realize how utterly ludicrous that sounded? How demeaning and objectifying? My hands curled into fists at my sides as a fresh wave of fury washed over me.

“You didn’t think to ask me if that was true?” I hissed, taking a step closer to him. “I mean, that is the most outrageous, misogynistic thing I’ve ever heard, I... I can’t believe this, Noah. That you would-”

Suddenly, the sound of a tinkling glass cut me off, echoing through the corridor. Noah and I both turned toward the doors as the Luna Queen’s voice rang out, high and clear.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention....

Noah cast me a sidelong glance, almost a grimace. “We’ll discuss this later. For now...” He jerked his chin towards the ballroom, “It seems we’re needed.”

Fuming, I pressed my lips into a tight line and brushed past him without a word, tossing a lock of my blonde hair over my shoulder. Discuss this later, I thought to myself. Oh, we would be discussing it alright.

Chapter 0121 +25 BONUS The audacity of my own husband to believe such nonsense. And the audacity of my doctor to be speaking such nonsense to begin with, all without even speaking to me first!

What was 1, then? Some broodmare whose only purpose was to get aroused during ovulation so I could get pregnant? The thought made me want to punch something.

But I didn’t, of course. I plastered on my usual smile and lifted my glass as the Luna Queen made a toast, and I added this transgression to the list of reasons why I had to leave Noah.

Once the Luna Queen finished her toast, the reception resumed, the sound of music and laughter filling the space once more. I began to wade through the crowd, my eyes hawlike as they sought out Noah.

But I froze when I saw him.

There, already in the center of the dance floor, was Noah-and he wasn’t alone. He was with Zoe, his hand pressed into the small of her back as they swayed together, She tilted her chin up and smiled at him through her lashes, and I felt as though I might be sick.