Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0394

Hannah

Noah held his jacket out to me, the warmth of the soft fabric all too inviting against the coldness of the room.

“Here,” he said softly. “To cover yourself.”

| blinked owlishly at him for several long moments, my mind and my heart warring against each other. On one

hand, it was so, so relieving to see a familiar face here, particularly Noah's face. But on the other hand, | hated

him. | hated his very being with every fiber of my own.

In that moment, whatever shock and excitement I'd first felt upon seeing him was quickly replaced with

rage.

Without thinking, | smacked the jacket out of his hands, the fabric landing on the floor with a soft thud.

“I don’t want your filthy jacket,” | spat, wrapping my arms around myself. The thin material of my robe did little

to ward off the chill of the space, but | would be damned if | deigned to accept anything from him.

Noah sighed as he stooped to pick up the discarded garment. He straightened, dusting it off and stepping toward

me. “Hannah, please. You're practically naked, and it's freezing in here. I'm just trying to help-"

But | was already turning away, my bare feet slapping against the cold tile as | stormed over to the door. Guard!”

| called out, banging on the hard steel. “Takeback to my cell! | want a real lawyer!”

The guard didn’t come. Suddenly, Noah's hand caught my arm. His touch sent an unwelcjolt through me, a

mix of familiar comfort and burning betrayal. | yanked away as if burned, my skin tingling where his fingers had

been.

“Gua-"

“Hannah, wait,” he cutoff, his voice low and urgent. “Your father called me. I'm here to help you.”

I whirled around, fury bubbling up inside oflike molten lava at that. “My father called you? Why the hell

would he do that? He should have called an actual lawyer, not... not you!”

| grit my teeth, thinking back on the night my daughter had been born-the way that my father had asked if we

should call Noah. The hopelessly romantic bastard... Didn't he know that | despised my ex-husband? | would

have words with him once | got out of here, that was for sure.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, a gesture so familiar it made my chest ache with memories | had tried so hard

to bury. Dammit. | had to look away to hide the sudden flush creeping up my neck.

“He thought | might be able to help more than a regular lawyer,” Noah explained. “As an Alpha-"

“Ha! As an Alpha,” | cut him off ruefully, my voice dripping with sarcasm. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on

me. “Right. Because that title means so much when it comes to me, a woman, doesn’t it? When I'm the one

being dragged out of my hin my robe? Away from my baby? Being leered at like I'm a piece of steak?”

His eyes, those damn forest green eyes that Melody had inherited, widened. They were so full of concern. It

made it hard to maintain my anger, but | clung to it like a lifeline. | knew he was full of shit. He was likely

just here to mock me, to

“Hannah, please,” he pleaded. “Just tellwhat happened so | can help you.”

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Chapter 0394

The whirling thoughts in my head suddenly stopped.

Was he...?

| wanted to refuse, to tell him to go to hell, to tell him that I saw right through his ruse. But something in his gaze

madehesitate. The last t| saw him, he had looked so... harsh. Aloof. Calculating. But now

Against my better judgment, | found myself speaking.

“Fine. If you want the story, then here it is: Alpha David tried to force himself onlast night,” | said. The

memory of David's filthy hands on me, his alcohol-laced breath hot on my neck, madeshudder. But !

controlled myself and continued, “So | beat the shit out of him. That's why I'm here.”

Noah's expression darkened for a moment, a flash of anger crossing his features before a small, proud smirk

tugged at his lips. “You beat him up? On your own?”

Despite myself, | felt a flicker of satisfaction at his reaction. “Yes, I did. And now I'm here, arrested for defending

myself. Because apparently, that’s what happens when you're a female Alpha.”

Noah nodded, his face growing serious again. “This is clearly a case of self-defense, Hannah. | can help you. As

an Alpha, | have enough power to get you out of trouble. One word fromand you would be freed.”

The injustice of it all felt like a knife in my gut. Noah could swoop in here and save the day, and meanwhile, my

word as an Alpha had been completely disregarded.

“It's not fair,” | muttered, more to myself than to him.

“I know it’s not,” Noah said softly, taking a step closer. “But Hannah, Melody needs you. This is the fastest way

to get you hto her. Just lethelp you.”

At the mention of my daughter, | felt my resolve weaken ever so slightly. | could almost hear her cries, feel her

tiny body in my arms. But then | remembered everything Noah had done, how he had accusedof cheating,

how he had doubted Melody was even his

Anger flared anew, hot and sharp in my chest. To hell with his so-called ‘help’. | didn’t want it.

“Keep her nout of your mouth,” | said firmly, turning away from him. “I'd rather rot in a cell than accept help

from you. You'll just use it againstto get Melody anyway. That's why you're here, isn’t it? To get leverage to

bring her back to Nightcrest now that you know she’s your true heir?”

“Hannah, | won't-"

“Save it,” | cut him off, my voice sharp enough to cut glass. “I don’t believe you. Thank you for coming, but I'll

handle this myself.” | strode over to the door again, raising my fist to bang on it. Where was this damn guard,

anyway?!

But before | could reach the door, Noah was there. In one swift motion, he spunaround and pressed his lips

to mine. The kiss was desperate, urgent, and for a moment, | forgot how to breathe. His lips were warm and

familiar, and...

He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against mine. | could feel his breath, warm and quick, fanning across

my face.

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Chapter 0394

“Hannah,” he whispered, his voice so low | could barely hear it over the buzzing fluorescent lights and my own

racing heart. “I remember. | remember...”

Before | could process his words, he was kissingagain. My eyes widened in shock, my mind reeling as his lips

moved against mine.

What did he mean, he remembered? Remembered what?