Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth by Aurora Starling

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Chapter 0121

Chapter 0121

Hannah

“You're embarrassed.” Noah's low voice ran across the side of my ear, makingflinch. “I can tell from the

redness in your cheeks.”

| 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,” | 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 | said earlier? Calling you a good girl?”

Even just the mention of those words again made my thighs clench. | felt the flush creeping down my chest and

pressed my lips together firmly, looking away.

“You're imagining things,” | 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. | 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. “TellI'm wrong.”

| 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 convinceto eat.

But with that realization also ca pang of shame, like my own body had betrayed me. Getting worked up over

a few words from a man who never wantedto begin with? It was pathetic, really.

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

Before | could respond, he dropped his hand from the wall and took a step back, leavingsuddenly 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 calendarand studied the screen with furrowed

ows. | watched in bewilderment, opening and closing my mouth a few times before managing to speak.

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

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

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Before | could finish, Noah slipped his phone back into his pocket and fixedwith a serious look. “Your

ovulation period ended recently. And you're still... Interested?”

His words hung in the tense silence between us as | gaped at him, utterly dumbfounded. Had | really heard what

| thought | had heard? Or was | simply going mad?

Noah c*#*d his head slightly in the wake of my silence, regardingwith genuine confusion etched across his

face. “Shouldn't you only be interested in sex when you're fertile?”

At first, | could only blink at him, certain | must have misheard. But when his frown deepened, the realization set

in-he was dead serious. | felt like | might be sick.

“Are you... are you kiddingright now?” Outrage surged through me, snappingout of my dumbfounded

stupor as | 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 stime. “I'm not. | thought that you were-

“Women have sexual urges at any given point in their cycle, Noah,” | 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.”

| gaped at him, half-convinced this had to be selaborate prank. But the utterly earnest look on Noah's face

revealed the truth-he actually believed the words he was speaking.

Goddess, was | trapped in skind of absurd nightmare?

“And where, pray did you even hear such an asinine thing?” | demanded. “Because | 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 toldwhen we

first married,” he said gruffly. “He providedwith 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 becaroused at

any other tdue to a lack of hormones.”

My jaw dropped as | 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 askif that was true?” | hissed, taking a step closer to him. “I mean, that is the most

outrageous, misogynistic thing I've ever heard, I... | can’t believe this, Noah. That you would-"

Suddenly, the sound of a tinkling glass cutoff, echoing through the corridor. Noah and | both turned toward

the doors as the Luna Queen's voice rang out, high and clear.

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

Noah casta 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, | 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, | thought to myself. Oh, we would be discussing it alright.

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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 tofirst!

What was 1, then? Sbroodmare whose only purpose was to get aroused during ovulation so | could get

pregnant? The thought madewant to punch something.

But | didn’t, of course. | plastered on my usual smile and lifted my glass as the Luna Queen made a toast, and |

added this transgression to the list of reasons why | 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. | began to wade through the crowd, my eyes hawlike as they sought out Noah.

But | froze when | 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 | felt as though | might be sick.