Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth (Hannah and Noah)

Chapter 0494 Chapter 0494 Noah

For the millionth time that morning, Noah's gaze drifted from the stack of papers on his desk to the stretch of forest that was visible through the office window.

The afternoon light filtered through the trees, casting that familiar, deep green hue over the landscape, Just seeing the expanse of forest, the rustling branches swaying in the breeze, made something primal stir inside of him. "Please... I need to run..."

His wolf pressed against the surface of his skin, restless and wild. It had been too long, far too long, since he had let himself go, since he had really felt the earth beneath his paws. He'd been holed up in his office for weeks on end now, lost behind stacks of paperwork. Noah was on the verge of losing it.

He needed a release before his wolf decided to take over for him one day. And right now, the last thing Noah needed was an inopportune shift in the middle of some important meeting or another, Glancing across the room, he caught sight of Hannah at her own desk. She was leaning forward, her brow furrowed in concentration as she scribbled notes on a document, completely absorbed. Seeing her like that-focused, beautiful, her jaw set-only made his wolf want to break free even more. He didn't just want to shift. He wanted her there with him, running alongside him. Before he could stop himself, he pushed back from his desk and stood, crossing the room in a few quick strides. His hand found her wrist, and she looked up, startled, meeting his gaze with raised brows. "Let's go for a run."

She blinked, caught off guard, and glanced at the papers scattered across her desk. "Now?" she asked, half-laughing. "Noah, I have so much work to finish."

"I know," he replied, not loosening his hold on her wrist. "But I need to get outside. So do you." There was a moment of hesitation, but he saw it in her eyes-a spark, the same wild need that simmered inside of him. He knew she felt it too; she hadn't shifted in ages, maybe even longer than he had.

She glanced at the paperwork, then back at him. Her resolve finally seemed to crumble. With a sigh, she dropped her pen and her lips turned up in a smile.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

Noah grinned as he tugged her to her feet. "You can thank me later."

He didn't wait for another word. He was already leading her toward the door, her laughter trailing after him as they slipped outside and made their way toward the edge of the forest. They stopped at the tree line, and he turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eye. I'll give you a head start," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

She raised an eyebrow, her mouth quirking up in a smirk. "Oh, really?"

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+25 BONUS

Chapter 0494

"Consider it a kindness. I wouldn't want you to complain when I catch you too quickly."

Hannah rolled her eyes, but there was no hiding the spark of excitement that flickered through their mate bond. She was dying for a good chase. To be hunted.

Consensually, of course.

The transformation was always breathtaking, no matter how many times he'd seen it. In a heartbeat, she was gone, replaced by a vibrant, chestnut wolf. She looked at him, her eyes sparkling with that familiar, challenging glint, then took off and disappeared into the trees in a flash.

Noah felt his senses sharpen and his pulse quicken as he watched her go. The thrill of the chase hummed through him, an electric energy surging in his veins. His pupils dilated, his breath coming faster as he felt his wolf come alive, clawing to be free.

He gave her a few seconds' head start, as promised, listening to the sounds fade. And then, with a deep breath, he let himself shift.

Once he was in his wolf form, he felt his senses expand tenfold. The forest was alive with scents and sounds, but there was only one scent that he cared about: Hannah's.

With a low growl, he shot off after her, following that invisible trail that smelled oh-so-sweet. The forest passed in a blur as he sped through the trees, ducking under low-hanging branches and leaping over fallen logs, every muscle and tendon honing in on the chase. He could hear her up ahead, just out of reach, her paws kicking up leaves and scattering dirt as she ran.

But she was fast, just as fast as he remembered. She kept just far enough ahead to stay out of reach, darting between trees and weaving through the underbrush, but not so far that Noah lost sight of her. Chapter 0495