Chapter 077
HANNAH
The child's mother came stumbling towards me, breaking the silence and the spell that seemed to hang over everyone in the forest.
"Oh, thank you," she said, sobbing. "Thank you so much. You saved her. You saved my baby."
The shock and relief of finding her child alive and unhurt didn't let her dwell long on the fact that she had just seen me as a white wolf. She had eyes only for the little figure in my arms, who was already beginning to stir.
"M-may I?" she stammered, holding out her hands.
I nodded. Gently, she took her child, crying, murmuring softly to her, pressing her against her chest and covering her face with kisses. I heard the child utter one weak cry.
I felt very relieved when everyone slowly began to stand. Logan said something to someone about taking the child to the pack healer. Even though she wasn’t harmed, it was still necessary to check for internal injuries.
I was surrounded by people, but I felt so alone. I felt like I was floating in space like there was a glass wall between me and the others.
The same questions kept buzzing around in my head: What had just happened? How had it happened? And why had it happened to me? Of course, I should have expected it, but deep down, I felt it was impossible. I had definitely changed over the past few weeks, but I attributed it to my near-death incident.
But I was so wrong. The moon goddess had chosen me for reasons I couldn’t understand. Who was I to catch her eye? I was weak, a complete nobody who barely survived. What did I do to deserve such honour?
Jace was smiling tentatively at me, with a trace of respect in his eyes, something I supposed would always be there now. He looked proud and happy. I was too stunned to be happy.
Chase began to bark orders at the others.
"You and you. Go and tell my father what happened," he said.
Reluctantly, the men left, turning back to look at me before they disappeared from sight. Some of the men kept stealing glances at me, while some still openly stared at me like I was kind of god, like they would instantly fall on their faces if I ordered them to.
I slowly walked away, away from their prying eyes, tugging at a strand of my hair as I went. Now that I was back in my human form, my hair had turned white again. Not a strand of the black dye was in sight. My clothes had ripped at the seams, but most of them still clung to me, covering the essential parts of my body.
I sighed.
When Alpha Wallace and my mates said I was most probably a white wolf, I did not really believe them, and deep down, I wished they were wrong. Now, seeing my wolf confirmed everything.
A hand fell on my shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
Chase's quiet voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
I thought about telling him yes, but he would see the truth in my eyes anyway. I shook my head.
"I'm-" I groped for the right word. "confused. I don't know if I should be happy or scared of what I am. Nothing prepared me for what just happened, Chase. Nothing. It's just... too much." I felt too detached from my emotions.
I hugged myself, shaking a little as a delayed, shocked reaction set in.
"Come here." Chase pulled me into his arms. He stroked my hair. "I understand how you feel. Don't worry, everything is going to be alright. Just breathe, okay? Breathe. We talked about this a long time, so you’ll just have to accept it.”
For the first time, being in his warm, strong arms did not bring me the comfort I needed. Over Chase's shoulder, I saw Cade and Jace talking to the woman. They watched her leave with some of the guards. Then, they started to pick their way towards us.
"Hannah." My name on Jace's lips was a sigh.
Cade's brows were furrowed in worry. I felt my eyes fill with tears. And then I was sobbing, crying, holding on to Chase like my life depended on it.
Cade and Jace looked to Chase for an explanation.
"I think she's overwhelmed by what just happened," he said.
"Hannah, you'll figure this out as you go," Jace assured me. "We'll help you. It's going to be fine."
I pulled away quickly from the circle of Chase's arms. I recognized the feeling fluttering around in my chest. It was panic- pure, blind panic, trying to get out.
I held it in with an effort. But I could feel myself unravelling all the same.
"It's not fine!" I wailed, stomping my foot angrily. I wiped impatiently at the tears still running down my face. "I don't want this. I didn't ask for any of this."
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