Favo Novel
Chapter 123
Chapter 0123 Chapter 0123
But Hannah was nowhere to be found in the sea of gowns and tuxedos. Noah frowned, wading deeper into the throng.
Suddenly, a flash of blonde hair bobbed through the crowd up ahead. Feeling his breath catch, Noah began making his way toward her with determined strides-only to be brought up short by a hand curling around his bicep. "There you are."
Noah turned to see none other than Zoe standing there, her slender fingers subtly tightening around his bicep.
"Oh, Zoe," he said, inclining his chin politely.
She offered him a lovely smile. "Dance with me?"
Noah paused for a moment, still surveying the crowd. "Actually, I was looking for-"
"Just one dance," Zoe insisted, leaning in so that the floral notes of her perfume nearly overwhelmed Noah's senses. "Please?"
With his jaw tightening. Noah let out a sigh and nodded. Hannah wouldn't want to talk to him right now anyway, he figured; maybe it was best to let her stew for a while before he tried again. Zoe beamed, pulling him onto the dance floor. Automatically, Noah placed one hand on the small of her back while he held her hand in his other palm. Her free hand came to rest on his shoulder, although he could feel her fingers graze the part where his shirt collar ended and his neck began. "Doesn't this bring back memories?" she murmured, tilting her head to the side.
Noah merely nodded, his attention divided between not trampling her toes and trying to spot Hannah through the sea of people. But then his gaze landed on Drake, who was chatting with some other Alphas by the bar. Just seeing him made his blood pressure spike. "I must admit, I was surprised to see Drake enter the competition," he suddenly said. "Given his position on the Alpha Council this year." Zoe hummed. "He must have had his reasons." "Such as?"
She shrugged delicately. "Well..." She pursed her lips, considering her words carefully. "I have a sneaking suspicion that the Luna Queen wanted to see us reunited. I mean, even if he had won the competition, it would have been a major faux pas for an Alpha on the Council to host the Lunar Festival."
Noah's eyebrows hiked upwards. It was true-those who were on the Alpha Council in any given year couldn't host the Lunar Festival. It was how things were kept fair. And often, those who had hosted the Lunar Festival in the past year would sit on the Council the year after.
"So," Zoe mused, her eyes flitting over to where Drake stood, "I suppose the Luna Queen always has doted on her nephew. Although this feels too far."
Noah felt his heart sink. It was too far; and it was unfair to Zoe, If she was being pressured into things she Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.
didn't want. He lowered his voice, leaning in a little closer. "Listen, Zoe... if the Luna Queen or Drake are pressuring you into anything-
"Noah." Zoe cut him off with a tight smile and a gentle press of her fingertips against his chest. "I appreciate the concern, I truly do. But perhaps this isn't the place to talk so openly about it."
For a moment, Noah was taken aback. But then he nodded, realizing that she was right.
"We'll talk another time, then," he muttered.
Zoe offered him another smile, her slender fingers pulling away from him-but not before they ran slowly across his skin and the fabric of his suit, making him shiver despite himself. "It's a date," she said, before slipping off into the crowd.
Noah watched her go, but only for a moment. He had other things to worry about tonight, like finding his wife. And as his gaze swept across the crowd one last time....
There. He saw her eyes blink at him from the throngs of people, and he saw... the hurt in them. Right before she tossed her hair over her shoulder and slipped away far too quickly.
Noah tried to go after her, but it was no use. She had practically run off, disappearing into the crowd before he so much as had a chance to call her name.