Alpha's Regret After Her Rebirth

Chapter Hannah

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I strode through the front doors of the soup kitchen, my heart pounding with a mixture of nerves and excitement. This was it-my first real foray into volunteer work, into proving that I could be more than just a pretty face trailing after my husband. I was determined to make a good impression

A kind-faced older woman with graying hair tied back in a messy bun immediately approached me when I stepped through the doors, her eyes widening slightly as she took me in. "Oh! Luna Hannah, it's an honor to have you here," she said, bowing her head politely.

I offered her a warm smile, holding out my hand to shake hers. "Please, just call me Hannah. It's wonderful to be here."

The woman grasped my hand firmly, giving it a gentle shake as she returned my smile. "Of course, of course. I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised to see you volunteering here." A faint blush crept into her cheeks as she seemed to realize how that sounded. "Oh goodness, I'm sorry. That was rude of me, Luna Hannah."

Laughing lightly, I waved off her concern with one hand. "Not at all. You're absolutely right; I haven't really made much of an effort to get involved with the community before now."

As I spoke, I felt the weight of several curious stares prickling at the back of my neck and noticed couple of phones discreetly angled in my direction, no doubt snapping pictures or videos.

Now's the time to shine, I thought to myself. I couldn't mess up in front of the cameras. Not when I had an opportunity to direct the narrative.

Squaring my shoulders, I met the woman's gaze levelly "But that's something I intend to change going forward. This pack has been my home for years, and it's long past time I started giving back and being a part of things."

A hushed murmur of approval rippled through the small crowd of onlookers, and the woman's expression melted into one of genuine warmth and acceptance. "Well, we're thrilled to have you here, Luna Ha- Hannah. Why don't you come along and I'll get you set up?" I followed the woman further into the kitchen, where Viona, Amber, and Emma were already bustling around, assembling trays of food for the lunch crowd, Viona shot me a sidelong glance as I stepped in, her eyes momentarily darting to Emma on the sly as if to say, I've got my eye on your new "friend". I rolled my eyes surreptitiously. Leave it to Viona to be concerned over that.

The rest of the morning passed by in a blur. I found myself falling into an easy rhythm alongside my friends, passing out bowls of stew, fresh-baked bread, and bottles of water to the people in line.

Thank you, Luna Hannah," one older man said as I handed him his tray, his weathered oyes crinkling at the corners. "Really, thank you."

"No, thank you," I said with a practiced smile. "Thank you for staying strong."

The old man smiled in return and shuffled on his way, and I moved to the next person in line. I felt my

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heart sink and my smile fade, however, as I saw who stood in front of me: a single woman, possibly even younger than me, and a little girl who was barely older than four or five.

The little girl gasped when she saw me. "Luna Hannah!"

"Hello," I said, immediately circling around the counter and dropping to a crouch in front of her. "What's your name?"

The little girl looked expectantly up at her mother, who gave her a small nod. "Patti," she finally said in a tiny voice.

Reaching out, I took her tiny hands in mine, offering her an encouraging smile. "Hello, Patti. That's a pretty name." I paused, worrying my lower lip between my teeth for a moment. "Are you here for some soup with your mommy?"

The little girl nodded her head solemnly, her expression brightening just a touch as I pulled her in for a brief hug. When I straightened and caught her mother's wide-eyed gaze, I felt a strange tugging in my chest-a fierce protectiveness not only for the little girl, but also for the mother who, upon closer inspection, couldn't have been older than eighteen.