After lunch, when she left for the market to pick Liam up, I finally reached for my phone. Maybe it was time to call home.
The intercom buzzed harshly. Downstairs, a courier from Thorne Enterprises waited with a thick envelope,my termination papers and final check. My hands shook as I signed. But I returned the check, writing clearly that I refused it. I wouldn’t take a single cent from his company, wouldn’t give him another reason to look down on me. Rory snarled inside me. Pride was all we had left.
I went back to the apartment and called my parents.
“Caroline, sweetheart! I miss you! How are you and your little cub doing?” My mother said happily.
“Oh, Mom, it’s not like we don’t talk almost every day.” I smiled, missing her embrace and the comforting scent of pack and family.
“But we still miss you, honey! Wait, I’ll put you on speaker, your father’s here.” She was so excited. I found it strange that my father was home at this hour, but maybe he had taken a day off from his Beta duties.
“My beautiful daughter! How are you? And my little grandson?” My father spoke cheerfully.
“We’re fine, Dad. Liam’s still at daycare.” I tried to sound calm, though Rory whined softly, wanting the comfort of our birth pack.
“Honey, it’s good you called now, do you have a minute, or are you busy at work?” My father asked, and my eyes welled up with tears.
“I have time, Dad, I’m having coffee. Do you want to tell me something?” I tried not to cry, knowing my wolf would howl if I broke down.
“Yes, honey, and I think you’ll like the news,” my mother was very happy.
“Sweetheart, I’ve retired from my Beta position! Yesterday was my last day serving the pack, the Alpha even threw me a party. He didn’t want me to leave, but now that you’re settled, I decided it’s time to rest,” my father said excitedly.
“Dad, that’s wonderful, I’m so happy for you! Mom, now you’ll have time to travel together.” I was genuinely happy for them, but this erased my plans of moving back home.
“And you don’t even know the best part.I sold the house and bought a small farm, right here in Maplewood, on the outskirts of pack territory. We’re moving this weekend. Now your mother and I are going to live the quiet country life we’ve always wanted,” my father said ecstatically.
Now it was really buried,there was no way I could go back to Maplewood. My parents kept talking for a while about how happy they were and that I should come soon with Liam to visit the farm. We chatted for a bit longer before hanging up.
I buried my head in my hands, overwhelmed by the uncertainty ahead. Rory paced anxiously within me, her presence both a comfort and a restless echo of my own turmoil.
“I don’t think we can go back to Blood Moon Pack,” she murmured, her voice low but firm.
“Yeah,” I whispered, “let’s wait for Elle to get home first, then figure things out.”
“Maybe we should start looking for a new job, see if there’s another pack that would take us in…”
I nodded slowly, lost in thought.
My son came bouncing through the door shouting “mommy, mommy,” and my heart overflowed with joy. It had always been like this,ever since he was in my belly, Liam always made me happy. No matter how difficult the situation was, he gave me the strength and courage to face it. My wolf immediately calmed at the sight of our pup, her protective instincts overwhelming any other concerns.
I picked up my son and covered him with kisses.I got up to help Mabel, but she dismissed me and told me to go play with Liam since he had lots to talk about today.
I had already given Liam his bath and we were playing in the living room when he suddenly asked me,”Mommy, is Draven coming here today? I wanna play with him.”
I froze,I hadn’t expected Liam to ask about Draven.To my relief, Elle arrived and Liam jumped into her arms. After dinner, I put my son to bed and went back to the living room where Elle said she needed to talk to me.
“Carrie, how are you really doing?” Elle asked, concern softening her eyes as she took my hands in hers.
“I’m feeling awful, Elle. When you got here, Liam had just asked about Draven,” I confessed.
“Really? But they only met once. Liam usually doesn’t remember people like that,” she said, surprised.
I sighed deeply, feeling Rory whine anxiously inside me. “It’s strange. Like there’s some kind of connection there, even though…” I trailed off.
I told her about calling my parents and how the conversation went. Then she smiled and said, “You’re so stubborn, Caroline,” Elle teased with a grin. “Didn’t I say I’d help? And I barely had to try.Do you remember my boss, Joseph Taylor? He’s always been a reliable business ally to our Blood Moon Pack. When he heard from my father that you’re out of work, he asked me to tell you to come work at Puma Global.”
“What do you mean? Does he know what happened?” I asked, confused.
“He knows the gist. I told him Alpha Draven thinks you did something you didn’t. He called Draven a hot-headed idiot who’ll regret it and thinks it’s better for you to be working under him if Draven ever decides to apologize,” Elle said with a smile.
“He’s not going to apologize, Elle. More likely, he’ll try to stop your boss from hiring me or get me fired,” I said bitterly, feeling Rory growl at the thought of facing the Alpha who dismissed me so cruelly.
“No, he won’t. My boss has already made up his mind. Tomorrow, you’re coming to work with me. The pack bond between him and Draven might be strong, but he runs his business separately,” Elle insisted.
“Alright, Elle. I’ll go talk to your boss. If he still wants to hire me after that, I’ll accept,” I nodded.
Caroline’s POV
“Caroline,I’m glad you came,” Joseph Taylor greeted me,his voice warm but professional. “After I heard about your dismissal,I called Ryan yesterday. He didn’t share details,but it seems Draven was being quite the hot-headed Alpha.”
I sat across from him in his spacious corner office at Puma Global,feeling Rory tense inside me.
“Mr. Taylor,I wouldn’t call Alpha Draven hot-headed,” I replied carefully.”But I didn’t commit the offense I was accused of.”
“I believe you,” he said simply,leaning forward. “I’ve known the Paynes for decades. Alpha Gerald wouldn’t vouch for someone unless he was certain of their integrity. And if Gerald Payne thinks you’re trustworthy,that’s good enough for me.”
The way he spoke,with such certainty,made Rory relax slightly within me.
Elle had dragged me out of bed this morning. When she suggested working at her company yesterday,I hesitated. Given Joseph Taylor’s business ties with Thorne Enterprises,I feared running into Alpha Draven again. Worse,I worried he might blacklist me across all Harbor Bay companies,and even Joseph Taylor couldn’t be immune to such pressure.
But Elle insisted,reminding me that Liam needed me to be strong.So I’d dressed in my most professional outfit,kissed my sleeping son goodbye,and let Elle drive us to Puma Global’s headquarters.
“Unfortunately,” Mr. Taylor continued,”I can’t offer you a position as good as the one you had at Thorne Enterprises. But I need another person in the sales department. The salary is competitive,and with your qualifications,you’ll handle the work easily. If you want it,the job is yours.”
I gave him a genuine smile,the first one since Draven had banished me from Storm Valley Pack.
“Thank you,Mr. Taylor. I accept your offer and appreciate this opportunity more than you know.”
After our meeting,Elle walked me to Human Resources,her grace turning heads as we passed. I filled out paperwork while she waited,then she introduced me to my supervisor before heading back to her own department.
“Miss Bennett,the sales department operates with a pretty laid-back flow,” Mr. Reeves explained as he led me through an open workspace. “What matters here is productivity,we need to generate revenue. We’re a pack,I mean,a team,and we work together,helping each other achieve the best results. That’s why we have this open floor plan. Each employee has their cubicle,and if someone needs help,the pack… team,always provides it.”
I noticed his cedar scent,warm and reassuring in the office air.
“That’s wonderful,sir. Having supportive colleagues makes all the difference. I’m sure I’ll adapt well.”
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