“I suppose I’ll need to grovel for your forgiveness too,won’t I?”
“No one needs to grovel,Ryan. We’re fine,and you don’t need to ask for forgiveness,” I assured him with a smile,though Rory growled softly in my mind.
“Alright. We’ll win you back,” Ryan said with a wink. “Another thing,Carrie. I brought your final paycheck. You earned it,and it’s only right that you receive it.”
“I won’t accept that money,Ryan. Please don’t insist,I want nothing from Thorne Enterprises. I hope you’ll respect this and avoid creating another uncomfortable situation,” I said firmly,my expression leaving no room for discussion.
“You’re being proud,Carrie,” Ryan sighed. “And you have every right to be. I’m sorry things ended this way,and it’s entirely our fault. But we’ll work hard to earn your forgiveness. And you will come back to us.”
Ryan tucked the check back into his jacket’s inner pocket,smiled at me,and left. Despite everything,I found myself returning his smile.
Caroline’s POV
When I finally collected myself and stepped out of the room,the conference room was empty except for Draven.
He sat tall at the head of the table,unmoving,radiating a powerful presence. His golden-brown hair was slicked back smoothly,sharp and polished,perfectly framing his chiseled,handsome face. Those violet eyes held a deep,fierce intensity as they locked onto me,as if afraid I might disappear from his sight again.
I was alone with him once again.I approached where I had been sitting to take my things,trying to stay cool and calm.
As I got closer,Draven reached out with lightning speed and pulled me onto his lap,wrapping his strong arms around me.
The cedar and musky scent that was uniquely him enveloped me as he whispered against my ear,”You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,Carrie.”
His deep,smooth voice hit me in a way I didn’t expect,making my stomach tighten and my heart skip a beat. The bond between us,whatever it was,felt overwhelming.
“Alpha Draven,please,don’t do this to me,” I begged,trying to pull away from his arms.
“Please,Carrie. Don’t leave me. Don’t shut me out anymore,” he said,holding me tighter to his chest.
“Alpha Draven,I’ve made myself clear. Please leave my life. I don’t want any more ties with you. Let me go,” I said firmly,even though I knew it was a lie.
I love him,I do. But I can’t forgive the humiliation,the hurt. I love him,but I love my dignity more.
“No. I’m not letting go. Carrie,I know you love me too. Stop pretending,” he said,then pressed his lips to mine.
His kiss was rough and hot,his tongue pushing past my lips without hesitation. He kissed me deep and slow,sometimes soft,sometimes demanding,until I couldn’t fight it anymore. I should hate him,but my body had other ideas. I couldn’t help moaning as our tongues met. Something between us just clicked,like we were meant to be together.
He grabbed the back of my head to deepen the kiss,his other arm pulling me tight against his chest. Desire raced through my body,and I couldn’t control it. Everywhere he touched set my skin on fire,making my whole body tingle until my legs went weak.
My common sense went right out the window,replaced by pure need. His touch,his heat,it was all too much. I was completely lost in his kiss,and I couldn’t stop even if I tried.
I moved on his lap and felt his hard cock pressing against me,making me wet instantly. My body was on fire,my panties already soaked with need for him.
He briefly broke the kiss to whisper against my lip,”Do you feel what you do to me? How my wolf Alaric howls for you? See how much you want me too? Give me one more chance,Caroline,and I swear by the Moon Goddess there won’t be a day in my life that I won’t work to deserve your love.”
He growled promises against my lips,his deep voice making my head spin with need.
I looked at him through heavy-lidded eyes,too lost in desire to speak. Before I could respond,he captured my lips again. This kiss was different – deep and hungry,but also achingly tender. My body melted against him as our tongues tangled,desperate for more.
When our mouths separated for another brief moment,I took a deep breath,tried in vain to regain control of my body. I opened my eyes and felt tears burning down my face.
Draven ran his thumbs across my cheeks,wiping away my tears,and placed a warm kiss on each of my eyelids. His touch was gentle,reverent almost,completely at odds with the powerful Alpha everyone knew him to be.
I looked at his beautiful face and saw that his eyes were also wet with unshed tears. He was suffering. I touched his face,memorizing every detail as if preparing to say goodbye. Those intense violet eyes looked straight into my soul and made my heart race in my chest.
The way I wanted him was terrifying. His arm locked me tight against his chest while his other hand roamed up my thigh,every touch setting my nerves on fire.Rory was practically scratching to get closer to him.
I couldn’t resist anymore. I pulled him in for another kiss,pouring my whole heart into it. Draven responded with a passion that matched my own,sighing against my lips. His kisses were precious to me; nothing compared to what the slightest touch of his lips awakened in my body and soul. I craved his kisses and his touches like a drug I couldn’t quit.
We were both crying as we kissed,our tears mixing on our lips,making everything taste like heartache.
“Please,my love,forgive me,come back to me! Without you,Alaric and I are just empty shells,” Draven said,pressing his forehead against mine.
He was truly suffering. It broke my heart to see him like this; it hurt me deeply to witness his pain. But he had broken me first; he hadn’t trusted me when it mattered most. He had accused me of horrible things in front of others,humiliated me,and dismissed our connection. How could I go back to him when that wound was still raw and bleeding in my heart? I couldn’t forgive him yet,and I didn’t know if I ever could,no matter how much Rory yearned for his.
“Draven…” I sobbed through the tears falling from my eyes. “You hurt me so much. I still can’t…”
I stood up very awkwardly,my legs shaking beneath me,and rushed out of the room,leaving my things and the man who had the power to both complete and destroy me behind. In that moment,staying there would have torn my soul apart. The pull between us was too strong,too overwhelming,and I needed to escape before I lost myself completely in him again.
As I fled,Rory howled mournfully inside me,grieving the separation from Alaric just as my heart ached for Draven.
Draven’s POV
I hadn’t chased after Caroline or forced her to stay. With my Alpha strength,I could have easily prevented her from leaving if I’d wanted to,but seeing those eyes filled with both love and pain,I lost all my strength and clarity of thought. I could only watch as she walked away.
I sat there stunned,thinking about how Caroline had just kissed me like she couldn’t live without me. I stared at the door in confusion.
It wasn’t until Ryan and Joseph walked in that my head started to clear. But one thing was clear-that kiss.She hadn’t just kissed me back,she’d melted into me. Her body couldn’t lie,the way she trembled against me,wanted me. A smile spread across my face. No way was I giving up now.
“Caroline ran out of here pretty fast,Alpha Draven,” Ryan said.
“She still loves me,” I said confidently. “She’s hurt and angry,but she loves me.”
“Alright,Romeo.So what exactly happened?”Joseph asked,always needing to know everything.
“We kissed.” I couldn’t help grinning. “And trust me,that wasn’t a goodbye kiss. She loves me,and I’ll never give up on her.”
I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to reach her. She kept rejecting my calls until finally turning her phone off completely. But if she thought that would stop me,she was wrong.
“She’s stubborn,but so are we,” Alaric growled within me.
I left work with one goal,to see her at her house.We had to talk this out.She was going to listen to me,even if I had to wait outside all night. I needed her to tell me how she felt,to let out all her anger. Maybe then she could forgive me.
On my way,I stopped at the mall. I remembered how much Liam loved his building blocks,so I bought him a big new set. God,I missed that kid. The first time we met,we clicked right away and played for hours. He’s such a bright,friendly little boy. I’d promised to come back and play with him again,and I intended to keep that promise.
“There’s something about that pup,”Alaric murmured in my mind,his tone thoughtful. “He feels like pack… like ours.”
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