CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 109 THE PACK JOINING CEREMONY

Caroline’s POV

The days were flying by. I’d been back at Thorne Enterprises for almost a week now. Everything was going smoothly,I was monitoring the audit and handling my responsibilities without issues.

Draven and I continued our little games of teasing and sharing chocolate cake. True to his word, he had taken me on his desk, let me ride him in his chair, and I’d lost count of how many times he’d had me on that couch. We spent almost every night at my place, and Saturdays at his house.

I was truly happy. I had an amazing boyfriend who adored my son, a wonderful group of friends I cherished, and a job that fulfilled all my professional aspirations. Howard would spot me around the company, but couldn’t find opportunities to approach me. Despite his attempts, Dennis remained vigilant in keeping him away.

But recently, something strange was happening.Draven had developed this weird interest in my hands, always checking the size of my fingers and playing with them between his.

He started lightly tracing lines across my body with his fingertips, measuring and mumbling to himself. It annoyed me so much that I told him he wasn’t taking me seriously.

"What exactly are you doing?" I’d asked.

His violet eyes had sparkled mischievously. "Just admiring what’s mine."

That comment had sparked another one of our playful bedroom "fights" that inevitably ended with both of us tangled in the sheets, breathless and satisfied.

When I woke up this morning, I was surprised to find Draven already gone. He hadn’t woken me to leave together as usual. I went to check Liam’s room, but it was empty too.

Eleanor appeared beside me, looking unusually dressed up in a beautiful formal dress we’d purchased at Ava’s former boutique.

"Draven already took Liam to daycare," she told me casually.

I looked at her polished appearance with suspicion. "Elle, do you have a date with Nate today?"

She gave me a playful smile. "Let’s just say I have a special meeting to go to." Before I could ask more, she quickly walked away with a secret smile. "Got to get to work now!"

I shook my head, gathered my things, and headed to Thorne Enterprises.

I had barely stepped into the executive floor reception area when Kyle and Ava jumped out from seemingly nowhere, each grabbing an arm and guiding me toward Kyle’s office.

"Girls, where are you taking me? I have a lot of work to do today," I protested.

Kyle laughed, her eyes shining. "Forget work today. If anything’s left undone, Ava and I will take care of it."

Ava snorted. "She gets to skip work for something great, and I have to do her part? How is that fair?"

I was completely confused. "Something great? What are you talking about?"

Without warning, Ava pushed me into a chair, and Kyle handed me a beautiful dress.

The two shared a look and shouted together: "Work!"

Nearly an hour later, I barely recognized myself in the mirror. They had turned me into someone who looked ready for a fancy party. The dress Kyle brought was a long silk gown in a deep green that made my eyes stand out. The top fit my body perfectly before flowing down to the floor with a small slit that showed just enough leg to look nice but not too much.

How did Ava know my size so well, even though I had bought clothes from her before?

Ava had worked wonders on my hair, styling it in soft waves that fell down my back, with a few parts pinned up to shape my face. Kyle had done my makeup, giving me a light smoky eye that made my green eyes stand out and nude lips that looked naturally pretty.

"What is all this for?" I asked again, touching the thin silver necklace they had put around my neck.

"You’ll find out," Kyle said with a smile, happy with what they had done.

Ava gave a proud nod. "Draven is going to go crazy when he sees you."

They led me to the elevator and brought me up to the top floor of the building, where I knew there was a big event space.Rory was oddly excited, moving around happily in my mind.

"What’s going on?"I asked her.

"Something wonderful," she replied."I can feel it."

When we reached the doors to the event space, Ava and Kyle each took a handle and pushed the doors open together.

I gasped at the sight before me. The usually plain company event room had been turned into something out of a dream. Thousands of tulips in different colors made a beautiful background, with elegant white and silver details everywhere. Crystal champagne glasses caught the light from the chandeliers above, shining like diamonds. A table filled with fancy desserts, including several rich chocolate cakes, stood to one side.

But what surprised me most were the people. Eleanor and Nate stood talking with Joseph near a window. Ryan was laughing with several pack members I had seen before. All were dressed nicely, all smiling, all waiting for me.

"Caroline!" Eleanor spotted me first and walked over with Nate, looking bright and happy. "Finally! I’ve been keeping this secret for weeks."

She hugged me tightly. "You look absolutely beautiful."

I blinked at both of them. "Elle, what is this?"

Nate smiled and held up a small box in his hand with a casual wave. "Maybe it’s a promise," he said, his voice light and teasing.

Before I could ask more, Clara Reed appeared. She must have just come back from London. She walked over, looking elegant in a navy dress.

"Caroline," Clara said kindly, taking my hand. "You look amazing, dear."

"Clara, I didn’t know you were back," I said, still trying to understand. "What’s going on?"

She gave a quiet smile. "Do you remember that pack membership form I asked you to fill out when you first joined the company?"

I nodded slowly.

"Well," she said with a soft laugh, "it seems our Alpha has been taking his time.He’s ready to hold your pack joining ceremony."

My heart skipped a beat as Clara gently turned me toward a red carpet I hadn’t noticed before. At the other end stood Draven, and my breath caught in my chest.

He looked unbelievably handsome in a perfectly fitted black suit with small silver details. His hair was brushed back from his face, showing off his strong jaw and those deep violet eyes that stayed locked on me. The way he looked at me made my heart skip a beat.

Clara delivered me to stand before Draven, then stepped aside with a wink. "We’re all looking forward to welcoming you officially to Storm Valley Pack, Caroline."

Rory was practically howling with excitement in my head. "We’re joining a new pack! This means I’ll be able to communicate with Alaric through the mind-link. We’ll be part of something again!"

I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed being part of a pack until this moment. Though I’d been born into Blood Moon Pack, being an unscented wolf had often made me feel like an outsider. This was a chance to truly belong.

The room fell silent as Draven took both my hands in his. His touch was warm and steady, and I could feel Alaric’s presence reaching out to Rory, who responded eagerly.

“Caroline,” Draven said my name softly.

“Yes?” I replied.

“Caroline, I truly want you to join my pack, to become my mate, to be my Luna.”

“I know,” I said gently.

“I hope you liked everything I put together for today.”

I smiled, touched. “So this dress... you picked it out?”

He looked like he wanted to pull me into his arms, but with so many people watching, he simply tugged me a little closer and whispered, “I had it custom-made. It took quite a bit of effort to get your measurements.”

I blushed, remembering his strange behavior lately,his lingering touches in bed. I gave him a playful swat, cheeks burning.

Moments later, the pack initiation ceremony officially began. The entire room quieted down, every member turning their attention to the Alpha.

Draven’s voice was deep and steady as he began the ancient ritual.

“I, Draven Thorne, Alpha of Storm Valley Pack, accept you—”

"STOP!" A shrill voice cut through the ceremony. "You can’t do this!"

Everyone turned to see Ella Howard bursting through the door, her face flushed with anger. She was clutching papers in her hand, waving them frantically as she stormed toward us.

"You can’t bring her into our pack!" Ella shouted, pointing at me. "Not when you’re the father of my baby!"

"I’m pregnant!"