CHAPTER 125: CHAPTER 125 I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU

Draven’s POV

"Arthur, how much longer will this audit take?" I sighed into the phone. The pressure was mounting with each passing day.

"Your company’s financial statements and tax filings are an absolute mess, Draven. I wouldn’t be surprised if the IRS showed up to arrest you themselves," Arthur White replied.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling Alaric growl with irritation inside me. "Can it be resolved within three months?"

"We need to dig deeper, comb through years of business activities. After all, yours is the largest company in all of Harbor Bay." Arthur paused. "This might take a while."

"I understand. But three months maximum, Arthur. I’ve already hired someone to investigate my parents’ accident. I’m counting on you for this audit."

"I’ll do my best," Arthur promised before hanging up.

I set my phone down and stared at the mountain of paperwork before me. The New York clients had been keeping me busy all day. The contract negotiations were progressing well, and they were considering expanding their business with us, but they’d requested substantial information that Ryan and I had been organizing since morning.

"Looks like I’ll need to travel soon," I muttered to myself. Perhaps getting away for a bit wouldn’t be such a bad idea. The distance might help clear my head of thoughts about Caroline and this whole mess with Howard and his daughter.

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in," I called out, not looking up from my computer screen.

"I’m gone for just a month, and there’s no welcome party? No balloons or confetti? What kind of Alpha are you running here?" Clara’s familiar voice filled the room, bringing a smile to my face.

I stood immediately, crossing the room to embrace the woman who had been like a mother to me."Clara! Thank the Moon Goddess you’re back. I’ve missed you terribly."

Clara pulled back, her eyes scanning my face. "Oh dear, you look dreadful."

"He’s a wreck!" Ryan announced, entering the office with a stack of files. "A shell of an Alpha, stressed, anxious, and downright pathetic. Like a teenage pup who lost his first love."

"I can see that," Clara agreed. "I’ve never seen you look this... unraveled."

I ran a hand through my hair and gestured for them to sit. "I asked you to come back temporarily because we need someone who understands our business operations. But honestly, Clara, I’m lost. How do I fix this mess I’m in?"

"Which mess are we talking about?" Clara asked, settling into her chair. "The company audit or that disaster you call a mating ceremony?"

"Ryan suggested buying time, postponing the ceremony as much as possible. I’ve managed to push it back three months, but what’s the point?" I sank into my chair.

"Draven," Clara began, "treat this like business. Think like an Alpha in negotiations. Be cold and rational. If you let emotions take over, you’ll mess up even worse—that’s how you got into this situation in the first place. You let your guard down, got drunk, made mistakes, and now that awful woman claims you’re the father of her pup."

"I still don’t believe that child is yours," Ryan growled."The timing is too convenient."

"Neither can I!" Clara exclaimed. "Why won’t she take the test?"

I sighed heavily. "She refuses, saying the test carries a risk of miscarriage. Says she won’t put the pregnancy at risk. And technically, it could only be done after the twelfth week anyway."

"Well, you’ve gained time now," Clara pointed out. "She must be about four weeks along. You have to convince her, Draven."

"Ryan and I are analyzing all possibilities, Clara," I explained. "But there’s more to this than just the pregnancy. Howard is up to something with the company finances, and I suspect it’s been going on for years."

"Tell me everything," Clara demanded, settling in for a long conversation.

For the next hour, we updated Clara on all the developments. Ryan joined us, and we ended up ordering lunch and eating right there in my office.

After hours of planning, I needed to walk around. I’d been sitting at my desk since early morning, and my body was getting sore.

"I’m going to get some coffee," I said, standing and moving my shoulders.

When I got near the break room, I saw Caroline. She was on her phone, and I stopped, not knowing if I should go in.

"Not at all, Jax, I know you’re very busy," she was saying cheerfully. "How was your trip? I thought you’d be gone longer... Really? That’s great!"

My jaw clenched as I listened, Alaric growling possessively inside me.

"A present for me? Oh, Jax, you shouldn’t have!" She laughed, the sound making my heart ache. "Alright, when do you want to give me my present?... Tomorrow is perfect for me. Where are we going?"

She was going out with him again? The thought made my blood boil.

"No, you always surprise me, and I really like the places you choose. Great! See you tomorrow then. Kiss."

Jax certainly wasn’t wasting any time. But I wasn’t about to make things easy for him either. She might be going out with him, but she’d be thinking about me all night.

Taking a breath to calm Alaric, I went into the break room. I shut the door and walked to Caroline at the coffee machine. I put my hands on the counter on both sides of her, keeping her between my arms.

I moved close against her, holding her between the counter and me. My body got hot right away from being near her, and I felt myself get hard against her. I let out a breath and said in her ear, "Going out with Jax again, my love? Is that how it’s going to be? While I’m here, dying for you,you’re out having fun with another man?"

"Draven..." she breathed heavily, gasping as she felt my arousal against her.

"Tell me, Caroline," I said quietly, moving her hair to see her neck. "Does he make you feel like this?" I kissed her neck softly, sucked her ear and kept kissing down, then bit her neck gently. Caroline shook in my arms. Caroline was trembling in my arms.

"Please, don’t do this to me," she begged. "Can’t you see how much I’m suffering? You’re getting mated to someone else, and I need to move on with my life."

A tear fell down her face, and I turned her head to me, kissing where the tear went, stopping near her lips. I looked in her eyes, those green eyes that showed the same love I felt.

"My love, I can’t live without you anymore," I said,my usual Alpha composure crumbling.

I turned her around and kissed her, showing all my love in the kiss. She fell into my arms, kissing me back. We kissed like we were starving for each other, our bond too strong to ignore. When we stopped, I held her close to my chest, touching her hair.

"Caroline," I whispered,"I know I’m being selfish. Jax is a decent man. But I can’t bear the thought of you with anyone else."

"I pushed back that ceremony for three months. That’s enough time to make Ella take the DNA test. This pup might not even be mine. Just give me some time."

"And what if the pup is yours?" she asked, crying softly. "We’ll just hurt longer."

"Forgive me," I pleaded, feeling more vulnerable than I’d ever allowed myself to be.

"I just accepted an invitation from a friend," she explained,trying to stop crying. "It doesn’t mean I’m going to be with him. But I can’t drown in this sadness. I have a son and he needs me."

My heart clenched at the mention of Liam. "How is he? I miss him terribly."

"He misses you too," she admitted softly. "But it’s better if you two don’t see each other anymore. I don’t want Howard and his daughter going after my son. He’s just a child, Draven. I’m terrified they might hurt him."

She was right, and the thought of Howard anywhere near Liam made Alaric snarl with protective rage. "I understand. But will you tell him that I love him and miss him?"

"I will," she promised, a small smile brightening her face. "He’ll be so happy to hear that." She placed her hand gently against my cheek. "I’ll never love anyone the way I love you, Draven."

Caroline pressed a quick kiss to my lips before slipping from my embrace, leaving me alone. I sank into a chair and, for perhaps the first time since my parents died, allowed myself to truly break. I buried my head in my arms and let the tears fall.When I felt better, I went back to my office.I took my phone and sent her a message, "I just want you to be happy, even if it kills me."

I tried to work again, but my mind was somewhere else.