CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129 RUINED BY TIMING

Caroline’s POV

I had a quiet weekend. Jax sent countless messages apologizing for not being able to see me, as he had several pack emergencies to handle. As Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, which was smaller than Storm Valley, he had duties that couldn’t wait.

"I’m so sorry, Carrie," his text read Sunday morning."Rogue sightings along our border. Dad needs my help coordinating patrols with neighboring packs. Rain check on our coffee date?"

I understood his obligations, but couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

Clara spent Sunday with us and spoiled Liam all day long. She got him a gift from London, and he loved it, a toy building set that made Buckingham Palace, with a small mat showing the streets and a red double-decker bus. Everything was bright, and the bus could move and light up.

"Clara, how am I supposed to compete with that?"Eleanor said with a smile, watching Liam laugh happily as he put together and took apart the blocks.

Clara gave me lots of advice about both Jax and Draven. She’d only been gone a few weeks, but somehow knew my problems better than I did.

"You know, Caroline," she said while Liam was napping, "the bond between mates is stronger than any human relationship. I’ve seen how Draven looks at you, even if he doesn’t know it yet."

"But I can’t be his mate," I whispered. "I don’t have a scent he can recognize."

Clara’s eyes softened. "Not all bonds are formed through scent alone."

She counseled me to take things slow with Jax, suggesting that my situation with Draven might still work out. I assured her that Jax was just a friend, and although he clearly wanted something more, my love for Draven was deeply rooted in my heart. But I couldn’t put my life on hold and simply wait for the day when, maybe, possibly, Draven would be free for me.

"The mating ceremony is in three months," Clara reminded me gently. "I’ve seen enough of these political matings to know they rarely bring happiness. Just... don’t close any doors yet."

After that, the week flew by. Jax sent me messages every day but had to make a last-minute trip to California to handle some business at his father’s company. He apologized profusely for having to cancel our plans again, promising to bring me a special gift when he returned.

"I’ll make it up to you," his message read. "There’s this little spot by the lake where the moonlight hits just right. Perfect for a late dinner under the stars. My wolf’s going crazy not seeing you."

The following Monday,Clara went back to London earlier than we wanted, making us miss her already. Eleanor and I wanted to take her to the airport, but she said Draven had already said he’d drive her before going to work.

"He’s trying, Caroline," she told me as we hugged goodbye. "He may not show it, but he’s fighting an internal battle every day. "

I arrived at my office and,as every Monday since I started working at Thorne Enterprises, there was a beautiful arrangement of tulips with a card from Draven. The message was always the same,that he would love me until his last breath and regretted putting us in this impossible situation. I admired the tulips for a moment, then sat at my desk and put the card in a small box at the back of my drawer, along with all the others.

"Good morning, Carrie. How are you today? I brought you something."

Ryan came in, cheerful as always, and placed a package of four chocolate chip muffins on my desk that were still warm.The rich, sweet aroma made my mouth water instantly. I looked at him with sparkling eyes and a childlike smile.

"I love chocolate chip muffins. Thank you, Ryan!"

"That’s great, because I brought this too." He placed a huge, steaming cup of cappuccino on my desk.

"You’re the best boss in the world! Just what I needed." I said and watched his smile widen.

"The audit team needs our quarterly projections today," he reminded me. "Clara left some notes before she left for London,said you’d know what to do with them."

Ryan went into his office, and I invited Ava to eat with me at my desk, but she declined since Ryan had brought her food too and she was swamped with work preparing documents for the ongoing audit.

I was eating my pastries while working through Clara’s meticulous notes when Draven walked into the room. My breath caught in my throat. He was gorgeous as always in a charcoal gray suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and tall frame.

He stopped by my side, scratched the back of his neck, and said,"I came to talk to Ryan."

"Of course, go ahead."

I couldn’t help but stare at him, completely mesmerized. How I loved him. We hadn’t seen each other the week before—with Clara visiting and the audit team taking over our floor, he had worked from his home office all week. I was dying to see him and couldn’t take my eyes off him.

Draven bent down, bringing our faces to the same level, ran his thumb across the corner of my mouth, and sucked his own finger while looking at me with fire in his violet eyes.

"Mmm, Caroline, you covered in chocolate are irresistible!"

I felt Rory howl in pleasure inside me, responding to his touch with an intensity that startled me.

"Dra..." I choked and cleared my throat to recover my voice. "Draven, don’t do that."

"Do what, Caroline?" he smiled devilishly, teasing me.

"Alaric is going crazy with your nearness. Do you have any idea what you do to us?"

"You know what you’re doing."

"Why don’t you tell me exactly what I’m doing wrong?" The hungry look in his eyes made my knees weak.

"You’re provoking me."

"Am I? What if I do this, Caroline?" He leaned in and licked the corner of my mouth where his finger had cleaned the chocolate. "And this?" And kissed the same spot, his lips lingering against my skin. "And this?" He roughly pulled me by the waist, pressing my body against his and capturing my mouth in a hungry kiss.

Draven’s kisses made my blood turn to fire in my veins. They were full of desire, lustful, provocative, and sensual. Draven broke down all my barriers with a single touch. His mere proximity left me surrendered, my wolf whimpering in submission to her Alpha.

We kissed with an urgent need to make up for all those days we couldn’t touch each other. I ran my hands over his shoulders and grabbed the hair at the nape of his neck with both hands, trying to pull us even closer. Draven had his arms wrapped around my waist, and I felt one of his hands slide up my back.Our breathing was ragged, matching our racing hearts.

Without breaking our kiss, Draven lifted me and sat me on my desk, positioning himself between my legs and pressing our bodies together, creating a delicious friction between our still-clothed bodies. I had completely forgotten where I was—I just desperately wanted that contact, that connection that only Draven could give me. I moaned against his lips, and he kissed me even more deeply.

"Mine," he growled against my mouth."Caroline, I can’t stand seeing you with anyone else."

I felt him hardening against me, his desire evident through our clothes. His hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer to the edge of the desk until I was pressed firmly against him. I wrapped my legs around his waist, needing to be closer still.

When we finally parted our lips, purely from needing air, he gave me one more soft peck and looked into my eyes, saying,"My love, you have no idea how much I miss you. I’m dying without you. "

I looked at him completely surrendered—how I loved this man, how I missed him.

I was yanked from my reverie by Kyle’s voice as she walked into the office absentmindedly holding some papers and saying,"Pretty lady, I need to talk to the Alpha Draven and Ryan, are they in..."

Kyle froze when she saw us, her eyes widening in shock.

I startled, suddenly becoming aware of where I was, pushed Draven away and got down from the desk, straightening my skirt. Draven groaned and closed his eyes, a flash of frustration crossing his handsome face.

"Bad timing, Kyle!" he said to her, his voice still rough with desire.

"I’m sorry, I’m leaving, I’m sorry..." Kyle stammered, already backing toward the door.

"Come back here, you’ve already killed the mood anyway!" Draven called her back, then turned to me and ran his thumb over my kiss-swollen lips. "My love, thank you, I needed that so badly!"

"Come on in, Kyle." He said, walking toward Ryan’s office door.

Kyle passed by me with her hands clasped in apology, a knowing smile on her face. "The timing of my entrances really needs work," she whispered as she passed.

I smiled at her, but my legs were still shaking. Ava came into my office right after, wanting to know if I was okay. I quickly told her what happened and how much I loved kissing Draven.

"Girl, the chemistry between you two could power the entire building," she whispered. "I could feel the heat from my desk!"

I spent the rest of the day in a daze, unable to focus on anything.The only thing on my mind was that kiss.

How much longer could we all go on like this, trapped in this impossible situation?