Draven’s POV
I sat in the dark, the day’s betrayal heavy on my chest. The city’s distant glow was the only light, casting long shadows across the floor.
I couldn’t look at my bed without rembering the incredible night I had with Caroline, feeling despair consu knowing it had all been a calculated lie. How could she do this to ? Alaric paced restlessly within .“This can’t be real... She wasn’t supposed to do this.”
“How could she? After everything...”
His pain echoed mine, raw and unwilling to accept what happened.
“We trusted her. We were wrong.”I said to him.
Ever since that Alpha Gala at the Blood Moon Pack three years ago, the night those savage Rogues took my parents from , I haven’t let anyone get close.
That sa night, I had one unforgettable night with a woman I didn’t even know. One night. Hot, reckless, desperate. And by morning, she was gone. Like she never existed. I searched. I hunted. Nothing. No mate. No trace. I swore I’d never let myself fall again.
Then Caroline showed up, out of nowhere. No scent, no rank that mattered. But I didn’t care. I was ready to make her my Luna anyway. I was willing to give her everything.
And just when I was about to bring her into my pack, to ask her to stand at my side...
She betrayed .Turned out she was the fucking snake that sank its fangs in and finished off whatever trust I had left.I was in heaven today and suddenly got dragged to hell.
When the security specialist called saying that only Ryan, Clara, and I should attend the eting because he had already traced where the information had leaked from, I couldn’t imagine it had been her, the she-wolf I was falling in love with.
Reading those emails felt like getting slamd by a freight train I never saw coming.The first one I could maybe have handled and listened to her explanation, but the second one, realizing she had planned to seduce just to use , that was devastating. I was blind with rage and pain, my wolf howling for vengeance.
I kicked her out of my pack, my company, and my life. She betrayed in the lowest way possible. But why did I feel so awful? Why did I fall in love with a woman who turned out to be false? Why did I lower my guard and let her into my heart.
I walked out the second she did. I couldn’t breathe with anyone around. If I stayed, Ryan and Clara would be on my back, asking questions I didn’t want to answer. I blocked all mind-links for the first ti in my life and wasn’t answering the doorbell or intercom. I wanted to be alone and feel my pain all at once, let Alaric’s agony wash through .
But then the light turned on and I heard my Beta say,"Forgot we have the key?"
Ryan sat beside and Clara positioned herself in front of .
I glared at them, letting a low growl escape my throat. Clara imdiately raised her chin, unimpressed."I’m not afraid of an looks or growls, young man. You’ve already yelled, raged and been alone, now you’re going to listen to us, and quietly."
This woman talked like my mother had once done. But I wasn’t willing to talk about Caroline. When I opened my mouth to protest, Ryan held up a silver chain and wolfsbane in front of my eyes and said,"If you won’t listen the easy way, it’ll be the hard way, but you will listen, Alpha or not."
"And you think I’m going to let you use restraints on ?" I asked grumpily, my eyes flashing their violet color in warning.
"You don’t need to let . Now shut up and listen." Ryan said, his own eyes flashing in response. "Clara and I talked and concluded that it makes no sense for Caroline to have leaked the information. She was vetted, Draven, by you and Clara. Moreover, the idea of how to audit the company was all hers. She recomnded Arthur, and he’s been friends with your parents all his life, he’s extrely trustworthy to our pack. We talked to him too, and he’s certain soone set Caroline up, he’d stake his life on it. We should give her the benefit of the doubt, Draven."
"What? You think soone entered the executive suite and sent the email from her computer just to harm her? Even though I restricted access before the emails were sent? You’re not that naive." I said mockingly.
"No, Draven, I’m saying the traitor could be soone else inside the executive suite." Ryan said patiently.
"Ryan, everyone in that circle has been with the Pack Corporation for over a decade. That kind of betrayal? It’s unthinkable." My voice ca out sharp, raw with frustration. I could feel Alaric bristling inside , ready to snap.
But Ryan didn’t back down. He never did.
"Is it really that unthinkable, Draven?" he shot back. "Soone’s been siphoning money from the Pack for years, and we just caught wind of it now. You really believe it’s impossible that one of those polished, long-ti executives has been playing us from the inside?"
I paused. Just for a second.
"At first, I was sure Caroline was involved," Ryan continued, quieter this ti. "I an, everything pointed at her. But when I confronted her with those emails... I didn’t see guilt. I saw confusion. Hurt. Fury, even. But not guilt. And her wolf, Rory, she was shaken, genuinely. I felt it in my bones."
I sighed, reflecting on what he was saying. But it didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense. I heard Clara speak calmly,"Draven, Ryan and I started an investigation. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t investigate and left Caroline bearing guilt that isn’t hers. The security caras were already installed today, but the one in Caroline’s office had a defect. Still, they’re being reviewed, and the security specialist will try to recover sothing. But we had an idea and put it into action."
I looked at her suspiciously and asked,"What idea, Clara?"
"We’re going to test each mber of the board, including Kyle. And we’ve already started with Linda. We asked her to take so docunts to Ryan’s office since Kyle wasn’t around. When she entered, we continued talking and let it ’slip,’ let’s say, that we would be checking last year’s accounts. As you know, we already have the docunts, but if anything disappears, we’ll know she leaked the information. Arthur and the team will check tonight."
"Linda? What a waste of ti, Clara! You know how long she’s been with the pack and company, for Moon’s sake!" I protested.
"It’s easier to accuse Caroline than admit we’re big idiots who’ve been deceived for years by soone on the pack mbers we thought was loyal to us. But there are wolves who’ve worked in that company for years who are stealing." Ryan spoke wearily. "Caroline told this today, and she’s absolutely right. Let’s investigate, Alpha. Open your mind before you make a decision you’ll regret."
I sighed, exhaustion tightening my chest as I considered their words.
"Fine. Investigate. Make sure," I commanded, my Alpha voice leaving no room for discussion. The kind that made wolves submit without question.
"Draven, one more thing," Ryan added. "One of the detectives is from Maplewood. I asked him to look into Caroline. Just so you know who you’re really dealing with."
That felt like a step too far. But it was already done.
I nodded, jaw tight.
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