Chapter 52: Pride and Promises
Chapter 52: Pride and Promises
(Caroline’s POV)
I left Freya’s office with my hands balled into trembling fists. My nails dug painfully into my palms, but the sting was nothing compared to the humiliation burning inside me. How dare she? How dare Freya play this game of calm superiority when her position was crumbling beneath her?
The hallway buzzed with activity, but I didn’t care. Pack members paused as I strode past, their gazes quickly dropping to the floor under my glare. My wolf bristled within me, fueling my every step with simmering rage.
When I reached Aaron’s office, I barely paused before pushing the door open. I needed him to understand what had just happened. He needed to know what Freya was doing. How she mocked me. How she refused to step aside with dignity.
“Aaron,” I called, stepping into the room.
He was sitting there, behind his massive desk, golden eyes focused on the far wall as though lost in a distant thought. His elbows rested on the desk, fingers loosely steepled together.
“Aaron,” I said again, a little louder this time.
Nothing. He didn’t so much as glance in my direction.
“Aaron!” My voice cracked, sharper than I intended.
He blinked, finally turning his attention to me. Confusion flickered across his face before recognition settled in. “Caroline,” he said slowly, as though just realizing I was there.
“I need to speak with you,” I snapped, trying to keep my frustration in check.
His brow furrowed as he leaned back slightly, giving me his full attention now. “What is it?”
I hesitated for a moment, trying to reign in the trembling anger in my chest. “It’s Freya,” I began, keeping my voice as calm as I could. “I went to her office today.”
Aaron tilted his head slightly, watching me closely now. His golden eyes were unreadable.
“I brought her some food,” I continued, “something special I made myself. I’m doing everything I can to bridge the gap, to make this easier for her, for you, for the pack.”
“And?” His tone was flat, almost distant.
“And she refused it,” I said sharply, the hurt in my voice unmasked now. “She didn’t even look at it. Didn’t look at me. As if I were invisible.”
Aaron shifted slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Did she say why?”
“No,” I snapped, my wolf growling low beneath my voice. “She didn’t have to. She just sat there with that same cold, uncaring look.”
He lowered his gaze slightly, his tone turning softer. “Caroline, your food isn’t the problem.”
I stared at him, waiting for more–waiting for him to address her disrespect. To assure me her behavior wouldn’t be tolerated. But instead, he seemed distracted. His eyes shifted, focusing on a spot somewhere on
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his desk.
“Aaron,” I pressed, my irritation rising again. “Are you even listening? This is serious!”
His gaze snapped back to mine, and for a brief moment, I saw exhaustion in his golden eyes. “I’m listening. Caroline. You said she refused your food. Did anything else happen?”
“James Morrison took it,” I added pointedly.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face. “Morrison?”
“Yes, he said the pack staff wanted it.” I crossed my arms, my temper flaring at his lack of reaction. “Aaron, this isn’t just about the food. She’s disrespecting me. She-”
“She’s tired,” Aaron interrupted, his tone firm yet distant. “This has nothing to do with you, Caroline.”
My mouth opened to protest, but his words brought me to a halt. I didn’t know how to reply to the indifference in his tone, the way his focus seemed to drift back into some private world I wasn’t a part of
The silence thickened between us. My wolf restlessly paced within me as I waited for him to engage, to show some emotion, some outrage on my behalf. But it never came.
“Aaron,” I murmured, softening my tone almost desperately now. “Why won’t you-”
But then my eyes caught something on his forearm.
The faint indentations. They looked fresh. Wolf bite marks.
“What’s that on your arm?” I demanded, stepping closer, my voice laced with concern and suspicion.
Aaron blinked, glancing down at his forearm as though he’d forgotten the marks were even there.
“It’s nothing,” he said quickly, pulling down his sleeve to cover them.
“Nothing?!” I nearly shouted, my wolf growling deep inside me. “Aaron, those are bite marks. Female wolf marks. What happened?”
“I said it’s nothing,” he barked, his tone sharp now. His golden eyes flashed briefly, his Alpha presence cutting through the air like a knife.
But I wasn’t intimidated. My mind was already racing ahead, piecing together the implications.
Freya.
Freya had done this.
“Aaron,” I said more quietly, my voice trembling as the pieces locked into place. “Did Freya do this to you?”
He stiffened, his jaw tightening as silence enveloped the room.
That was it. His reaction confirmed it. Freya had broken our agreement. She wasn’t keeping her word. Aaron abruptly stood, brushing past me without another word. The door closed behind him with a resounding thud, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts and simmering rage.
The next morning, I marched straight into Freya’s office. I wasn’t going to wait. I wasn’t going to let this slide. She was standing by the conference table, her white wolf’s calm demeanor evident even before I spoke. She was looking over a stack of documents, entirely focused, as if the drama surrounding her didn’t exist.
“Freya!” I snapped, my voice echoing sharply in the quiet room.
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She glanced up, her violet eyes settling on me. There wasn’t a hint of surprise or defensiveness in her expression. “Caroline,” she said evenly. “What’s this about?”
I crossed the room quickly, my wolf growling within me. “You broke our agreement,” I hissed, my hands tightening on the edge of the table to steady myself.
Her brows furrowed slightly. “What agreement?”
Her calmness made my blood boil. “The one where you maintain distance from Aaron before the mate bond
severance!” My voice shook with fury.
Her expression didn’t change, though I thought I saw a flicker of confusion pass over her features. “I haven’t broken any agreement, Caroline.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I growled, my voice rising uncontrollably. “I saw the bite marks on Aaron’s arm! You think you can just weasel your way back into his life while pretending to let go?”
Freya’s forehead creased as she leaned back slightly. “Bite marks?” She tilted her head. “Oh. Those.”
“Yes, those!” I shouted, slamming a hand against the table. “Explain them!”
She didn’t flinch. Her voice, when she spoke, was cold and steady. “Self–defense,” she said plainly.
I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
“He tried to assert his Alpha dominance, and I defended myself,” she clarified, her tone icy and unyielding. Her explanation made my breath hitch. My wolf paced restlessly in shock, trying to grasp the weight of her
words.
“You’re telling me you bit an Alpha in self–defense?” I demanded, my voice filled with disbelief.
“When necessary,” she said simply, the calmness of her tone infuriating me further.
“You…” I struggled for words, feeling my control slip. My wolf snarled with rage, my earlier suspicion blurring into confusion and desperation.
“You’re trying to stop the mate bond severance, aren’t you?” I pressed, stepping closer. My voice trembled with fury now.
Freya’s expression remained stoic, her unshaken calm only driving my wolf further into a frenzy.
“Why would I bother?” she said coldly. Her violet eyes bore into mine with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine. “Aaron values you too much for your so–called heroics during the rival pack attack years ago. That’s a debt he will never forget…” She paused, her gaze unwavering, “…isn’t it?”
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