Chapter 43: Gentle Moments
Chapter 43: Gentle Moments
(Caroline’s POV)
The lunchbox felt like a boulder in my hands as I stood there watching Aaron walk away. My breath hitched. my chest tight, but I forced my expression to remain calm. He hadn’t even noticed my injured finger, the one cut while carefully preparing his favorite sandwiches. The little bondage stung against my skin, but it was nothing compared to the sting of rejection.
“Miss Redwood.” A voice snapped my attention back to reality. James Morrison stood there, his posture stiff, his tone polite but unyielding. “I’ll escort you back to your territory now”
I turned to him, holding my chin high. “I’ll wait in his office, thank you. There are matters I need to discuss with him when he returns.”
here. Morrison’s face didn’t change. His wolf’s energy, however, gave him away. He clearly didn’t like me be “No wolves from other packs are allowed in Alpha Aaron’s office unless he is present,” he stated firmly, his
voice even.
I narrowed my eyes, holding his unblinking gaze. “Do you know who I am?”
“Yes, Miss Redwood,” he replied without hesitation. “That is exactly why the protocol applies.”
Heat rose to my cheeks, anger simmering just below the surface. I wanted to snap back, force him into submission through sheer will alone, but I managed to keep my composure. Barely.
I thrust the lunchbox toward him, my fingers curling tightly around its handle. “Then make sure he gets this
later.”
Morrison stepped back, maintaining that infuriatingly respectful distance. That wouldn’t be appropriate,” he said, his tone measured, almost cold. “You understand.”
The rejection felt sharper this time. My chest ached with embarrassment, and I had to fight to keep my wolf from growling at the insult. Every wolf nearby could smell my frustration, my humiliation. It lingered in the air like a heavy fog.
“Fine.” My voice was clipped. “Let’s go then.”
I walked ahead of him as he guided me toward the exit. Fury burned in my gut with every step I took. James Morrison would regret this. His too–perfect loyalty to protocol wouldn’t save him when I became Aaron’s mate. I’d make sure of it.
As the car pulled away from the pack house, I stared out the window, my fingers trembling with restrained rage. Morrison, ever the professional, focused on the road as though ignoring me would erase his earlier disrespect.
My wolf was restless inside me, snarling in quiet fury. “Soon,” I whispered to her, my voice low enough that Morrison couldn’t hear. “Soon, they’ll all respect us.”
(Aaron’s POV)
!!!
The medical facility was quiet when Larved. The familiar scent of healing herbs and clean linens greeted me as I walked through the halls. It was catering, but only slightly My wolf, Logan, was pacing restlessly
Inside me
I stopped at the doorway to Elder Katherine’s room and paused. The sight before me gave me pause Freya was asleep, her head resting gently on my grandmother’s leg. Her breathing was soft and steady, her face. peaceful in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. The usual tension that clung to her features seemed to have melted away in her sleep.
“Don’t wake her,” my grandmother said softly, her voice warm but firm.
I stepped inside and walked closer Freya didn’t stir, though her curls had fallen across her cheek. I resisted the urge to brush them aside.
I moved carefully, gathering her in my arms. Her body was light, almost too light, and I couldn’t ignore the way dark shadows marred her eyes, even now. Logan quieted the moment she was in my arms, his satisfaction low but palpable.
“She’s been pushing herself too hard,” Elder Katherine commented, watching me as I placed Freya onto the small bed nearby. “That girl never slows down.”
“I know,” I murmured. I adjusted her pillows, making sure she’d stay comfortable.
Once she was settled, I hesitated. I didn’t want to pull away. My hand moved almost instinctively, reaching out to pinch her cheek softly. Her skin was warm under my fingers. Something about this small action made Logan stir, pleased but aching.
“Let her rest,” my grandmother reminded me, her tone holding a hint of admonishment.
I pulled my hand back abruptly, nodding. “Would you like to see the gardens?” I asked, needing something to shift my focus.
A small smile touched her lips. “Only if you’re pushing me,” she teased.
Moments later, we were in the estate gardens. The air was crisp, the scent of winter blooms adding a faint. sweetness to the stillness. I pushed the wheelchair at a steady pace, matching my grandmother’s preference for an unhurried walk.
“She’s exhausted, Elder Katherine said quietly after a few minutes of silence.
I kept my gaze ahead. “She hasn’t been sleeping well.”
“You should be worried about that,” she said, turning her head slightly to look at me. “A mate should worry when his Luna looks like she’s carrying the weight of the world.”
“She’s been busy taking care of you,” I said, deflecting,
“Don’t use me as an excuse.” Her voice was sharper now, cutting through any attempt I might have made to evade the subject. “She’s here every day, Aaron. She sits with me when I don’t want to be alone. She reads to me. She keeps the staff on their toes. I see her care for this pack, even when no one’s watching. But who’s taking care of her?”
Her words settled heavily in my chest. I didn’t have a good answer.
“She’s a good girl,” she continued, her tone softening again. “But even the strongest needs care. Don’t mistreat her.”
ווו
Chapter 41. Gentle Mome
“I’m not mistreating her.” My reply came quickly, but even to my ears, it sounded hollow.
“Maybe not intentionally,” she said carefully, her voice laced with meaning. “But neglect is its own kind of mistreatment, Aaron.”
Logan whined softly in the back of my mind, echoing her sentiment. I clenched the wheelchair handles tighter, discomfort coursing through me.
When we returned to the room, Freya was still asleep. I let out a slow breath, relieved that she hadn’t woken to overhear our earlier conversation.
Elder Katherine patted my hand. “I’ll leave you with her for a bit. Maybe she’ll feel better knowing you stayed” I nodded, helping her to the healer’s office for her check–up before returning to the room. Freya was still lying there, her chest rising and falling steadily. I settled into the chair beside her bed, taking in the sight.
Her lashes fluttered slightly before her eyes opened. She blinked a few times, her violet gaze unsure as it settled on me. Confusion flickered across her face.
“Finally awake?” I said.
“Elder Katherine…” she asked softly, her voice still edged with sleep.
She sat up quickly, the embarrassment clear in her hurried movements.
“Wanted you to rest,” I said. “She specifically asked not to wake you.”
Her gaze dropped, and she busied herself smoothing out the blanket over her lap. The silence between us was deafening, the weight of unspoken words pressing down heavily. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t trust myself to speak when Logan was clawing at my thoughts, urging me to do more.
Her tired eyes flicked toward me briefly before looking away again. She wrapped her arms around herself, creating an invisible barrier between us. And somehow, that barrier felt like a thousand miles wide.
I clenched the armrests of my chair, my nails digging into the leather. Logan howled softly, his longing for her palpable. But I stayed in my seat, frozen and unable to bridge the distance we’d built between us.
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