Chapter 144

Caroline’s POV
By Monday morning, I was a wreck. Exhaustion clung to me like a heavy coat, and the morning sickness had intensified. I could barely keep my eyes open at my desk, fighting waves of nausea that came without warning.
“Carrie, wake up. Come on, let’s get you to the couch in my office,” Ryan’s gentle voice pulled me from a doze I hadn’t realized I’d fallen into.
“What happened?” I lifted my head from the desk, confused by the stack of papers that had stuck to my cheek.
“You were sleeping at your desk.” Ryan’s eyes were filled with concern. “Come lie down in my office. I’m thinking of giving you a few days off.”
“I fell asleep?” I rubbed my eyes in frustration. “I think I’m having a really bad stress crisis.” Of course, I knew exactly what was causing my symptoms, but I couldn’t tell him that.
“I think you should see a doctor.” Ryan offered his arm, and I took it as dizziness washed over me.
“You’re really pale. Could it be anemia? Are you eating okay?”
“Honestly, Ryan, I can barely keep anything down,” I admitted, leaning on his shoulder as we walked. Suddenly, a strong smell hit my nose, and I pulled back.
“Oh my god, Ryan, what’s that smell?”
“Smell? What smell?” He raised his arm, sniffing himself. “It’s my scent, Carrie. The same one I born with.”
“No, it’s not! It’s way too strong!” I grimaced, my stomach threatening to revolt.
“Wow, girl, what an ugly face,” Ava teased as she entered the room and noticed my expression.
“She says I stink, Ava!” Ryan pouted.
“Impossible! You’re one of the best-smelling men in the pack. Your scent is even better than Joseph’s.” Ava leaned in and sniffed him.
“No, you smell delicious as always.”
“You don’t find it overwhelmingly strong?” I pressed, struggling to breathe through my mouth.
“Honey, it must be because you haven’t been eating properly. Your symptoms can make you super sensitive to smells,” Ava whispered.
“Come on,” Ryan said, oblivious to our exchange, “lie down in my office for a while, and I’ll order something for you to eat. Something really good. What do you want?”
My eyes lit up instantly. “Chocolate cake!”
Ryan left the room laughing. Ava told me to rest because I looked terribly weak, then followed him out. Two hours later, I woke up alone with a slice of decadent chocolate cake waiting for me. I devoured it, savoring every bite. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ ͟.net
After washing my face in the bathroom, I sought out Ava and suggested we get coffee together.
“Did you eat the cake?” she asked.
“Every crumb. I’ve been exhausted lately, Ava. Ryan mentioned giving me a few days off, and I think I’ll take them until things settle down.”
“Maybe you should. They’re all suspicious something serious is going on with you,” she warned. “All three of them have been interrogating me.”
I sighed heavily. “With Liam, I barely felt anything. This time, it feels like I’m dying.”
Ava laughed. “My mom says every pregnancy is different. Some are easy, some make you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck.”
“How are you feeling, sweetheart?” Rose, the office cleaner, asked as she entered the break room.
“Not very well, Rose,” I admitted.
“Can I get you anything?” she offered kindly.
“No, thank you.”
“You need to see a doctor, and soon,” she advised before leaving.
Back in my office, it wasn’t long before Draven appeared in my doorway, his broad shoulders filling the frame. My wolf Rory immediately perked up at his presence.
“How are you feeling?” He knelt beside my chair, his violet eyes searching mine.
“I’m fine, thanks,” I said coolly, trying to ignore how his closeness affected me.
“You’re not fine, Caroline. If you were fine, you wouldn’t have gone to the doctor.” His voice dropped to a concerned whisper. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’m worried about you.”
“You should worry about your fiancée,” I snapped, then immediately burst into tears. Damn pregnancy hormones.
Without hesitation, Draven lifted me into his arms and carried me to Ryan’s empty office. His cedar and musky scent enveloped me, somehow not triggering my nausea like Ryan’s scent had.
“I care about you,” he said, holding me close. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing important, Draven. Go hang out with your hell-spawn fiancée,” I tried to break free from his embrace, but he only held me tighter, chuckling softly.
“I took her there because I needed her to take a test at a trusted place,” he explained. “I had to play the role of fiancé to get her to do it.”
“What test?” I asked, curious even though I was trying not to care.
“DNA test. Nate’s uncle told me about one that only needs the mother’s blood, completely safe and one hundred percent reliable.” His fingers gently stroked my hair as he spoke. “She doesn’t know she took a DNA test. It was all planned. You can ask any of the guys—Ryan, Nate, all of them know everything.”
I pulled back slightly to look at his face. “You really think this pup isn’t yours?”
“I’m pretty sure, Caroline,” he said, looking serious.
My mind spun with possibilities. If Ella’s pregnancy was fake… maybe there was still hope for us. Could I finally tell him about our baby? Rory whined softly inside me, like a little push of encouragement.
“Now tell me,” Draven continued, “what’s going on with you? You’ve been acting strange for days, feeling sick. Ryan mentioned it might be an ulcer. Is that true?”
“It’s nothing serious,” I lied, avoiding his gaze. “Just stress. You know, things haven’t been easy lately.” I paused, considering my options. “Ryan offered me a few days off. I think I’ll take them.”
“If it’ll help you feel better, you should.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of my head.Draven stayed there, simply holding me in his strong arms. I felt so safe, so right in his embrace that for a moment, I wished the world would stop spinning and let us stay in this peaceful bubble forever.
But reality was waiting just outside the door. If Ella really is carrying his child, I have no choice but to leave.
Draven, please don’t shake my heart again. If you truly love me, don’t give me empty promises.