Ashes Of Desire

Chapter 4

DRAVEN'S POV

Looking up from the load of work on my desk, I noticed that someone else was in my office with me.

"Arya would send just anyone in? What is the use of booking appointments then?" I mumbled, my face squeezing in disappointment.

Staring at the workload before me, the last thing I needed was a distraction.

Quickly, I spared the stranger a glance and immediately wished I hadn't. I could feel my anger and irritation rising by the second.

A truckload of makeup couldn't hide the glint in Tessa's eyes. 'What the hell is this?'

She was nowhere close to the person I wished to see.

Mentally cautioning myself to get rid of my intrusive thoughts about Cara, I focused on the colourful pet parrot instead.

“What are you doing here Tessa?” I asked coldly, and the disapproval I felt was very evident in my tone.

Staring fixedly at me, she smiled and walked up to my desk. Impulsively, I attempted to draw back but refrained. As she got close, my eyes couldn't help but notice just how revealing her clothes were.

We do not need the priestess of the moon goddess to predict how badly this visit could end, if I didn't stay away from her.

“Who said you could come in here?” I asked, as I tactfully shifted my gaze from the very tempting view before me.

She had all her cleavage directly in front of my face.

Standing before the desk, I heard her giggle.

“Hmm... I just came to have a word with you. Can't you be more welcoming? This is not how you treat your guests, now is it?” She said, trying to sound seductively.

Next thing I know, she was climbing on top of my desk pushing my work and system aside.

"Don't tell me you were serious about that 'wife' stunt you pulled at your party? Frankly speaking, I wasn't very impressed."

'The actual hell?'

I shook with anger as all the politeness I was trying to maintain got thrown out of the window. Enough courtesy, the woman was clearly out for my blood. And I, Draven Wallace Wilson always bite back!

Folding my hands in frustration, I rolled my task chair backwards so I could stand.

“I have nothing to discuss with you. Leave or I'll call the security on you.” I said this time, making eye contact with her. She fought to keep eye contact with me, exposing the unease she felt.

'Exactly Tess, cower now and flee. Or I'll gladly drag you out of my office myself!'

“Wow! All this for that classless wolfless nobody?” She asked, interrupting my thoughts and successively earning herself a glare from me. Provocatively, she brought her feet over the table to face me.

“So you didn't tell the poor girl everything I presume?” she asked gloatingly.

I felt my hands tremble. I folded them into a fist, my claws, digging into my arms.

“What the hell are you blabbering about?!" I hissed. The next second, I was standing right before her, no longer repulsed.

"There was and never will be anything between us. It was a one-time mistake, and I'll make sure it never repeats itself…”

Leaning closer, I partially shifted backwards and smirked, enjoying the fear on her face as she heard the tone of my voice.

My fangs were out, and so did my eyes glow a fierce red.

“Now listen and listen carefully. I'm sick of your games. I'm not a fan of underdressed shameless ladies walking into my office to seduce me. You dare call Cara classless?” Laughing begrudgingly, I continued:

“On second thought, I don't need any security to handle some daddy's girl who thinks the world revolves around her."

“If you don't use the door this minute, I promise to kick your sorry pathetic arse out of my office myself.” I whispered through my fangs, letting every word sink into her thick skull.

Grabbing her and tossing her down from my work desk, I yanked her towards the door.

Struggling, she fell to her knees and latched onto my legs.

'So mature…’ I thought, shifting back. "Just leave!"

I attempted to leave her behind but she dragged my waist. Too stunned to react on time, she fumbled at my belt buckle, her fingers clumsy and desperate. I tried to shove her away just as the door opened, leaving us frozen in a compromising tangle of limbs.

Unfortunately, we got stuck in a very awkward position.

I was bent over as one of my arms was on my belt, while the other was on her head. She had a stupid expression on her face, and when I turned to see who had walked in, my heart sank to my stomach.

“Whoa, wrong time…very sorry I interrupted. Carry on…” Cara turned and left immediately, closing the door behind her and leaving me gasping for air as I resisted slapping Tessa across the face.

***

With Tessa gone, I sat at my desk to get back to work. I had ordered my assistant to call Cara back.

After a few minutes, I slammed my fist on the desk frustrated. I haven't been able to focus my thoughts were all over the place.

'Whatever happened to good old knocking?!' I screamed. Unable to get the scene from a few minutes ago out of my mind.

'Forget it Draven. It doesn't matter and even if it does, since when did you owe anybody any explanation–"

I heard the door open up and Cara walked inside, like nothing happened.

She sat before me and brought out a few documents.

"I agree to your marriage proposal Draven..." She said, I was too disoriented to rejoice over my victory and too focused on trying to get a reaction from her.

'She's basically human without her wolf, how can she steady her heartbeat with such precision?' I noted, checking for her other vitals.

Not once did she slip, and I still couldn't understand if it was just fascination from my part or something else.

'Why did it matter?' I reminded myself.

"Here is the contract, I had my lawyer make it...." She informed me, setting the documents before me

My thoughts, however, hindered my understanding. I could barely comprehend a word she was saying.

"You don't have to worry...it's just the usual: separate lives, public facade, no emotional attachment. So basically a business merger with a marriage outlook."

My thoughts suddenly grew so overwhelming, that I didn't even know when I opened my mouth and words just started flowing....

“The girl Tessa, she's just a childhood friend. Not that it matters. The contract stands, obviously, and that situation… was not what it looked like. I was a victim of circumstances not that it matters but it won't happen again. In public, I mean. The public image is important, so…”

Just then, I heard an emotionless voice...

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

I don't know why I was surprised but her words shocked me so hard I had to swallow my words. I subconsciously kissed my teeth. It wasn't surprising she asked. I couldn't guard that blow because she was right.

'Good question! Why?!'

I froze, and she just stared at me. I bet she was wondering if she had just triggered something else.

A few minutes passed, and I simply grabbed the documents she had laid out for me.

I rubbed my forehead exposing my stress. I skimmed through the entire thing and sighed, barely understanding the details.

Suddenly, I heard her clear her throat. I noticed her gaze was on my ring and regretfully kissed my tooth. I couldn't let my uneasiness show either so I listened as she carefully asked...

"The gold ring? It's nice, where did you get it?"

I let a smug smile play on my lips as I teased playfully…

"Why? Already getting into character?” I watched her roll her eyes and dismiss me with a wave of her hand.

‘Thank goddess!’ I breathed, yet feeling a slight sting to my chest.

"It's my grandfather's." I finally said.

"A family heirloom, passed down to me." I said truthfully.

‘Calm down Cara, it's the truth!’ I nodded slightly in affirmation, convincing myself too.

Suddenly I noticed the air around me had changed, it felt like I could no longer breathe. It happened so fast that the only thing my slow mind could comprehend was an object flying towards Cara through the window at an impossible speed.

We were completely defenseless and didn't even flinch before the arrow broke through the window, zero resistance.

A short wind blew back my hair, and I instantly acted on instinct.

Next thing, I was staring at my bloodied hand locking a strange-looking, pulsating arrow.

"I'm not getting paid enough for this!" I smiled through the pain, the arm of my suit ruined.

"Heck, I'm not getting paid at all for this. Let's discuss price, Cara..." I joked, trying to calm the situation with a fake laugh.

The words clearly flew over her head. Her eyes widened with terror, her face stiff with dread.

"I had just been attacked…” she mumbled to herself, her words hanging in the air.