CHAPTER 139: CHAPTER 139 NEVER DRINK TOO MUCH

Draven’s POV

The flight to New York was quiet. I spent most of it staring out the window, my mind fixed on Caroline’s face when she told me she would leave if I didn’t respect her boundaries. The pain in her eyes had been real, and it tore at me like nothing else could.

Ryan noticed my mood but was smart enough not to mention it directly. "The Henderson contract is practically in the bag," he said instead, trying to distract me. "We just need to hammer out the final details."

"Yeah," I replied absently.

Kyle glanced up from her tablet. "The documentation Caroline prepared is perfect. She really thought of everything."

Just the mention of her name made my wolf, Alaric, whine within me. I’d pushed too hard, too fast. I should have respected her need for space, especially with everything she was dealing with.

We landed in New York and headed straight to our first meeting with the clients. They briefed us on their requirements and requested some additional information that Kyle was supposed to contact Caroline about immediately. Afterward, we scheduled a golf game for the following morning.

That night, the weight of possibly losing Caroline hung heavy on my shoulders.

"I need a drink," I announced to Ryan and Kyle back at the hotel.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "There’s a good bar in the lobby. Might help take the edge off."

Kyle nodded in agreement. "I could use one myself."

The bar was dimly lit and half-full with people in suits. We found a quiet corner table and ordered our drinks. I was on my second whiskey when Ryan tried to approach the subject I’d been avoiding.

"So... you and Caroline," he began carefully.

"Don’t," I warned, my voice low.

"Look, man, I’ve known you for years. I’ve never seen you this torn up over anyone."

"She said she’ll leave," I admitted, the words feeling like glass in my throat. "Leave the company, leave my territory... if I don’t back off."

Kyle’s eyes widened. "She wouldn’t."

"She would," I replied, staring into my drink. "And I can’t blame her."

Ryan opened his mouth to say when a hand touched my shoulder, and a sensual voice whispered in my ear.

"You’re even more handsome now."

I turned around, instantly recognizing the scent even before I saw her face. Elizabeth Morgan was there in a black dress that showed off her slim figure. Her short black hair looked the same as before, though she seemed curvier than I remembered.

"Liz," I said, forcing a smile. "It’s been years. How are you?"

"I’m good, darling," she replied, leaning in to kiss my cheek."What a pleasant surprise finding you here. What brings you to New York?"

"Work," I answered simply. "What about you? Weren’t you in Rome?"

"Yes, but that idiot painter loves women and can’t stick to just one. I got tired of his cheating and left him a year ago. I ended up preferring New York rather than returning home."

"I see." I gestured toward the table. "You remember Ryan? And Kyle—I’m sure you remember her."

"Well, well, if it isn’t the snake," Ryan greeted her, not bothering to hide his disgust. Kyle rolled her eyes and huffed loudly.

"Of course! How could I forget such pleasant people?" Liz said with a sneer.

Liz had been my college girlfriend. Ryan had always hated her, calling her destructive and manipulative.A few months before I lost my parents, Ryan and Kyle found out Liz was seeing other guys behind my back, including some Italian artist who was in town. They helped me catch her in the act, and I ended things with her right there in public.

"I’ll join you guys," Liz said, pulling up a chair without waiting for an invitation.

"Seriously, you witch? You’re going to sit here?" Kyle snapped, visibly irritated.She really hated Liz. Not only did Liz cheat on Ryan, she also tried to mess with Kyle’s relationship by going after Luke, just to be spiteful.

Despite the tension, we started drinking and talking.To my surprise, I was actually enjoying myself with Liz.Maybe it was the alcohol,or maybe it was just the distraction from my problems with Caroline. Either way, Ryan and Kyle continued shooting daggers at Liz with their eyes.

"Isn’t it past bedtime for the children?" Liz looked toward Ryan and Kyle with a combative smile.

"Oh, is our presence bothering you?" Ryan mocked.

"Forgot she’s the one who sat at our table uninvited," Kyle added.

"Well, if these two idiots don’t get the hint, I’ll solve it another way," Liz said, turning to me with a smile. "Draven, why don’t we go to my apartment to drink and talk a bit more? Just the two of us."

I hesitated for only a moment before deciding that a distraction was exactly what I needed. "That’s actually not a bad idea, Liz."

"Alpha Draven," Kyle interjected sharply, "just to remind you that we have a business meeting early tomorrow morning, and Caroline has already sent the information." She emphasized Caroline’s name deliberately.

"Don’t worry, Kyle," I replied carelessly. "No disaster’s going to happen. It’ll just be a few drinks." I knew I was being reckless, but the pain of Caroline pushing me away was making me act stupidly. "Let’s go, Liz."

As we left the bar, I caught Ryan shaking his head in disappointment.

At Liz’s apartment, she poured me a drink—something stronger than what we’d been having at the hotel bar.

"To old times," she toasted, clinking her glass against mine.

I downed half the drink in one gulp, feeling it burn down my throat. Within minutes, the room started spinning slightly. Strange—I hadn’t had that much to drink at the bar, and my wolf metabolism usually processed alcohol quickly. This felt different.

"Are you feeling alright, Draven?" Liz asked, her voice seeming to come from far away.

"Just... tired," I managed to say. "Think I had more at the bar than I realized."

"Why don’t you sit down," she suggested, leading me to her couch. Her hands were on my chest, undoing my tie.

I tried to focus, but the room kept tilting. My last coherent thought was of Caroline’s face, and then everything went black.