REJECTED AND LOVED BY A RED WOLF

CARNAL DESIRE

CHAPTER 7

Brandon had left her executive office thirty minutes ago, but Ava remained engrossed in deep thoughts behind her desk. She saw the rage in his eyes for what she did last night and the mockery when she told him how she wanted them to appear in front of her family. She had expected both reactions from him, but even so…she couldn’t help but be disappointed deep inside and feared the day they had to live in the same space.

She breathed deeply. Even though Brandon had left the room, his scent still lingered in the air. Suddenly, the strong urge she felt earlier, the primordial and raw need to have him close and the urgency to explore his body crossed her mind. Although shameful, she has no control over those emotions.

“What the hell, Ava,” she scolded herself.

Her feelings and emotions were more intense than before, and it got more disturbing every time she saw Brandon.

“Was this the HEAT they were talking about?” she whispered. She hoped their family was more open in discussing the characteristics of their kind. They had lived so much like humans through the years. Aside from their strength, gifts, and ability to shift to their other form, nothing else was discussed among them…or she just didn’t listen more.

Releasing her breath soundly, Ava tried to look around her room and divert her attention to something else. She glanced first at her desk made of a trunk of an oak tree, shaped to fit a modern office desk and topped with glass. She smiled, Avie made sure her workspace fit her simple but elegant taste in furniture, and overall her executive office was cozy, beautiful, and extremely functional.

Ava appreciated Avie’s effort. But–her stupid mind darted back to Brandon.

“Fvck!” Ava screeched.

She stood up, walked towards the glass wall, and gaze at the sprawling buildings beyond the wall, hoping to ease the emotional and physical tension Brandon’s presence had caused her.

Was the s*x-ual tension due to mate pull always as strong as this? She asked herself.

Or she was only experiencing those because the mate bond was not complete?

There were too many questions in her head, and she had no one to share them with. She didn’t know until when she could keep those questions to herself without breaking down.

Aside from the physical tension-- what made Brandon change was the big question in her mind. Despite her assumption that it has something to do with the rejection, now that she had witnessed more changes in his character, Ava was certain that his drastic change was brought about by something else. She almost couldn’t see in him the fine gentleman she once knew. Brandon had changed so much.

Five years ago, Ava had to choose between Brandon, an Alpha of a small pack, and Kevin, a motor racing champion. Kevin was not a werewolf; he was human--which was why Ava thought she liked him better. Kevin’s carefree take on life attracted Ava, whereas Brandon was more serious, his life path more defined. Ava never fancied being a Luna. She thought her life would be better if she chose someone more simple than the Alpha of a pack.

She had known of several human and werewolf relationships, which worked well. They seemed very happy, and their life was less stressful. She hoped for the same for Kevin and herself.

Ava knew that Brandon was her mate. Even so, she thought she would be better off if Kevin were the man she would spend the rest of her life with. She thought her love for Kevin was more than the physical attraction she felt every time she would see Brandon. But–as soon as she rejected Brandon and saw the deep sorrow in his eyes, she had second thoughts.

However–she had already given her word to Kevin, and she saw how it made him happy. She couldn't take it in her heart to break Kevin's heart.

How could she crush another man’s heart?

At that time, she thought--she should not lose hope in love. Kevin loved her, and as long as he did, she would come to love him more as days passed, and she would finally forget Brandon.

But–Ava was wrong. Although she had never seen Brandon since the night, she rejected him...he had always been in her mind.

Despite her belief that her relationship with Kevin would work, they had several fights and misunderstandings, especially when she refused his marriage proposal, bidding for more time for the reason she couldn’t understand herself. Perhaps Kevin had thoughts that she wasn’t as committed as he was. He demanded that she love him back and not just love him...he wanted the same as how he did love her.

“Call me selfish and greedy but I want to be the only man in your life and in your heart,” the words of Kevin were imprinted in Ava’s mind.

As far as Ava knew, she had given her all, but it seemed it wasn’t good enough for Kevin.

And as if Ava was punished by the moon Goddess, almost two years after their relationship started, he encountered an accident…Kevin’s last motor racing activity claimed his life. Ava was devastated. She mourned his death and blamed herself and her indecisiveness for the loss of Kevin.

Ava realized she had made so many wrong decisions in her life, and she deserved to be punished.

Now that she found herself in a situation with Brandon, again…she knew it was the punishment she was waiting for. It was with him she had committed her first mistake. If she only followed the wishes of the moon Goddess and chose her mate from the start…perhaps her life would not be as messed up as... now.

Would there be a chance that she could help to get Brandon back to his old self?

Ava was deep in thought when her smartphone rang. Immediately, she approached her desk, checked the ID, and saw her friend's name. Instantly, it brought a smile to her face.

“Hey, Kiara!”

“How are you, office girl?”

“Fine, thank you. It’s my first day today in the office. I have yet to check on my staff,” Ava shared her excitement.

“Really? You’ve been there for more than an hour yet haven't started working? What a lazy boss are you?” Kiara criticized her teasingly and loudly at the other end of the line.

Ava retorted, not at all offended, “Well, calm down–you will never know how to be me,” she teased her back.

“Damn, how was it to be you?! Honestly, it didn’t sound good to me,” Kiara pushed some more banter and giggled.

Suddenly, Ava’s office door swung inwardly, and her gorgeous friend walked in gracefully.

“Ohh my God, girl–You are here!” Ava exclaimed.

“In the flesh,” Kiara turned 360 degrees to show her outfit for the day like she used to. Kiara learned how to dress well, and her clothes were impressive. "They pulled me out from the Austria office so that I can be your assistant? Not a real good move, if you ask me,” Kiara pouted her lips as if to show her disagreement with the transfer, but Ava knew her well. Kiara was simply teasing her.

“Is it that bad? Hmm. Perhaps, I will request your immediate return to Austria?” she countered.

“Damn, you won’t dare.” Kiara hissed. She moved to her side and squeezed Ava's body into a tight hug.

“Miss you, my friend!” she declared her real emotions.

“Miss you too. Are you sure it’s okay for you to be here?” Ava’s lips curved in one direction and returned her friend’s hug.

“Yes—I am happy to be here," Kiara confessed. "It was the best thing they did. Finally–we will be together,” Kiara laughed in a silly manner and squealed.

After finishing school, Kiara was assigned to work with CatStark offices in various countries. They saw very little of each other over the past five years. But--they stayed in constant contact through calls and social media apps, not only the two of them but including Joey and Catrina, their other two friends.

Kiara, Joey, and Catrina were Ava’s closest friends. They grew up together in the community. Although in college, her friends studied abroad, leaving Ava behind. Ava stayed at home for her school requirements; even if options were presented, she opted for homeschooling.

In the past years, their time together has been limited. Her three friends had work that kept them busy while Ava mourned the loss of Kevin.

The news about Kiara being her assistant certainly was Avie’s doing, and she couldn’t wait to thank him for doing it for her. Avie was aware she hardly socialized and did not spend time with anyone to develop meaningful friendships.

“So, now that you are here—let’s meet the rest of the team,” Ava suggested. She was not only thrilled to have someone in the office that she could trust. But also someone to listen to her life's worries. It was about time to share her mind with someone otherwise, she would go berserk.

Ava immediately requested Jane to arrange for the meeting in the conference area. She couldn’t wait to meet her staff. The activity, for a time, took her mind away from Brandon.

*****

Meanwhile…

Traffic was bumper to bumper on their way back to his office, which increased Brandon’s agitation. The travel time, usually twenty minutes, had now reached an hour, and they were not even halfway near their destination.

“I can't stand this anymore. I will walk the rest of the way to the office,“ he briskly opened his door.

“Brandon, wait!”

Colton tried to stop him, but Brandon had eased himself out of the car. Colton had no choice but to follow and walk with Brandon, leaving the driver to bring the car to their destination. Brandon was too impatient and short-tempered. Even the traffic they encountered from time to time was enough to make him see red. Colton surmised that his ill temper would last for the rest of the day.

They walked the rest of the stretch of the Tower Bridge in silence. Soon enough, they reached Nickwell's office much sooner than through the car still caught in traffic.

Brandon seethed while he plunked down himself into his ergonomic chair after waving off Colton and his secretary Mina. He needed time alone. He wasted more than two hours of his precious time, which could have been avoided if Ava had accepted his call last night.

His only consolation was he got the response he wanted to hear—Ava confirmed the volume of the supply they needed…and she agreed with his condition. Ava would marry him by the next full moon!

Brandon had asked himself what he wanted to achieve out of marrying her. Was it really for his retribution? Would he not punish himself more by tying himself to a despised woman?

He saw various emotions in Ava’s face earlier and felt the mate pull. He felt the strong urge to touch her face and confined her in his arms, but he contained himself.

He had developed restraint in expressing his emotions as they suited him over the years. He vowed never to let anyone see his weakness and hurt him…ever again.

Without warning, his door opened, and a woman showed herself in the room.

Brandon furrowed his eyebrows and gave the woman a sharp gaze.

“Mr. Nicholas–” She said and sashayed towards his desk, unmindful of his dreadful reaction.

“Who told you you could enter the room without my permission?” Brandon growled.

“I am Vernice, from Danzo Limited," She introduced herself and added, "I am so sorry to enter your office, unannounced and uninvited, but…you might have forgotten our 10 am appointment? I waited for almost two hours and I have no intention to waste more time,” the woman said confidently. “I am here to deliver a gift from my boss.” She murmured while she stood beside him.

Brandon swiveled his chair to face the woman, “What gift do you have for me?”

The woman smiled seductively and said, “Myself.”

She slowly kneeled in front of him and began her task for the day. She undid Brandon’s belt and opened his zipper. The woman delivered exactly what Brandon needed at that time to make him cool down.

A few minutes of fulfilling his animalistic physical urges as the woman sucked and licked his c0ck before he fvcked her hard and rough on top of his mahogany desk until his heat was released from his body. An empty lustful act that gave him the temporary satisfaction he needed–purely carnal, no emotions involved–just pure useless fvcking–easy to forget and did not mean anything.

Brandon heaved a sigh as he emotionlessly dispatched the woman after she did her satisfying task.

He murmured, "Why would I need the likes of Ava... if I could have the pleasure without the need to say a word?"