Caroline’s P.O.V
The wedding reception buzzed with laughter and music, the air thick with the scent of roses and wine. I sat beside Damien, the warmth of his body just within reach, yet it felt like there was an ocean between us. Five years. Five years of love, passion, fights, and making up. Five years of knowing—deep in my soul—that this man was mine, my mate, my forever. But lately, something has shifted.
The once unshakable bond between us felt... strained. I didn't know when it started, but I knew I could feel it. The way he held me less, the way he spoke in careful, measured tones, the way his eyes sometimes seemed far away even when I was right in front of him. And it was killing me.
I swallowed hard, gripping my champagne flute as I turned to him. He was staring ahead, his jaw tense, his eyes unreadable. Damien had always been composed, always guarded with his emotions, but this was different. This was distance. And I couldn't stand it any longer.
"Damien," I said softly, my voice barely audible over the music. He turned to me, his dark eyes flickering with something I couldn’t quite place. "Can we talk?"
A muscle in his jaw twitched, and for a moment, I thought he would say no. But then, just as he opened his mouth to answer, a loud voice rang out across the hall.
"Alright, everyone!" Aurora’s excited tone carried through the air, pulling the attention of the entire room. She stood beside Caleb, her new husband, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It’s time for the bouquet toss! All the single and unmarried people, get to the center of the room!"
Laughter and cheers erupted as people started moving, eager to take part in the tradition. My heart clenched, and I saw it—the way Damien stiffened ever so slightly at the words. Unmarried. He wasn’t single, but he wasn’t married either. Neither was I. And suddenly, it hit me like a slap to the face. Was that what had been eating at me all this time? The fact that we were just… standing still? Five years together, and we were still in the same place. No proposal, no promise, nothing.
I turned to him again, searching his face. "Damien," I whispered, my fingers brushing his wrist. "Do you—"
"Caroline," he cut me off, his voice low. "Not now."
My breath hitched. It wasn’t anger in his tone, but something worse—avoidance. He was slipping away. I felt it in my bones.
"Not now?" I echoed, a bitter smile creeping onto my lips. "Then when, Damien?"
His eyes darkened, but before he could answer, someone grabbed my arm.
"Come on, Caroline!" Aurora laughed, pulling me from my seat. "You’re still unmarried, so you’re joining the group!"
I barely had time to react as she dragged me out of the table. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. My legs moved on their own, but my mind stayed behind, sitting at that table beside Damien, wondering if I had just lost him before I even had the chance to truly make him mine.
I watched as Damien, ever the gentleman, stood us as well and took my hand and led me to the center of the room. My heart pounded, my fingers trembling slightly in his grip, but I let him guide me, savoring the way his touch felt—steady, warm, reassuring. The celebration was in full swing, laughter and music filling the air, but I could barely focus on anything other than him.
My mind wandered for just a moment as I glanced toward the bouquet, my heart aching with a quiet hope. It was silly, maybe even childish, but I wanted to catch it. They said whoever did would be the next to marry, and deep down, I wanted that. I wanted it more than I dared to admit.
When the moment finally arrived, the anticipation was thick in the air. The bouquet was lifted, the bride preparing to toss it over her shoulder. I took a small step forward, ready, waiting—only for everything to stop. Aurora, the bride, turned instead, walking with quiet determination toward Damien. A murmur swept through the crowd as she stopped in front of him, extending the bouquet toward his hands.
My breath caught. This wasn’t supposed to happen. What was she doing? Why was she giving it to him? My eyes darted to Damien, searching his face, but he only gave Aurora a knowing nod, his expression unreadable as he took the flowers from her grasp. The room fell silent.
Then, before I could process it, Damien turned back to me. My pulse roared in my ears as he took a slow step forward, and then another, his piercing gaze locked onto mine. The bouquet in one hand, something else in the other. My heart stopped. No. It couldn’t be.
And then, he dropped to one knee.
Gasps echoed through the crowd, but I couldn’t hear them. The world around me blurred into nothingness, my focus narrowing solely on Damien as he lifted the bouquet toward me—along with a breathtaking diamond ring nestled between his fingers. The flickering lights above caught the facets of the gem, sending a dazzling sparkle across his face. My breath hitched, my hands flying to my mouth as emotions crashed over me in a violent wave.
“Caroline,” he said, his voice steady, deep, filled with everything I had ever wanted to hear. “I love you. I have loved you from the moment I met you, and I will love you for the rest of my life. I don’t want to wait any longer. Will you marry me?”