Chapter 108

Cara’s POV

Nothing happens to me in the stairwell, but the nerves stay with me until I exit out onto the main floor.

By now, I’m breathing heavily, my chest rising and falling in great heaves. It’s not from the physical exertion, even without my wolf I can handle more of a workout than this. This is more about the fear that had strangled me now being loosened, and relief taking its place.

Holding the folder I carry, I walk back to Eamon’s office. He’s on the phone at first, not paying much attention to me, but the minute he hangs up and looks at me more closely, I see the shift in him.

“Cara? Are you alright?” He stands up from behind his desk and comes around to see me closer. “You are pale. Did something happen? You look frightened.”

I don’t know how to explain what I experienced without seemingly like I’m paranoid. After all, nothing happened down in the basement other than a very bad feeling that came over me. I have no proof that there was anyone down there with me at all.

Still, Eamon looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer. When he looks at me like this, with a growing concern in his face, I know I have to tell him the truth. To lie would only make him even more worried.

“When I was down in the basement, I could have worn someone was following me,” I say.

Alarm crosses his features. “Did you see anyone?”

“No, and I didn’t hear them either.” It’s all so frustrating. I wish Lucy was with me. She would have been able to detect any dangers with certainty. “I don’t know if anyone was actually there or not, but I had this feeling like there was someone there. I swear they almost touched me.”

Eamon is quiet for a moment, pensive.

“I know it sounds crazy,” I say.

“No,” Eamon replies quickly. “It’s good of you to rely on your instincts.”

“Lucy is still dormant,” I tell him.

“That doesn’t matter. Even wolfless, you might have been able to detect someone close to you. Someone looking at you. Someone with perhaps malicious intent…”

The words make me shiver. When he sees this, he immediately stops and gives me a somewhat apologetic look.

“I don’t mean to frighten you further,” he says. “I just want you to trust your instincts.” Half-turning away from me, he glances at his desk, to where his cell phone rests on the desktop.

“I should let you get back to your work,” I tell him.

His gaze immediately snaps back to me. “I think you should let me hire some security for you.”

“Oh, no. Don’t go to any trouble.” I’ve already been trouble enough.

“It’s no trouble to keep you safe.”

“I’m sure I’m just being jumpy with everything going on,” I say. I feel silly for even bringing this up. There’s no reason to waste other people’s time and pack resources when I’m not even sure what I felt was anything more than my imagination playing tricks on me.

“I don’t know…”

“I mean it, Eamon. I’m okay, so let’s just forget it, alright?”

Eamon’s POV

For Cara’s sake, I tell her, “Consider it forgotten.”

I don’t like lying to my sister, but her safety is paramount not just to me and the family but also to the whole of the pack.

“I should get back to work myself,” Cara says, giving me a sad, nervous little smile. She sees herself out, and I watch her go.

She’s not herself, jumpy and uncomfortable. Usually, she is filled with confidence and pride, her focus entirely on her work and the task at hand. Right now, she appears nervous and distracted.

It helps solidify in my mind what I have to do.

She doesn’t want security, and will likely take offense to me going behind her back in such a way. She wouldn’t be happy with what my second-choice backup is, either. Still, this one is a bit more subtle, and she’d likely end up enjoying it more.

I walk to my desk and lift my phone.

Regarding my sister’s love life, I try not to take sides. Alaric has certainly made his fair share of mistakes with Cara, many of which make me furious if I take the time to think about. But it’s clear there are deeply rooted feelings between the pair, even if they can’t seem to figure that out themselves.

Noel, meanwhile…

Landon trusts him, which is not to be discounted. Landon usually has a good read on people. As a wolf who likes to wander, he often needs to make quick assessments about people, and his takes are typically pretty accurate. He’ll notice things in people that would take the rest of us a long time to uncover.

Even so, I’m not sure how I feel about Noel’s sudden declaration of being Cara’s second chance mate. He could be genuine, but I’m not sure. More importantly, Cara doesn’t seem to be sure either.

For this reason, when I pick up my phone, I avoid Landon and Noel and instead call Alaric.

Despite our differences and my desire to not make decisions for Cara, I know I can trust Alaric to have her best interests at heart.

And her safety.

Alaric’s POV

Eamon’s call surprises me. He doesn’t give many details, just asks me to keep an eye on Cara.

“It’s probably nothing,” Eamon says. “But she has been nervous lately. I want her to feel safe, do you understand?”

“I do,” I tell him. “I want the same.”

“Good,” Eamon says. “She’s done with work at 5.”

Checking my watch, that doesn’t give me much time. Hanging up with Eamon, I stand up from my make-shift desk in this hotel room and head for the door. Ben lifts his head from his own reports, from where he was sitting on the couch.

“Alpha?”

“I’ll be back later,” I tell him. “I’ll have my phone if you need me.”

The hotel isn’t far from the Alpha building where Eamon and Cara work. I walk through the door directly at five o’clock. Cara is grabbing her jacket and purse off of her chair in her office as I knock on the door.

She looks up at me, surprise in her eyes. “Alaric.”

“I was hoping I could take you out to dinner,” I say.

“I have to pick up the kids.”

Eamon must have heard me arrive, or heard me talking to Cara, because he quickly leaves his own office to approach us.

“Why don’t you let Alaric accompany you, Cara?” Eamon suggests.

Cara frowns slightly.

Looking at her, I can see some of what Eamon was saying on the phone. Cara does seem more nervous than usual, wrapping her arms around her waist as if to give herself comfort. There’s bags under her eyes, and she keeps looking behind herself like she expects someone to be there.

“I’d be delighted,” I say.

Cara sighs. “Very well.”

Grabbing her things, she comes closer to me. As she does, I extend my arm out to take hers. She looks at it a moment, and I think of retracting it, expecting a rejection.

But then, she wraps her arm around mine and leans ever-so-gently into my touch.

“Have fun,” Eamon says, but gives me a meaningful look.

This isn’t just about fun for me.

I have a new mission now: to help Cara to feel safe. And I will see it through.