Chapter 111

Cara’s POV

Noel continues to look at me with confusion and growing concern. “Cara, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“Was anyone at the door when you started to come up the sidewalk?” I ask him.

“I don’t know, I’m sorry,” he says. “The flowers are kind of in the way.” He smiles a little. “I was mostly watching my feet.” He holds the flowers out a little, toward me. “They are for you, by the way.”

“Oh, right.” Realizing my rudeness, I accept the flowers. “Thank you,” I say, but I still feel off, too nervous to do much more than continue to look out at the world outside my door and consider it with suspicion.

Noel looks behind himself now too, likely from how I’ve been acting. When he looks back at me, his brow is somewhat crinkled with concern.

“Are you expecting someone else?” he asks.

“No,” I tell him.

“Ah.” He pauses a moment, as if unsure. “Can I, uh, come in? Just to talk?”

Absolutely not. I bite my tongue before I say it out loud, knowing it is far too harsh of a way to speak to a friend. He doesn’t mean any harm. He’s only trying to court me, as a mate would do. I must be truly acting strangely in his eyes, yet I can’t bring myself to explain.

Landon’s says Noel is trustworthy, and while I know I can accept Landon’s judgement on the matter, I simply don’t know Noel as well as I do Alaric. I can’t relax in Noel’s presence as I could in Alaric’s. Not yet, anyway.

There will be time for dating later, wherein I might come to more easily accept Noel. But for right now, I’m not ready. For right now, I want to be with people I feel safe with, more than those I don’t know.

“I’m sorry,” I say. I quickly try to think of an excuse that doesn’t make me seem overly paranoid. “It’s late, and I just got the kids to sleep. Perhaps some other time.”

“Oh,” he says, his confidence deflating somewhat. He rallies quickly however. “Of course. I look forward to that, then.” He gives me one of those bright smiles of his that almost has me second guessing my decision. But then, no. I just don’t feel comfortable enough with him yet to have him around when I’m feeling like this.

“Thank you for understanding,” I tell him. Glancing at the bouquet, I add, “And for the flowers.”

“My pleasure,” he says. He starts to back away. “Have a good night, Cara.”

“Goodnight, Noel,” I tell him.

I carry the flowers into the house and push the door closed with my back. Quickly, I reach over my shoulder and lock it. Once the door is secure, I haul the flowers into the living room and place them down on the coffee table.

They really do brighten the room, all light colors. In full bloom, they also smell amazing.

Some guilt creeps over me, especially now that the fear is receding. I acted rude to Noel. I would have to apologize later.

Suddenly, something creaks near the window, startling me all over again. I nearly jump out of my own skin with fright.

Heart racing, I move closer to the window, but the blinds are closed. I peek out them and see nothing unusual.

The noise could have been nothing, just the old house settling in the cool night.

Still, with this fresh wave of fear and adrenaline, I know I won’t be able to relax.

Not knowing what else to do, I lift my phone.

My first instinct is to call Alaric. The pull is so strong that I even scroll down my contacts to his specific number. But I stop myself at the last moment.

What am I going to do? Invite Alaric in? After what happened last time, I don’t trust myself near Alaric, alone, at night. Especially when I’m so nervous. It would be so easy for him to offer me an embrace. It would be even easier for me to fall into it and not want to leave.

No. Right now, I need someone safer. I call Colin instead.

“Cara?” he asks when he answers.

“Collin, I need a favor…”

Twenty minutes later, Colin knocks deliberately on my door. “Cara, it’s me!” he calls, so I know it’s him.

I open the door and let him inside, then quickly close and lock the door behind him.

I explained some of the situation over the phone: that I’ve been having strange feelings like someone is following me, and about how someone kept knocking on the door tonight.

Colin immediately offered to sleep on the couch tonight. Right now, as he stands in the foyer, he’s already in his pajama pants and sweatshirt, with one of his pillows tucked under his arm.

“You really didn’t have to do this,” I tell him. “I’m sure I’m just imagining things…”

Colin just looks at me. “You need me here, so I am here. Regardless of the reason why.”

I sigh in relief a little, comforted by the words.

“My brothers and I failed you once, Cara. We’re never going to do that again.”

Before I could speak up and tell him he has nothing to make up for, Colin turns from me and walks into the living room. He places his pillow down on the bed. I’ve already grabbed some spare blankets for him, which he sets up now, making himself comfortable.

“Thank you, Colin,” I tell him, standing in the doorway. “I mean it.”

“Anything for you, sister.”

Alaric’s POV

The next morning, I make a coffee run from the hotel to the nearest coffee shop. The hotel coffee is so watered down, I need something stronger. Ben offered to go for me, but I like stretching my legs and scenting the crisp morning air.

BloodyMoon might be a rival pack, but I can still appreciate how well they maintain their sidewalks and storefronts. This city is a marvel, and I am enjoying my time here, even if I will have to mostly deny it when I return to DuskWood.

Perhaps I should see about widening the sidewalks in my own capital.

Most people here don’t recognize me, so my morning walks to the coffee shop are usually uninterrupted. Today, however, one of the Auburn brothers calls out to me.

“Alpha Alaric!” It’s a formal title. As the speaker comes closer, I realize it’s the youngest, and yet, second to Eamon, the most level-headed. Colin.

“Good morning, Colin,” I say.

Colin does not return the greeting. In fact, his face is mostly tense.

For a moment, a flash of fear strikes through me. Did something happen with Cara?

“Cara told me that you escorted her home from work yesterday,” he says.

I’m so filled with adrenaline, ready to burst into action to save Cara from whatever predicament he’s in, that it takes me a moment to realize what he’s saying.

“Yes, that’s right,” I reply.

“Will you continue to do so?” he asks.

How strange. First Eamon reached out to me, and now Colin. I’d like to think these brothers are just more partial to me than Noel, but I know better. Their love for Cara would have them accept whoever she chooses.

There’s something else going on here. And I’m willing to bet it has to do with why Cara is so anxious.

“Of course I will,” I tell him. “But maybe someone can fill me in on exactly what is going on around here.”