Chapter 114

Cara’s POV

I’m going to kiss Alaric. Out of relief, out of gratitude, and because I want to. I’m almost entranced, in a daze with how much I want to press my lips to his.

Yet, with only a sliver between us, my phone starts to ring and I pause.

The ringer is loud from my pocket, and it works as something of an alarm clock, waking me from my trance.

I stand up more fully, moving backwards from where I’d been leaning. I look at Alaric wordlessly for a moment, as my phone continues to ring. He hasn’t moved not since before I almost kissed him. He eyes me wordlessly, devotion clear on his face, but he does not chase me.

Always, he gives me the choice.

Removing my phone from my pocket, I see the caller is Eamon. Likely he heard about the attack by now. I can’t leave him waiting so I don’t. Answering the phone, I bring it to my ear.

“I’m okay, Eamon,” I tell him. Turning from Alaric, I walk out of the bathroom and into the hallway, needing some space now and some distance. I feel like I’m walking out of a fog, remembering myself and my strength.

I could have been killed but I wasn’t. Now it’s time to figure out why.

“Are you at the house?” Eamon asks.

“Yes.”

“Alaric is there?”

“He is.”

“Good,” Eamon says. “Don’t go anywhere. I’m bringing security.”

“Ethan and Mia, Eamon. I need to get them soon.”

“Don’t go anywhere,” he says. “I’ll send Colin and the twins to fetch them and babysit them for the night.”

“Shouldn’t we be together?” I ask, panic rising in me as my motherly instincts kick in. I need my kids. I have to keep them safe.

“They aren’t the targets, though I’m sending security with our brothers.”

Eamon sounds so sure about this. “How do you know that? I won’t risk them, Eamon.”

“That’s exactly why they need to be away from you right now, Cara. You are the one the assassin is after. Per our intelligence, you are the only one. It’s you we need to focus on. Bringing those kids around right now only puts them in danger too.”

Fear and relief wage war within me. On one hand, I am glad that my children should be free as long as they maintain distance from me. On the other, if they are away from me, I cannot protect them.

“Trust in us,” Eamon says, as if sensing my hesitation. “We will protect them. And you. Is Alaric there? Can I speak with him?”

“Yes, he…”

Turning around, I see Alaric pulling on his shirt. There’s blood all down one arm.

“Don’t put that terrible thing on,” I tell him before I can stop myself, my heart jumping into my throat. “I’ll find you something.”

“Have many men’s shirts lying around?” he asks me. He might be trying for light but given how tense I feel, I don’t have any retort.

“Just don’t wear that. Please.” I can’t stop looking at the blood.

“Okay,” he says, and shucks it back off. “I won’t.”

“I’ll bring a shirt for him,” Eamon promises, clearly having heard our conversation. “Put him on now.”

I pass the phone to Alaric. “Eamon wants to speak with you.”

Alaric accepts the phone and brings it to his hear. He listens a moment, “Yes. I don’t know. I didn’t see them.” He listens more, and this time his face grows sterner, features tightening. “I understand. No, I don’t know who that could be. I’ll have my Beta cross check some names. Maybe we could find someone.”

Another moment of silence, and Alaric says, “I understand. Right.” And hangs up.

Handing the phone back to me, Alaric says, “He’ll be here soon.”

Together, Alaric and I head back to the living room. I feel useless again, and rub my hands together in agitation and worry.

Maybe I should make some coffee? But I already feel like I could buzz right out of my skin. I don’t think adding caffeine to the mix would help anything. In fact, it would probably only make things worse.

Before I can worry myself into oblivion, there’s a knock on the door. I turn to answer it, but Alaric moves quicker. “I’ll get it,” he insists.

Over his shoulder, I see Eamon at the open door with a swarm of police and security officers behind him. Alaric steps to the side and the lot of them start to file into my house.

I know it’s a wild thought, but in this moment, I really wish I cleaned up a little bit.

Maybe I am in shock, thinking things like that. I still can’t warp my mind around the idea that someone would want to kill me.

All the security in my house, going through my things… it makes me nervous. They are walking around like the own the place.

Eamon, after handing Alaric a gray t-shirt, which Alaric tugs on, walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. I go willingly, hugging him in return.

“I should have listened to you more,” Eamon whispers. “I knew your gut instinct had to have reason, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Until now. Please. For me. Never doubt yourself again.”

“Okay,” I whisper in reply.

So I am not crazy. The person stalking me wasn’t in my imagination.

I don’t know whether that should make me feel relieved or not. I’d almost rather none of this was real.

A man I don’t know, one of the security, walks in from the kitchen and I nearly jump, not having seen him go in there.

Eamon catches my reaction as he pulls away from me.

“You need to be protected,” he says. “These men will keep you safe.”

“Maybe they can wait… outside?” I say nervously, feeling the panic start to claw up my throat again.

Eamon looks worried. “You will need someone here with you. I’m not willing to leave you in here alone. Something could happen and…” He doesn’t finish that sentence.

“I’ll stay with her,” Alaric says.

Eamon and I both look at him.

“I will sleep on the couch or on the floor or in the bathroom if you want me to,” he says to me. “But please, Cara. If you won’t let the security stay, then allow me. I will keep you safe, and you both know I will. I’ve already proven it.”

He has, and there are few people I trust with my physical well-being more than Alaric.

Yet, even so, being here alone with him, especially after having almost kissed him in the bathroom…

The temptation might be too much.

As I worry my bottom lip, gripped with indecision, a new voice calls to me from outside the doorway, blocked by the new security.

Noel is there, his face pale. He calls for me, “Cara! I heard what happened! Are you okay?! Please let me through. It’s my mate that was attacked today.”

Alaric frowns, but Eamon looks at me, leaving the decision in my hands.

“Perhaps a second protector has arrived,” Eamon says. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind staying here with you and Alaric, making sure you are safe…”

Eamon glances up at Alaric, giving him a sharp look.

I blush a little, as if Eamon could somehow tell that I nearly kissed Alaric, despite us not even being dating yet.

Per Landon, I could trust Noel. And this could give me more chance to know him. Plus, with his presence, I wouldn’t be as tempted to kiss Alaric again.

“Okay,” I say, then call out. “Let him in, please!”