Chapter 125

Cara’s POV

I’m relieved at having told the truth to Alaric. He seems to have handled it much better than I could have hoped, already very protective of the kids. Maybe I didn’t need to ask him for the favor of protecting them, but in the moment, without knowing how he’d react, I wanted the kids to be safe no matter what.

I thought, at least, that Alaric would be angry at me for what happened. Instead, he seems overwhelmingly happy by the news – at least he did, until Noel showed up.

Noel believes himself to be my second chance mate. I don’t know if I believe that, or if I am even capable of returning those feelings. Yet, even without the romance, I still see him as a friend. He is kind and sweet, always looking after me, making sure I’ve been eating enough and asking about my feelings.

He’s been taking the time to get to know me, not depending solely on the romantic attraction he feels because of the mate bond.

I’m endeared to Noel, at least in friendship, and Alaric seems to greatly dislike that.

Even after we enter the living room, finding Aidan, Ryan, and Colin there, Alaric makes certain to step between Noel and I, as if protecting me from him.

There are many people in this world who might want to do me harm, the dagger attack was proof of that. I cannot dissuade Alaric from wanting to protect me, nor would I want to. But I highly doubt that Noel is the one I need to be protected from.

I don’t know what my brothers are thinking but from the way they are glaring at Alaric, and not Noel, I imagine they feel similarly.

“I gave you five minutes,” Aidan says. “I didn’t tell you to return with two strays.”

“You left her out there unprotected,” Noel says.

“I was there,” Alaric snaps.

I feel a headache coming on. I really don’t want to be caught in the middle of this argument. “Nothing happened and I’m fine,” I tell them.

“Something must have happened,” Ryan says, eying Alaric.

Taking a breath, I prepared myself for the inevitable fallout of what I have to reveal. The kids aren’t in the room, thank goodness. I’m hoping to speak with them on their own before I burden them with this.

“I told Alaric about the children,” I say.

That makes everyone’s eyes in the room go wide, including Colin. Maybe he’s the most surprised, having been there with me in the moment at the hotel when I changed my mind in real time.

“What about the children?” Noel asks. I close my eyes for a moment. Of course he wouldn’t know.

“Alaric is Ethan and Mia’s father,” I tell them.

“I will protect them,” Alaric says. “Ethan, Mia, and Cara are my family. “ He’s always been protective, but it comes through twenty times as much now. It makes my heart race, while also embarrassing me slightly. My brothers seem entirely unimpressed.

“No,” comes a tiny little gasp from the doorway.

Ethan.

The kids must have been in the other room close enough to overhear. While Mia seems excited by what she heart, Ethan seems outright devastated.

“Uncle Alaric?” Mia asks, timidly walking into the room. “Does this mean you are our Dad?”

Alaric has a sharp intake of breath. This is the first time he’s been called Dad. It must have an effect on him. I remember what it was like, all those years ago, when the kids called me Mom for the first time. It was life-changing.

“Yes,” Alaric says. He walks closer to Mia, and even lowers himself down to one knee to greet her properly. “I’m your father, Mia.”

Her face breaks out in a beaming smile. Immediately, she flings herself toward him and throws her arms around him. “Dad!”

Alaric embraces her too.

Meanwhile, Ethan watches the entire scene unfold with clear disdain.

Leaning back from Mia, Alaric opens his arm to include Ethan on the hug. Ethan glares at him.

“I don’t care what they say, you’ll never be my dad!” Then, he spins on his heel and runs away, disappearing into the next room. I hear his footsteps thunder up the stairs and a door slam. He’s hiding in his room.

My heart aches for him. Ethan. My son.

Trusting that Mia is safe with Alaric and my brothers, I rush to follow Ethan, following his path up the stairs to his room. Once there, I knock timidly on his door.

“Go away!” he calls.

“Ethan,” I say. “It’s Mom. Can I come in?”

He hesitates a minute, but I wait patiently through all of it. I’d wait forever for my son, for as long as he needs.

Fortunately, after a few minutes, he patters over the door and opens it, allowing me inside. Once I step through, he closes it behind me.

The room Ethan is staying in is one of the guest rooms. Ethan has tried to make it his own, filling it with books and toys, but the furniture and art on the walls are all old fashioned. I know he misses his own room.

“It can’t be true,” Ethan says.

I sit on the edge of the bed, and he comes up beside me. I drape my arm over his shoulder and he leans against me.

“It’s true, Ethan. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Ethan is quiet for a long while. “I hate him, Mom.”

“You don’t hate him.”

“Well, I don’t like him. Where has he been all this time?”

“It’s not his fault,” I say. “Alaric didn’t know. I only just told him, and I’m sorry for that.”

Ethan’s quiet again. I worry he might be mad at me, he’d have every right to be, but he only leans into me harder.

“I’d rather Noel be my father…”

Alaric’s POV

Precious little Mia, my daughter. So frail yet so brave. She’s the one who needs the most protection, not just from those who want to do her harm but from those who might accidentally hurt her as well. Her own body was weak and fraught with illness. I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep her safe.

Ethan’s clear rejection hurts… but at least, I have the favor of my little girl. Hopefully, someday soon, I will be able to convince Ethan to give me a chance as well. I want to be the best father to them both.

“We need to talk about what to do next,” Aidan says. “So Alaric knows he’s the father now, so what? There’s still an assassin on the loose.”

“We can talk to Eamon, and have him increase security,” Ryan says.

“The kids are getting restless here,” Colin says. “Keeping them cooped up for too long isn’t good for them.”

“It’s worse if they leave and something happens,” Noel adds.

My protectiveness spikes and I know immediately what I have to do to keep my family safe.

“I have a mansion just on the other side of the border, in DuskWood lands,” I say. “It would be safer if Cara and the children stay with me there for a time.”

The brothers look at each other.

Noel, however, straightens. “She will absolutely not be going alone. If Cara’s going with you, I’m coming too.”