Chapter 129

Alaric’s POV

“Noel,” I say, approaching the door. The butler and the security guard both step to the side, allowing me access to speak with our unexpected visitor. “What are you doing here?”

“I said I’d visit,” he says. “Well, here I am. Where’s Cara and the kids? I want to say hi.”

He did mention that he would want to visit, and Colin had insisted that I allow him. To preserve the peace for Cara and the kids, I didn’t say no outright.

Still, I had thought Noel would give some us some time as a family before he decided to just pop on in. But Noel, it seems, has motivations all his own. I’m certain they include trying to convince Cara that he should be her second chance mate.

Like her first mate is out of the picture.

I’m not.

“It’s late,” I say. I try to keep the annoyance out of my voice but it still manages to seep through, I’m sure. I can withhold many of my emotions, keeping them under lock and key, but annoyance and irritation are the hardest to hide. “We were sitting at dinner.”

“Do you have room for another plate?” Noel asks.

“No,” I reply flatly.

It wasn’t a lie, though I would have lied to keep him out of our dining room. Truthfully, the small round table I’d replaced my massive table with doesn’t have enough room for anyone else.

Noel just smiles. “Don’t be this way, Alaric. I’ve come a long way…”

“Alaric?” Cara calls from down the hallway. Perhaps she grew anxious waiting for me to return. She should know better than to make her presence known. What if the person had truly been the assassin? She is giving away her location.

“Cara! Is that you?” Noel calls, hearing her.

“Noel?”

Immediately, Cara enters the hallway and comes closer. Her eyes are bright when her gaze lands on her friend. I ignore the pang of jealousy that reverberates inside of me. Better to pretend it’s not there.

“It is you,” she says, smiling. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“I said I’d visit,” Noel says, grinning in return. “But Alaric and his goons won’t let me in.”

Cara looks at me expectantly, but I don’t say a word.

“Alaric, please allow Noel into this house,” she says, vocalizing now.

When she says it aloud, I can’t ignore her wishes, even though, in this case, I would rather. Still, for her, I would do anything. Even allow a competing male into my house.

My wolf growls within me, but I bite back the noise, not wanting either of them – or the security guard – to sense my hostility to our guest.

“Come into the dining room. I’m sure the kids will want to say hi,” Cara says. “We just finished eating. Can we get you a plate?”

Noel glances at me, probably remembering the way I just dismissed him.

“No,” he says. “I ate before I came. But I’d love to say hi to the kids.”

“Excellent,” Cara says, beaming. She slides her arm through Noel’s and leads him toward the dining room.

The butler, the security guard, and I all look after them with varying levels of surprise and annoyance. The highest level of irritation is my own.

“Should we add this visitor to the approved guest list, Sir?” the security guard asks me. The list right now is very short, with only a couple of well-vetted teachers to help tutor the children. I also added all of Cara’s brothers to the list, in case they wanted to visit.

Noel, though?

“No,” I say. “I want to be alerted each time he visits. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” the security guard says.

Cara and Noel turn the corner, disappearing into the dining room where the children are. Immediately, my anxiety spikes and I move swiftly to follow them.

In the dining room, both Mia and Ethan are hugging Noel.

Mia loves everyone, so that doesn’t sting. Ethan, though. He hates me but loves Noel? Why? What has Noel done that I haven’t done?

Noel ruffles Ethan’s hair and Ethan laughs as he pushes his hand away. A new kind of jealousy fills me. One I haven’t really felt before.

Ethan looks at Noel like he wants him to be his father, not me.

I have no idea what to do.

After the initial greetings, Noel and Cara step to the side to talk more softly and privately, while Mia and Ethan return to the table for dinner. I step closer to the kids, feeling protective of my pups, especially after seeing them bond with someone else.

Noel says something that makes Cara laugh in a way she hasn’t laughed with me in years, so light and carefree. It cuts deep inside of me, making me see how lacking I am not just as a father, but now also as a mate.

“Your mother and Noel seem closer than I remember,” I muse aloud, not really expecting the kids to answer.

“They are close,” Ethan replies. “Super close. They’ll probably get married soon.”

“You think so?” Mia asks, excitement in her voice.

“Yeah,” Ethan replies. Then, like he’s purposefully digging into me, says, “Noel’s going to be a great dad.”

I stand very still, keeping my face carefully blank. I don’t want the kids to know how much those words affect me, hurt me.

Ethan is likely only saying them to get a reaction out of me. I still don’t know why he hates me, but I’m sure this is a result of that.

I shouldn’t take what he’s saying too much to heart.

Even so, it stings.

It stings so much that my feet move of my own accord, bringing me to Cara and Noel without my even realizing it.

“It is late, Noel,” I say. “You’ve seen Cara and the kids, but I think you should go.”

Noel must hear the terseness to my voice because he just looks at me rather than snap back with some witty retort.

“Alaric, it’s not that late,” Cara tries to say.

Noel seems torn. “No. I am also tired. I only drove in today but I was eager to see you.” He smiles at Cara once more. “I will go to my hotel for the night.” He glances at me again, his eyes sharp as daggers. “But I will be back in the morning. You can count on that.”

As Noel leaves, Cara seems annoyed at me. “You didn’t have to kick him out.”

“He’ll be back,” I say, though that knowledge doesn’t sit right with me.

After dinner, as Cara and the kids head into the living room, I return to my office. There, I pick up the phone and make a call.

“Is Cara safe?” Eamon asks, sans a greeting.

“She is,” I report. “But Noel has arrived.”

“Ah. So that’s why you are calling.” The tension eases out of Eamon’s voice somewhat. “I thought he might visit. He said he was going to. What’s the great shock?”

“How much do you really know about him?” I ask Eamon.

“As much as Landon’s told me, which admittedly isn’t much. But Landon vouches for him.”

“Do you trust him?” I ask.

“There are very few people I fully trust,” Eamon says. “But what are you suggesting, Alaric?”

I don’t want to think it. I know it could be the jealousy talking. But with how quickly Noel has arrived here. How he wanted to see Cara alone. How he will continue to visit with her…

I ask, “Do you think he could be the assassin?”