Chapter 153

Cara’s POV

The flowers are beautiful, and with the setting of the sun, the stars provide a perfect backdrop for a romantic moment.

For this moment, I’m standing among the flowers and the stars with Noel in front of me. From the look of his hope-filled expression, I know he is about to open up to me in a way that I’m not quite ready for yet. But to stop him would be to reject him, and I’m not sure what I want to do.

I wish I could pause this entire conversation and hold it until later, but that’s not fair to him or to me. He deserves to be heard, and to have some kind of response without having to wait forever for it.

“Cara,” he says. “For most of my life, I’m used to… being alone. Even in my home pack, I was something of an outsider, never truly accepted among those around me for reasons well beyond my means of control. I left that life behind to search the world for a place that I belong.

“I spent years searching, traveling from pack to pack. Eventually, I decided that I would never find a place where I truly belonged. Sure, some packs accepted me more than others, but… after learning my secret…”

He lowers his head and glances away as if to hide his pain, yet I can still see it in the parts of his face I can see. This man is a born outcast, with no home, no sense of belonging.

But that life hasn’t been by choice.

My heart goes out to him, and how terrible things must have been for him, especially when he was a child.

I wonder what his secret is, unsure what could be so terrible as to want to isolate him from others, even among his own pack, even as a child.

I imagine he won’t ever tell me, perhaps not trusting even me.

I wish I could tell him I wouldn’t care. I wish I could go back into the past and shield his child self from all the hurt he’s experienced, and even now. I want to tell him he belongs here.

But the truth is I just don’t know yet.

But I do know there is no secret he could have, that he’s kept since youth, that would keep him from being my friend now.

Whether we would work out romantically or not, I don’t know. But I do know he will be my friend.

Though I wait for the opportune time to tell him so, not wanting to interrupt him.

“In all my travels, of all my years wandering this earth, I never expected to find my mate in anyone. Yet, when I walked into that ballroom and I saw you, I knew right away. This is my match,” he continues. “Now, suddenly, I can see a future. A whole new life filled with acceptance and happiness… Joy… children… I never thought I’d be able to have that for myself…”

“Noel,” I start, my heart aching because I don’t know what I want yet. I don’t know if I’m the one who can give him those things, and it breaks my heart, this not knowing.

The honest truth is, I’m in love with Alaric. After all that’s happened, I didn’t want to be, and I’m still unsure if he’s the right choice. Yet, when I listen to my heart, I hear it calling for Alaric.

Not for the first time, I wish my wolf was here with me. If she could feel the mate bond with Noel, maybe I could forget all about Alaric. Maybe I could be the person to finally make Noel happy.

“I’m getting ahead of myself again, aren’t I?” he asks with a sad little smile.

His eyes are so kind that it hurts me down to my core. I want so desperately to be the person he needs… but I just don’t know if it’s me.

“I’m sorry, Cara,” he says. “Again, I’m putting you on the spot. I swear I don’t mean to. And I don’t even need an answer from you right now. After everything you’ve been through, I know you need time to process. But… maybe because of everything that has happened, I feel like I need to tell you what is in my heart.

“Life is so fleeting, even for creatures as strong as us.” Looking in my eyes, he says, “Before, the mating bond drew me to you. I could not say that I was in love then, though I felt the attraction, and I felt… called… like I was coming home.”

“Noel, I can’t…”

“I love you, Cara,” he tells me. “That’s all I want to say. You don’t have to answer. In fact, I’d almost prefer if you didn’t. Take as long as you need to think it over, to decide what is best for you and your family. But now, whether from here we are lovers or if we stay friends, I love you with the entirety of my heart, and that will never change…”

He smiles more now, laughing. “It’s funny. I’m not even an official part of your family, and yet I am so very relieved that your family is restored. I felt like a piece of me was missing as well. Now, knowing everyone is safe… it must be a miracle.”

His joy is my joy, and I take his hands to squeeze then.

“Not matter what,” I tell him. “We will always be friends. You will always belong where I am, Noel. We might not ever have the romance you want, but that will still never change. My pack is your pack. You don’t have to roam anymore.”

His eyes fill with gratitude, and I know I said the right things. Even if I can’t promise him a romantic future, he will always be dear to me. My friends are like my family, and I can never have to many.

“Thank you,” he says, and before I can help myself, so overcome by the sadness of his past, I step in and embrace him.

He laughs against my hair, then, leaning back, kisses me on the cheek.

Alaric’s POV

My talk with Ethan has filled me a brand new sense of confidence, so when the kids decide to take a break from playing to go into the kitchen for snacks and juice boxes, I go searching for Cara. She’s not in the kitchen, I saw her stepping out with Noel.

It seemed as if they went outside, but that can’t be. The outdoors is romantic this time of night, especially with the moon nearly full and so many flowers in bloom.

Yet… they did seem to be going that way, and I don’t see them in the sitting room or the library that are also in that direction.

Well… I suppose the gardens would be a nice place to talk. It doesn’t have to be romantic. They could just be talking like friends.

I go to the back patio door and open it.

Stepping outside, I freeze to the spot.

There, down among the flowers, Cara and Noel are embracing. Noel… is going for a kiss!