Chapter 171

Colin’s POV

To his credit, Grayson did not as much as flinch at my words steeped heavily in accusation. Instead, he just seemed sad and tired.

“I diagnosed her,” he said. “Surely you’ve noticed her weakness?”

My stomach dropped. I had, as did my brothers. Though she had collapsed, and the Healers looked her over, I didn’t think there was anything more wrong than exhaustion. Perhaps the other Healers didn’t think so either.

Grayson wasn’t like them though. He was trained from a previous generation where he learned never to overlook anything. Diseases had been more prevalent back then and required more diligence. Perhaps the modern luxuries had made us less diligent in the current age. Diseases were done, but those that had them were not diagnosed as quickly.

“What’s wrong with her?” I asked.

“You’ll have to ask her that. You and your brothers, I suspect, will want to be with her at this time,” he said and started to walk away. Before he could go too far, he turned around and added, “Mindful of the children, though. They might not be ready to hear this.”

When Grayson left him, I turned toward the door, simultaneously eager and dreadful of wanting to talk to Cara inside.

Before I could though, I knew this was a conversation Ryan and Aidan should be in on. I quickly sent them a text. Not a full minute later, they both stepped into the hallway.

I gave them a brief recap of my conversation with Grayson. “We need to handle this with some grace…” I tried to say.

“To hell with that,” Aidan said, and immediately went for the door. Before I could stop him, he opened it and stepped inside. Ryan shrugged and followed. I sighed and came in last, closing the door behind us.

Cara and Ruby had been hugging. They stopped when we came in, and separating, looked up at us.

“Did he tell you?” Cara asked, her eyes and nose red from her crying.

“Grayson said he gave you a diagnosis,” I said. “But he wouldn’t tell us what it was.”

“We were worried about you,” Ryan said. “You’ve been gone a while. Alaric was the most obvious.”

“You can’t tell him,” Cara said, suddenly very fierce. “Whatever is said in here cannot be repeated in front of Alaric or the children, do you understand?”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ruby asked. “The children, certainly, but Alaric… He could be here for you.”

“He would not handle it well,” Cara said. “I will not have him treat me differently because of this.”

In her eyes, I could see the hint of fear. Yet, whether that was because of her own condition or the fear she had of Alaric potentially leaving her because of it, I wasn’t sure.

That she even thought that was a possibility brought my easy acceptance of Alaric into question. Though I tried not to take Cara’s judgement too much too heart as of yet. In the wake of bad news, she could be self-destructing. Or perhaps she was remembering the Alaric of the past.

He seemed to truly care for her nowadays.

But thoughts and concerns over Alaric could wait. Cara and her health were the only thing to consider at this moment. For Cara to spiral like this hinted at how bad the news was, if Grayson’s demeanor and the crying hadn’t already given it away.

The three of us brothers came closer to where Cara was sitting. We stood around her, a protective half-circle. Aidan crossed his arms. Ryan held his hands in fists. I tried to stay calmer, more pensive, until I had all the facts. But, seeing the upset in Cara’s eyes, in was difficult.

“What I’m about to tell you cannot leave this room until I am ready to tell it,” she said, and made each of us agree. Once we had, she said, “If I cannot convince my wolf to return, I will fall into a deep sleep.”

Cara explained the diagnosis she had been given by Grayson. When words failed her, Ruby took over, explaining the more medical side of the diagnosis. None of it was good, and as they continued, the tension in my and my brother’s bodies only intensified until all of us looked like we were ready for a fight.

We wanted to protect our sister. But how could we protect her from an invisible enemy? None of us could enter her mind and force her wolf to return to her. Even if we could, that probably wouldn’t work. They needed the reestablished bond to save Cara.

“This is Alaric’s fault,” Aidan growled, when the tale was told.

“What?” I asked him.

“The accident. Everything that led up to it,” Aidan said. “If he had accepted our sister from the start, she would have never had to endure this.”

“It’s not his fault,” Cara was quick to correct. “We all made our choices. We are here now, and we have to deal with them.”

It was good of her to look forward and not dwell in the past.

But Aidan seemed less than keen on doing so.

“Alaric’s worried about you,” I said to Cara. “He doesn’t understand where you went that would take so long.”

“Make up an excuse please. I need another few minutes before I can face him.”

“If that’s a dismissal, I refuse,” Ryan said stubbornly. “I’m not ready to leave your side just yet.”

“None of us are,” I agreed.

Cara closed her eyes, and though a tear did escape, she started to smile too. A sad little thing, but still present.

“I’m blessed to have such good family and friends.” Then she opened her eyes. “But Mia and Ethan need their uncles, especially in my absence. Please.”

We all looked at each other. None of us could deny that request.

Alaric’s POV

I didn’t want to give the kids any chance to worry, but I was worried and couldn’t stop checking my watch.

Cara had disappeared an hour ago. The brothers, thirty minutes. Though Richard was here, talking with the kids, I didn’t know what to make of everyone else’s continued absence.

My adrenaline was kicking up, my protective urges soaring. Yet, I couldn’t go search for my mate, as much as I wanted to.

I couldn’t leave my kids here unprotected, and I certainly didn’t trust Richard enough to watch them alone. Nor did I want to take the kids with me, in case of what we might find.

If Cara had collapsed, if Ruby or the brothers had found her, surely they would have told me by now. Yet my phone remained silent, despite my frequent checking, and no hurried nurses or other messengers came through the door.

Where could they be? Where could Cara be? Was she alright?

I was going out of my mind with worry.

When finally, finally, Colin, Aidan, and Ryan returned.

Immediately, I walked away from the kids to approach them in the doorway.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Where’s Cara?”

Colin stopped to talk to me, but it was Aidan that claimed my attention first in the moment.

His glare sent a chill through my bones.