Chapter 178

Alaric’s POV

“This isn’t up for debate,” I told the elder council as they all sat around the long meeting table giving me varying kinds of glares – from annoyance to frustration to worry to pity. “I will be working remotely from the BloodyMoon pack lands as I continue my pursuit of Cara.”

“And she can’t stay here?” asked one of the elders.

“No.”

A pair of elders looked at each other. Gently, the new leader of the group, a man by the name of Wallace, spoke up, “Are you positive, Alpha, that this is what she wants? This pursuit has been long and arduous for you. We’d all hate if… perhaps… she is wasting your time…”

“She asked me to go,” I said. His doubt annoyed me, though I did appreciate, I supposed, his looking out for me.

I couldn’t properly explain to all of them how I knew that Cara was being genuine. I didn’t want to tell them my suspicions about her medical issue that made my presence so urgent. Or how even I was starting to feel a strain between us, something I was desperate to remedy by remaining close to her.

“But it’s not just for her this time,” I added. “Ethan and Mia are my pups, and I will be there for them.”

“Well your intentions to be a good father are admirable,” Wallace continued, “We do have some concerns with your continued absence in the pack. You have not been to the capital in months.”

“I’ve been here,” I said.

“The media has started to notice the absence,” chimed in another elder, supporting Wallace, who was perhaps too kind to give me the full truth of it in the most pointed manner.

“As have the people,” said another. “The support for Miranda did not evolve in a vacuum, Alpha. The people are noticing that your attentions are divided.”

“When Cara comes around and the two of you are reunited,” Wallace added in his kind older voice, “We want her to be a beloved Luna. As of now, people are turned against her. We need to rectify that before she officially becomes our Luna.”

“The people feel like you have turned your back on them in pursuit of Cara,” another said. “If you made an effort to return to the Capital during the week, they would be fine with you leaving on the weekends to pursue your personal interests.”

They wanted me to commute during the week? Visit Cara only on the weekends? That did not leave much time for being there for her.

In my mind, I kept seeing her and Noel in the backyard. Or him hugging her when he first arrived.

Already he was there for her in ways I couldn’t be. If I was around even less…

I dreaded to think what feelings might develop between the pair in my absence.

“I will do whatever I have to do to be with Cara,” I said.

Wallace looked at me. “Even step down as pack Alpha?”

The words surprised me, especially from him. He was a kind man, but perhaps not as conflict-avoidant as I thought. He would tell me what he thought I needed to hear.

Choosing between my pack and my love was impossible.

Wallace must have seen as much on my face. “Make the commute. The pack comes first on the weekdays. Cara is priority on the weekends. That is the only way you can maintain both.”

I was Alpha. My decisions were my decisions and no one could make them for me. However, the elders’ guidance did ring true this time. I had seen how many of them backed Miranda as she rallied to save herself and push out Cara. My pack was growing tired of me giving so much attention to everything other than pack business.

I wished they could see that I was capable of both. Even from a distance, I had never let pack matters go unattended. But optics were important. People’s perceptions of reality were almost more important than actual reality.

So, as much as it pained me to consider being away from Cara when she likely needed me the most, I couldn’t turn my back to my pack’s concerns.

I had to do both and prove myself capable. I could do it all, even if I had to stretch myself thin for a time.

“Very well,” I said. “I will commute to the capital for the week, and to BloodyMoon for the weekends.”

The elders seemed satisfied, but I was anything but.

Already, my mind’s eye could see Noel stepping up and taking my place in Cara’s life.

Internally, my wolf started to growl.

When I told Cara the news, she seemed to understand. She was already packing, their car set to take her and the kids away from me as soon as this evening.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Cara replied. “They’re right, after all. As Alpha, your pack should be priority.”

“You are priority,” I said fiercely and walked to her side. She was still folding clothes to put in her suitcase so I took her hands in mine, stopping her.

She looked up at me. “Your pack wouldn’t be happy to hear you say that.”

“But, Cara…”

“It’s fine, Alaric. You will visit us on the weekends, right?” she said. “That will be enough for now.”

I squeezed her hands in urgency. “If you need me for anything, anything at all, I would only be one phone call away.”

“I know that,” she said.

She seemed to be understanding, but I still felt a chasm opening up in the space between us, especially when Noel came to the door.

“Oh,” he said. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

“It’s fine,” Cara said. She kept holding my hands, one thing that gave me comfort in all this.

Noel noticed but didn’t comment on it. “You about ready? We have the kids’ stuff all loaded up.”

“This is the last suitcase,” she said. She released my hands then and turning to the suitcase, closed it shut.

“I’ve got it,” Noel said, rushing forward.

“I can get this one,” I told him, stepping into his path.

He gave each other a hard look for a moment, before Noel glanced at Cara.

“It’s fine,” she said. “Alaric can carry this one.”

Pride surged through me as Noel seemed to deflate slightly.

“Of course,” he said, and turned toward the door, disappearing through it once more.

When he was gone, I grabbed the handle of the suitcase and tried to ask casually, “He’s going to ride in the car with you?” I failed at being casual, everything about what I asked was strained.

“The kids enjoy his presence. He has many stories from his travels,” she said. “I’m hoping he’ll be able to keep them entertained for the long drive. My brothers will be in the car ahead.”

I nodded. I didn’t like it but what could I say? The kids would like to hear Noel’s stories, and I wouldn’t deprive them of that, even if my jealousy was flaring and my wolf pacing unhappily in my mind.

I carried the suitcase down to the car. The brothers were already loaded up in the car ahead.

Ethan and Mia both came to me for hugs.

“We’ll see you this weekend?” Mia asked.

“Yes,” I told her like a promise.

They entered the car with Noel behind them. Cara stood outside for just a moment longer.

An awkward beat of tension fell between us as I moved in for a hug and she offered a handshake. Then, we did the reverse.

Finally, with a sigh, she pushed my hand away and hugged me. We didn’t say anything, but I could feel the regret oozing off of us both.

“It’s only a few days,” she said.

“Yes,” I agreed.

With that, she pulled from the hug and got into the car.

As the car drove away, our eyes met through the window until she was beyond the gate and out of my sight.

Inside, my wolf howled.