Chapter 184

Eamon’s POV

No sooner had I hung up the phone with Alaric than Cara knocked on my door and entered my office. In her hands she was carrying one of the fliers for the Global Princess Competition.

I had told Alaric that I wasn’t sure Cara would want to take part in the competition. In truth, I had been hoping she wouldn’t. Given her weakness, which she attempted to hide but we could all tell was getting worse, she had no place attempting to compete in this kind of contest.

There were all different kinds of challenges, including some that would be physically taxing. As a contestant, she wouldn’t be able to pick and choose which events to take part in. She’d be expected to take part in every event.

Alaric wanted to support her, and I did too. But I didn’t think this was the way. I just didn’t see this competition as a possibility given her current state.

I braced myself for the inevitable difficult conversation to come as I would try to convince her of this.

“Do you have a minute to talk?” Cara asked me.

“For you? Of course,” I said and gestured for a chair. She stayed standing.

“I’m sure you know about the Global Princess Competition,” she said.

I did. I had approved it long ago, before we knew of Cara’s illness. At the time, I had thought her competition and eventual victory would help cement her in the pack’s mind as a prime Alpha candidate, perfect to be my successor when I would decide to step down.

Now, I was regretting this choice. Her health had to be my primary concern, and that meant keeping her out of this competition no matter what she wanted or how much Alaric wanted to help.

“I know about it,” I said, keeping my face carefully schooled.

She turned the flier toward me. “I want to sign up.”

“Absolutely not,” I said flatly.

She didn’t react outwardly. Likely, as I had been preparing to let her down, she had been preparing for me to say no.

“I’m going to sign up whatever you say, but I’d rather have your support,” Cara said.

“Cara, we need to be realistic about your condition,” I tried to tell her gently.

“I’m fine, Eamon,” she said sharply, but then started to waver, as if she was lightheaded. Immediately I stood. At the same moment, she sank down into the chair I had previously offered.

If this wasn’t a sign for her, then I didn’t know what would be. “Cara.”

“Don’t say it,” she said.

I sighed. “I’m not telling you any of this because I want to hurt you. It’s only because I want to keep you safe that makes me speak out.”

“Your way of keeping me safe, Eamon, is to lock me in a hospital room and never let me leave. You want to act like my time’s already up, when all I’m trying to do is prove to you that I’m not going out like this.”

“When you push yourself,” I said, “you race toward that end.”

“Giving up is racing toward that end,” she countered. “Pushing myself is me fighting back.”

I could see what she meant, in a way. I didn’t want her to give up, but working herself to exhaustion couldn’t be good for her either.

She’d combated her brothers in small ways these past few months, telling us again and again that she didn’t want to be treated any differently than before. It was difficult not to want to protect her, but we all tried as best we could.

This was asking a lot, however.

“Ruby, Richard, and Grayson are working around the clock to help treat this,” I said. “They’ve made really good strides forward, giving me more time every day.”

“A treatment is not a cure,” I said.

“Landon has sent back all kinds of different methods too, for reaching my wolf.”

“None of those have been successful.”

“Yet,” Cara said. “But he keeps searching and I keep trying.”

“Maybe,” I said. “If you could have some success recovering your wolf, then maybe I would consider this. But as it is, Cara, you have to understand how dangerous this is. You’d be taking risks that no one else in the competition will be needing to take. And for what purpose?”

“To prove that I can,” she said. “Not just to you and to Alaric, but to myself.” Her voice cracked on the last word. “You think I need protected from the truth? I’m the one who has to live with it daily. I’m the one trapped in this failing body. It’s my wolf who doesn’t answer my call.”

Guilt started to weigh on me. For the first time, I started to see that how we treated her, as if she would break at any moment, only left her feeling more helpless. She needed to be able to do things, to prove to herself that she was still in control.

But even so, this competition still felt like too much. She could get hurt, and then I would never forgive myself.

“If anything happened to you…”

“It’s my responsibility,” Cara said. “I know the risks. I know my own limitations. I want to do this anyway. I have to. Please, Eamon. I’m going to do it anyway, but it would be so much easier with your support. You have to believe in me. Please.”

My darling sister shouldn’t have to plead for anything, least of all my support. At once, my desire to protect her waged war with my need to keep her safe.

In the end, knowing she was going to take part anyway, I decided I would rather be a part of it.

“I’ll help you,” I said, and her bright smile made everything worth it. It had been a long time since I’d seen a smile like that. “But we still have to be careful. I want a doctor beside you every step of the way.”

“Ruby will be there,” she assured me.

I was certain Richard would also be watching from the shadows, and likely Grayson too who had taken a liking to Cara right away. It was difficult not to.

“Thank you, Eamon,” she said, but I waved her away.

“Just do your best.” I’d never ask her for more than that.

As our meeting wrapped up, I looked up and noticed Noel in the hallway beyond my door.

“Oh. Noel is here,” I said.

“He’s waiting for me,” she replied. “We’re hanging out tonight.”

Maybe it was because I had just spoken to Alaric, but the man crossed my mind.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Noel,” I mentioned, on Alaric’s behalf.

“He’s a good friend,” she replied. “He’s pretty much the only person that has been treating me the same as always these past two months.”

“I see,” I replied.

“If you’ll excuse me,” she said, standing.

“Of course,” I said. “Don’t forget to sign up for the competition. The deadline is soon.”

“I’ve already got the forms filled out,” she replied. “I’ll drop them off this afternoon.”

I nodded and watched her go. Noel met her just outside the door and offered his arm. As she took it, she could not keep the good news to herself.

“He’s going to support me!” she said with a smile.

Noel immediately returned it.

Glancing at them without knowing their particular dynamic, I might have assumed they were a couple.

I truly felt bad for Alaric. Hopefully they could resolve whatever it was that kept them apart, and fast.