Chapter 187

Cara’s POV

“Alaric,” I said with shock, surprised beyond all reason to see him standing there. I had been so convinced at the restaurant that I had dreamed him, that I had insisted Noel take me home early. I’d been too rattled to eat.

Yet he was here. That could have genuinely been him I saw through the window.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, and went to step around me.

I was so startled, that I nearly didn’t stop him. He was halfway down the sidewalk before I turned and called after him, “Hey! Wait!”

He stopped as I came closer. I walked around him to look at his face, but he looked away from me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I just wanted to see the kids,” he said.

I was happy that he wanted to be a good father, but it still stung inside of me that he didn’t come here, at least in part, to see me.

“Were you…” I started, then stopped. I felt somewhat foolish for asking. Though, after a moment, I knew that I had to know for sure, and the only way to discover the truth was to hear it from Alaric himself. “Were you outside the restaurant just now? Did you see Noel and I through the window?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said through clenched teeth. It had to be a lie. He still wasn’t looking me in the eyes.

But why would he lie about this?

He shook his head lightly. “I only want what’s best for you, Cara. I hope you know that.”

“I do, but…” It was all so strange. His being here. His saying these things.

What did any of it mean?

“If you’ll excuse me, I have a plane to catch,” he said and walked around me. He waved down a taxi on the street and then disappeared into the night.

This time I couldn’t say that I had imagined him. He was definitely here. Others had seen him too.

Yet he left so quickly.

If he had seen Noel and I at the restaurant…

I felt like I had hurt him, but without him saying so, I couldn’t be sure. None of this seemed real.

Returning to the house, I found Colin there at the door. He gave me a sympathetic look as I entered.

“Alaric was here,” I said, to be sure.

“Yes,” Colin confirmed.

“Was he outside the restaurant?” I asked.

Colin pressed his lips hard together. For a moment, I didn’t think he would tell me the truth, but then he said, “Aidan told him where to find you.”

My stomach dropped. I told Aidan where I was in case he needed me, if something happened with the kids.

“Were you on a date with Noel?” Colin asked.

“Is that what Alaric told you?”

“He didn’t say as much, but he was assuming it,” Colin said.

So I had hurt him. Wildly, I thought of chasing him to the airport, throwing my arms around him, and telling him that he was the only one for me.

Realistically, I knew that was a terrible idea. Colin could assume, and I could surmise, but neither of us knew the true reason Alaric had come here. If he said he came to see the kids, didn’t I have to believe that?

But he’d also said he didn’t see me at the restaurant, which was clearly a lie.

Colin, looking at me, said, “Alaric told Ethan and Mia that he would see them this weekend.”

That gave me some relief, and took off some of the pressure. Perhaps I could talk to him then. We were long overdue for a conversation about us.

I pushed him away too hard and for too long. I needed to find a way to make things right, before he continued to assume the worst about Noel and me.

The next day, with the competition quickly approaching, I was hand-delivered a pack of information regarding the Global Princess Competition. Within the packet were a pamphlet of rules, as well as information about the specific events, their dress codes, and proper etiquette that would be expected throughout the competition.

All of it sounded well and good. I was pleased to be regarded as an official contender. But there was so much information here, I was starting to be overwhelmed.

After calling Ruby over for support, she sat with me at the kitchen island and together we combed through the packet.

“Looks like there’s a brunch tomorrow,” Ruby said, passing me the sheet regarding the brunch, including start and finish times, what to wear, and what they will be serving. “They don’t waste time.”

“I was one of the last to sign up for the competition,” I said. “Most of the other competitors have already been signed up for almost a full year now.”

“That explains why your name isn’t on the registrar,” she said and passed me another sheet filled completely with names. I recognized some of them, most of them high-ranking women from several of the different packs. Some of these women I knew to be fierce competitors. I certainly had my work cut out for me.

“I wonder who else signed up last minute,” I said. “They told me there are 75 competitors this year, including me. This list only shows 71.”

“Hopefully no one too surprising,” Ruby said.

We divided the rest of the packet into two piles. Ruby dug into one, while I focused on the other. Mine was mostly information regarding the opening and closing ceremonies. Apparently, there was a dance involved.

“This isn’t good,” Ruby said.

Lifting my head I looked at her, and saw her deep frown. “What is it?” I asked.

“There’s a race as one of the competition’s events,” Ruby said.

That made sense. After all, the competition would want to test strength and fortitude as well as other non-physical abilities.

“Cara,” Ruby said. “It’s a race of wolves.”

Ruby held out the rulebook for me and I skimmed it over.

“No one said I needed a wolf when I turned in my entry form,” I said.

My stomach started to twist. Was I sure to lose the competition because of a technicality?

“Maybe they will let you run as a human,” Ruby said.

I was sure to lose with my human speed. Would I even be able to finish the race? It’d be like a marathon for me. I wasn’t out of shape, but with my condition…

Doubts started to creep up inside of me. Would I even be able to do any of this, after all? Maybe Eamon had been right to question me. Perhaps I was reaching too far with this.

I wanted to be well, but I wasn’t. Was I truly pushing myself too hard? Was this only going to make things worse?

I started to spiral, the doubts and the hurt running laps in my mind.

“Hey,” Ruby said, touching my arm. “Maybe this is a good thing.”

“How?” I asked. I wanted to be determined. I was ready to latch onto any sliver of hope I could see. I just needed to see it.

Ruby offered me that sliver. “Maybe this pressure will be just what you need to awaken Lucy.”