Chapter 207

Cara’s POV

Melinda spotted me too, likely at the same time I saw her. Apparently feeling no shame, she started to smile.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her. “You’re exiled.”

“From DuskWood, not from BloodyMoon,” Melinda said.

“At least not until Eamon hears about this,” Ruby said.

Melinda turned her cool smile onto Ruby. “Please. I don’t have time for idle threats. I don’t want to be late for my meeting.”

“Your meeting?” I asked.

“With the Princess Competition commission, of course,” Melinda said.

“What could you want to talk to them for?” Ruby asked.

Melinda’s smile grew wider. “That’s private. If you will excuse me.” She stepped forward, purposefully walking between Ruby and I, knocking her shoulder against mine as she went.

When she disappeared into the same room I had just came out of, Ruby and I exchanged glances.

“I have a very bad feeling about this,” I said.

“You aren’t the only one,” Ruby said. “She’s definitely up to something, and we both know, if Melinda Bedford is up to something, it’s not anything good.”

Alaric’s POV

I was halfway through my meetings of the day when Wallace phoned me to ask for a special meeting.

“I know its last minute, but I need to speak with you about something very important.”

“We have our regular elder council meeting in an hour,” I said.

“This can’t wait.”

I quickly sent John a text, asking him to move my other appointments and then returned to my call with Wallace. “Very well. What’s going on?”

“We’ve been facing a situation here that’s currently unfolding every moment,” Wallace said.

“What kind of situation?” I asked.

“Some of the elders you exiled have started to rally in defiance.”

“They are still on pack lands?” I asked.

“Yes,” Wallace said. “In a town near the border. And that’s not all of it, I’m afraid.”

“Well, we need to send the guards and have them thrown out.”

“The guard is already on the way, sir, but unfortunately, with all their supporters, the elders will likely have been shuttled away before our guards get close,” Wallace said.

I cursed. “We need to keep level heads about this. They want to stir up trouble, to get a reaction out of us. If we deny them that, then they should fizzle out.”

“As I said, this isn’t all they are up to,” Wallace said.

“What else?” I asked.

“You are aware of the Princess Competition taking place in BloodyMoon, I presume.”

“Of course.” My stomach twisted. If the elders were trying to do something to lash out at Cara, there would be no end to my wrath.

“I believe the exiled elders intend to use what remains of their influence to support a princess contender,” Wallace said. “They want to use that contender to help them regain support in the pack, enough that you will be forced, by popular demand, to reinstate them.”

That was a foolish plan. Yes, the will of the people had overturned exiles in the past, but I could fathom that happening now. The person or person would have to be exceedingly well liked. While the elders were revered, they weren’t individually popular. It was whole of the council that was respected.

I wasn’t sure most of the pack members even knew the names of the individual members. They only knew the elder council was to be respected.

“Who are they supporting?” I asked.

Cara’s POV

After seeing Melinda at the hotel, I didn’t feel much like celebrating anymore. Ruby tried to lift my spirits, but I felt uncomfortable and unnerved. The only place I knew I could distract myself was at work.

So, after parting with Ruby, I came to the Alpha headquarters building where I started to file some paperwork to keep me busy.

I wanted to speak with Eamon about Melinda, but glancing at his schedule, I saw that he had appointments for most of the day. Perhaps he could squeeze me in towards quitting time.

Eamon would always make time for me, so I was confident.

Grabbing some paperwork, I stepped out into the hallway, ready to head to accounting to have them sign for a few things.

I stopped when I saw Alaric coming off the elevator. I checked my watch. Sometimes he came to see me home after work, but it was far too early for that right now. He must have had some other reason to be here.

“Alaric, hi,” I said as he walked closer.

He softened slightly, seeing me, and I would never get over the change he made when in my presence. One minute he could be the cold-faced Alpha, ready to dole out punishment. But then he’d see me and be simply Alaric, the lover and friend once more.

Well, former-lover.

“Cara.” As he knew about my meeting, I could see him assessing my mood. “Can I ask how it went?”

“Well,” I told him. “I wouldn’t say I won them over, but for now, they can’t stop me from competing.”

He smiled for me, seeming genuinely pleased. “I’m glad.”

“You could have waited for me to come home to give you the news,” I said. “You didn’t have to come all this way.”

“Well… unfortunately, I’m not here just for that.”

I blinked, surprised. “You aren’t?”

“I have a meeting with Eamon,” he said.

“Pack business?” I asked.

“Something like that,” he said, a bit cagey, which was odd for him. Usually he was more than happy to discuss the going-on’s with me. After all, I had once been the DuskWood Beta. I knew the ins and outs of the pack politics. Or, at least, I used to.

Maybe things had changed since then.

It hurt a little to be excluded, but I couldn’t press. It was an Alpha’s right to keep his pack secrets, especially here in the headquarters building of another pack.

“I could escort you?” I asked.

“I can find my way,” he said. “But I am glad for your news, Cara. Truly. I was worried… Well. I’m glad I didn’t have to throw my weight around.”

“I wouldn’t have wanted you to,” I said.

“I know. Which is why I’m glad it didn’t come to that.”

I shook my head at him somewhat fondly. I couldn’t be overly mad at him for how protective he was. There were many times where that protective instinct had saved my life.

“I should get going,” he said. “I need to talk to Eamon as soon as possible.” His good mood seemed to fade with those words, which made some worry rise within me.

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I asked. “You can tell me if it isn’t. I want to be here for you, as you are for me.”

He nodded, sure. “I don’t want you to concern yourself with this, Cara. You have more than enough on your plate.”

“Alaric. If you need to confide in me, even to talk, I always have room to be here for you.”

“I know,” he said and smiled a little. “But trust me and your brother to take care of this one this time okay? You and I will celebrate your victory when we get home.”

That same bad feeling I had when I had seen Melinda earlier returned. But without being able to discern why or over what, I had to accept what Alaric said.

I stepped aside to let him pass, wondering what he was hiding.