Chapter 44
Cara’s POV
I watch as Mia’s little red wolf body breathes in and out, chest rising and lowering at a slow, peaceful pace.
We’ve been at the hospital for a few days in a row now, but I don’t remember the last time I left Mia’s side. I’ve been here watching over each test, each medication, each exam.
The doctors have all been very kind, and they assure me that Mia is not in any pain. Thank the Goddess for that.
There’s a knock at the door and I look up to see my brother Eamon entering the room.
“Want some company?” He asks me.
I nod in response, gesturing to the empty chair by my side.
“This has certainly been a lot to handle, hasn’t it?” Eamon asks. His tone is light, and I can tell that he’s trying to gauge my stress level.
“It’s nothing I can’t manage,” I try to reply confidently.
Eamon smiles softly, lowly chuckling to himself. “I know, Cara. You’re always ready to handle whatever comes your way….”
I get the sense that Eamon isn’t finished with his statement. I raise a questioning eyebrow at him, and he continues.
“But,” he takes his jacket off, setting it in his lap comfortably, an indication that he’s in no rush to leave. “I would understand if you would want to put your work responsibilities on hold for a while. Anyone would understand that, given what you’re going through.”
His face was gentle, free of judgment or pity. Instead, I see only theunderstanding concern of an older brother. My heart swells at his care for me.
“I appreciate that, Eamon. Really, I do. But I made a commitment to my family, and to my pack,” I say.
“It’s like there’s something calling me to do this work, to help the people of Pack BloodyMoon,” I look at him, hoping he doesn’t think I’m crazy for thinking this way.
“I completely understand. There was once a time where I felt that way myself…” Eamon trailed off, staring into the distance.
“Don’t you feel that way now?” I ask curiously.
Eamon smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He looks wistful, like there’s something he’s not telling me. “Enough about me, we’re talking about you.”
I decide not to push it, not to ask him what he’s not saying. “Working gives me something else to do than sit here and worry about my daughter,” I say simply.
Eamon nods. “Walter’s official retirement party is coming up soon. If you’re up for the job, I’d like you to formally take over the role of pack Beta.”
I immediately know my answer, but I take a moment to really consider the idea anyway. How many people, let alone she-wolves, are given the opportunity to become Beta of two different packs during their lifetime? It’s extremely flattering, and even the fact that Eamon made me the offer at all fills me with pride.
This is what I’m meant to do. Somehow, I can’t explain how, I just know that this is the right path for me.
“I accept,” I reply.
“Excellent,” Eamon says with a smile. “I must tell you, though, I intend to keep the news of your appointment quiet until everything is official.”
“Quiet?” I ask.
“Yes. I fear there are some within our pack who might think that the job of Beta is unsuitable work for a princess. But I know you, and I know how hard you work. Once they see what I see, there will be no doubt from anyone that you are the right person for the job.”
“Thank you, Eamon. I understand. I won’t mention this to anyone yet,”I tell him.
“You’re going to do great things, Cara. In fact, you already have,”Eamon says warmly, placing his hand on my wrist in a comforting gesture.
“Now please, try to get some rest. We’ll need you at your best, sister.”Eamon says, rising to head out the door.
After he leaves, I lean my head back and close my eyes for what feels like only a moment. It must be longer than that though because when I wake there are two nurses in the room providing medicine to a still sleeping Mia.
“Oh, sorry to wake you, dear,” the older she-wolf nurse says to me when she sees my eyes open.
“That’s alright, you didn’t wake me. I didn’t realize I had fallen asleep,” I say, reaching up to fix my surely disheveled hair.
“You’re Cara Wilson, aren’t you?” the younger she-wolf nurse asks me bluntly.
“That’s me,” I say softly, still rousing myself from my nap.
“Oh, I KNEW that was you! I remember you when you were only a little thing. Your Grandmother and I were friends,” the older nurse is very happy.
“She used to talk about you all the time, dear. She was so very proud of you,” the older nurse continues.
I smile genuinely at her. I wish Grandmother had lived long enough to meet Mia and Ethan. I know she would have loved them, too.
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say,” I reply, feeling Grandmother’s warmth at the mention of her name, even now many years
after her death.
“She was a very kind woman. Not many would be willing to take in an orphan after all,” the older nurse says.
“Well, Cara’s certainly not an orphan anymore. She’s a princess now!”the younger nurse laughs.
“It must be marvelous to be a princess! Napping all day, going to parties all night! What a wonderful life you must have now,” she adds, looking at me meaningfully to confirm her thoughts.
But before I can respond, the older nurse keeps going, painting the picture of a dream life fit for a princess, “And all the fancy clothing, the best jewels money can buy! And the men! You must have so many suitors!”
“And you must tell us of the princes! Are any of them single? Looking for a new princess perhaps?” the younger nurse bats her eyelashes, clearly fancying herself as a suitable option for one of my brothers.
The image of my wild and mischievous brothers Aidan and Ryan pops into my head and I giggle softly, feeling sorry in advance for any she-wolf who would dare to date either of them. Those two are always up to so much trouble, I can’t imagine any woman willingly offering themselves to them.
And, I can't speak much about my current life... Eamon told me not to tell anyone of my Beta status, so as much as I’d love to tell them that my life involves much more than napping and parties, I can’t.
So I say simply,“It is a good life, although little busy.”
There’s a soft smile on my lips, but I don’t say any more.
"BEEP-BEEP!"
My phone buzzing.
“Sorry, I can’t say more. Let’s talk next time.”
I nodded politely to them and then stepped out of the room.
The Third Person's POV
The red-haired figure, once an orphan and now a princess, walked out of the room. The expressions on the two nurses’ faces began to sour.
“What does she mean? Is she trying to say we’re not good enough for the prince?”
They whispered among themselves. Especially the older nurse.
“She’s a princess now, a princess who only needs to play all day, not a Beta. What could she possibly be so busy with?” the younger nurse says.
“Oh Goddess, she must have been lying just now. She’s so fake!” the older nurse firmly says.
“But she has helped me before; she wasn't like this in the past...” another nurse says.
“But She’s definitely ignoring us on purpose because she looks down on us. And she must has forgotten you, and DarkWood...”
“Maybe her Grandmother was wrong about her…” the older nurse whispers before she leaves the room. “So quick to forget what it feels like to be a low-born…”
“We need to let everyone know that this redhead has turned into a disgusting noble…”
