Chapter 0107
“Do not speak Ill of the Bedfords! They are the only family trying to uphold the decency that Pack DarkWood used to hold so dear!” the old woman replies.
“I will speak however I wish!” Alaric yells at her. “Show such insubordination once more and you will sincerely regret It!
At this, the old woman closes her mouth, but her eyes show she has much more to say. She doesn’t dare speak, though. Her jaw is clenched tight, jaw held high in silent defiance.
“I know you, woman,” Alaric says lowly to the old nurse. “You were a maid in the Bedfords household. John, this is the one, isn’t she?”
Alaric turns to his Beta, John, who produces a receipt from the briefcase he carries. John looks down at the paper carefully, then looks back up to the old woman.
“It’s her, Alpha King. She has been receiving payments from the Bedfords for the last several months in exchange for stirring up rumors about Cara Wilson,” John says.
The crowd gasps, startled by the news.
“She’s the one who has been paid to speak falsely!”
“We can’t believe a word the old woman says!”
“She has been lying to us all! For money!”
“John, take her away,” Alaric says to his Beta.
The Beta extends an arm, grabbing the old woman’s elbow. She huffs loudly before reluctantly going with him..
“Cara deserves what she gets! She’s still a useless, wretched villain!” The old woman calls when she’s a comfortable distance away from Alaric.
Alaric shoots her a warning look from a distance, but then seems to decide that it’s not worth it to press the issue further. The old woman is almost gone anyway, safely in John’s grasp. Alaric seems to decide that she’s no longer a threat.
“Alright, everyone get back to work!” Alaric yells to the crowd, dispersing the staff members.
I receive several more apologies before the hallway finally empties, leaving me, Alaric, and Ethan alone.
Despite all of the space vacated by the now absent crowd, I suddenly feel stifled, like there isn’t enough room to hold my son and Alaric so close together.
“I’m sorry, Cara,” Alaric says softly, taking a step closer to me. His blue eyes are sincere. “I
- Chapter 6107
promise, I’ll do what I can to have the Bedfords leave you alone, even if that means expelling them from the pack.”
1 look up at him, remembering that he expelled his former Gamma, George, on my account. Clearly he’s willing to do that again.
To protect me.
To protect my reputation.
He always had such a strong sense of
fall in love with him in the first place.
lice. In fact, it’s one of the things that made me
I notice a strand of his black hair fall onto his forehead and my fingers have the urge to brush the hair back.
I stop.myself before I can actually do it.
And this little action, this holding back, reminds me that this isn’t my life anymore.
This isn’t my pack.
The Bedfords aren’t my problem. Not anymore.
“That’s very kind of you to offer, but no thank you. We’ll be okay,” I offer Alaric a small, polite small.
It’s the kind of smile I use on people I’ve just only just met–the kind of distanced, yet friendly, expression reserved for a stranger.
Alaric looks shocked, and his face falls. “What–?” he starts.
“Mom, can we please go home now?” Ethan tugs on my shirt sleeve.
“Yes, my darling. Let’s go home.” I plant a soft kiss on the little boy’s black hair and turn to walk away from Alaric, who is looking more stunned than ever.
“Wait–‘Mom‘? THIS is your son?” Alaric asks.
