Chapter 157

Amber’s POV

After putting Alice to bed, I met Julian back in the living room. It was surreal being in this house again, like returning to a past I thought had been long dead and buried. It must have been the environment, reminding me of the days when I thought we had been happy – before I really learned I was just some secret – but I felt my heart warming to Julian.

He was sitting on the couch with his arm stretched along the back of it. His eyes were hopeful as he asked me, “Sit with me?”

Maybe I should have said no, but the good feelings from our reunion and the general vibes of this place had me moving closer to him. I sank down beside him on the couch, and then leaned into him, pressing up against his side.

His arm fell down from the back of the couch and wrapped around my side instead. He held me tightly, and rather than push him away, I leaned closer, enjoying it.

I knew all of this was bad, that I was sending mixed messages, and yet I couldn’t stop myself.

I was like a fly, happily trapped in a spider’s web.

Julian turned his head and placed a soft kiss to my temple. “I’m so glad you are here.”

“Me, too,” I said, realizing this was the first time I had truly been able to deeply relax like this. In Rafael’s pack, since my lineage leaked, everything had happened in kind of a whirlwind, and I’d been caught up in it while trying to keep Alice and me safe.

I hadn’t even really had time to process the news. I wished I had more time to privately accept and understand the news before it had been made public. But I supposed that was what it meant to live in the public eye. There wasn’t much privacy about anything. Every bit moment in my life from now on, the good and the bad, would play out in front of a curious and eager public.

As I was sitting there though, I realized that whatever I had been going through, Julian had been dealing with his own troubles.

He’d been here, watching his mother die…

“How is your mom?” I asked, hoping that wasn’t the kind of question that would lead Julian into darkness. I was opening the door, offering to talk about this if he needed to, but if he wasn’t ready to talk about this yet, I would understand. I hoped he knew that.

He hummed into my ear, so I knew he heard my question. His arms stayed tight around me though, so I also guessed he did know that I meant no harm. I just wanted to support him.

“Her memory has some holes,” Julian said, somewhat evasively. “But I’ve heard that’s not uncommon for her state.”

“I could come to the hospital and look her over,” I offered. “Maybe there is something I can do.”

“No,” he said at once, abruptly and perhaps more sharply than he intended. His soft touch did not match his tone.

I remembered now, how his Beta James had told me that Julian had deemed the hospital off-limits, forbidding me from going there.

I had thought he wanted to protect Alice, but now, as I was offering to go myself without Alice, I wasn’t so sure.

“It’s no trouble,” I insisted. “I’d be happy to do it. And I can confirm that everything that could be done has been done.” This kind of thing was directly in my wheelhouse, and if it would help his mom, I was happy to offer my services.

I had confidence in my Healer abilities.

Didn’t he?

“I don’t want you anywhere near that place,” Julian said.

“But, Julian –”

“I’m serious, Amber. Mom doesn’t need your help, okay? Just stay out of it.”

I tried to be understanding, but those words were delivered just on the wrong side of cutting. They sliced into me, showing that he not just doubted me as a healer, but that he also didn’t want me there as a person, as his partner.

Suddenly, I felt much more tired than I had before, like the weight of everything that I had been pushing back was now crashing down on top of me.

I started to pull away, relieved now when his arms fell away. I stood. “It’s been a long day. I think I’m going to call in early.”

He didn’t try to stop me, or make any effort to call me back or repair things.

Instead, he said, “I’m going to head back to the hospital, but I’ll call you in the morning.”

I nodded as I walked away. When I made it to my room, which had once been one of the guest rooms, I closed the door and wondered if I had made a mistake in coming here.

Perhaps I had acted too hastily, and selfishly. I had wanted to get away from Rafael’s pack and my troubles there so desperately that I hadn’t thought what my presence here might do to Julian. He wasn’t in a state of mind to offer me comfort, or even to accept the comfort I was trying to give.

Maybe all I did by coming here was run away from my problems, hoping Julian would save me. I didn’t give any consideration that he might need saving.

If we were both drowning, who was going to be the one to save us?

Julian’s POV

Things were tense with Amber, and I knew I was to blame for that. But the thought of her going to the hospital and having to deal with my family – with my mom who hated her – was too much.

I couldn’t allow her to put herself in that position, no matter how much good she thought she could do. No matter how much I actually wanted her by my side at all times.

For her sake, she had to be far, far away from here.

I was particularly glad that she wasn’t beside me tonight, because when I walked into the hospital, I saw that Tony had someone beside him who had the same hair and shape as Olivia. Her back was to me, but I imagined this was a look alike, an actress, hired to fool Mom.

I’d told him that this was a terrible idea, and yet he seemed to go along with it anyway.

Worse, the rest of the family seemed okay with the plan. They circled this actress like sharks in the water.

“She looks so similar,” Uncle Peter said. “Why, she could be Olivia’s twin.”

“It’s truly uncanny,” Aunt Kathy agreed, nodding along with her husband.

“You know Tony from the theater?” Penny asked.

The actress nodded. “Yes. He is a true patron of the arts.”

Sheesh. Even her voice sounded similar.

Yet she shouldn’t be here at all. I certainly hadn’t agreed to this farce. Lying to Mom like this was not only unethical, it also made things more difficult.

Mom should have a chance to meet the actual love of my life, and have a chance to know our daughter.

Annoyed and angry, I stormed forward, ready to put a stop to this whole thing.

I’d pay the actress for her time, but send her on her way. No harm, no foul.

But then, she turned.

I nearly tripped over myself as I came to a halt.

This wasn’t some Olivia impersonator. This was Olivia herself!