Chapter 182

Amber’s POV

“Julian’s not here,” I said. Normally, I would be on guard with Tony, and while I still felt that way in a sense, I was more concerned with everything else going on at the moment.

“Do you know where he is? After I heard the news, well, I was worried…” Tony said. His eyes came back to me and he looked at me with some uncertainty, like he was trying to discern how much about everything I knew.

“Yes, I’ve seen the news, too,” I told him. “The enforcers are even in my living room at the moment, looking for that recording device.”

“They… are…?” he said somewhat haltingly, his brow pulling together in a troubled expression. “Yes, I suppose that would make sense, given the leaked audio.”

“If you want to speak with Julian, he’s at his office,” I said, ready to close the door and end this conversation once and for all.

Immediately he leaned forward, placing himself over the threshold of the doorway, making it impossible for me to close the door without either shoving him or hitting him.

“While I’m here,” he said. “I’d like to talk to you, Amber, and make sure you are okay.”

“I’m fine,” I told him, but he gave me a curious look.

“Is that true?” he asked. “With everything going on, I’m sure you could use a friendly ear. I’d be happy to listen to you.”

“That’s not necessary,” I said. Yes, I was eager to talk to someone about this, but not him. I barely knew him at all, and I didn’t trust him. Even now, looking at him gave me that same uncomfortable feeling I had the last time I saw him.

“I understand,” he said. “I just thought you might want to talk to someone that has the inside knowledge of how terrible this news is going to be for the family and for the pack. There is going to be such a huge fallout. I had thought, perhaps together, we could work together to try to take some of the weight of Julian.”

He could have been manipulating me, I knew that. Yet, those were the exact words that I needed to hear to allow myself to be manipulated. I had to take that chance, no matter what else happened.

So with a subtle grimace, I stepped back into the foyer, opening the door more fully to allow for him to step inside. As he did, after I closed the door behind him, I led him back to the den where the television as still on. Again, they were replaying the audio. I picked up the remote and muted the television.

I felt so responsible. Julian had only said those things to comfort me. He had thought, as I did, that they had been spoken in private and wouldn’t be repeated outside the walls of this house.

Instead, someone had callously taped our conversation and released it for the whole pack to hear. It felt violating, and that person could only be someone vile.

I placed down the remote a bit too harshly, making a loud clatter.

Tony walked closer to me, concern in his face. “Everything’s alright, Amber. It’s bad, but it’s going to be okay.”

I didn’t believe him, but I didn’t want to snap at him. After all, he had saved Julian’s life and Julian trusted him. That meant that I should have been able to as well.

Yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my skin to stop crawling in his presence. It was unfair to him. Other than his lashing out at Alice, who I knew was still sleeping upstairs at the moment, thank the Gods, I had no reason to hate him. And he had already apologized for his behavior to Alice.

He’d even saved Julian since then. If that didn’t make up for everything, nothing would.

I tried to control my feelings. My anger, my hurt, my discomfort. Everything.

“Can I offer you a drink?” I asked. “I know it’s early but with a day like today…” I gestured to the television. “With news like this, a drink might help take the edge off.”

“I’ll only have one if you have one too,” Tony said. “I think we could both use the break.”

I nodded a little. “That sounds good.” Turning, I moved to the bar to pour us a couple of hard drinks. This turned my back to the room, and to Tony.

As I was focusing on lifting one of the glass decanters, I didn’t notice Tony come up closer behind me, until he’d already grabbed my shoulder and plunged the sharp end of a needle into my neck.

I dropped the decanter, my body already going weak.

He removed the needle and stepped back.

I fell to the ground. From there, I struggled but managed to turn to look at him, my vision going dark.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I need more time before you are allowed to remember what I’ve done.” He seemed genuinely apologetic, his lips curling down at the corners. “It’s either this or I kill you outright, and I really don’t want to do that to Julian or Alice.”

“I’ll… still… die…” I said, each word a terrible struggle.

“Yes,” Tony said. “But it will kill you much slower, and you’ll still have time left. It will still be a tragedy but your husband and daughter will have time to say goodbye. It’s much more humane than murder.”

“It’s… still…” Murder.

I passed out before I could finish my words, the darkness totally overtaking my vision and dragging me down into unconsciousness.

Julian’s POV

I paced in the office of the president of the news station that was currently airing recordings of my private conversation with Amber. I could see it, as the president had three televisions going on in his office at all times. I’d managed to mute all three while I waited for him to arrive, not wanting to hear myself in stereo.

In my anger, my whole body was shaking. I had to curl my hands into fists to try to stop my trembling hands, cutting my fingernails into my skin. With the pain came clarity. If I allowed the anger to overwhelm me, I would shift right here in this office and tear everything apart.

How dare they repeat that private conversation? I had thought this news organization to have dignity and respect, yet here they were putting my words meant only for my mate on air twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

And what say did I have in the matter? I didn’t. I already knew the arguments. I was a public figure so they were going to use that as an excuse for me to not be allowed privacy.

If it was me talking to myself, I might not have been this angry. The fact that this was a private matter between Amber and me was what set me off. She didn’t deserve to have her heart dragged through the mud.

I had promised I would protect her and her heart and I couldn’t even fulfill that promise for one day!

As I seethed, the president finally returned.

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” he said. “I’ve looked into it, and I can’t offer you a name of who gave us the recording. The woman demanded anonymity.”

That annoyed me, but did reveal at least one secret.

A woman delivered this audio recording to the news station.

It could only be Olivia, then. But how did she do it?

How could Olivia have gotten into my house?