Chapter 183

Julian’s POV

“Of course, you know, while you are here…” the president of the news station continued. His name was Harold, and he had been a friend of my father’s. But that had been back when he was a wide-eyed fresh reporter, not the president of the entire company. “Perhaps you would like to make a statement on the matter.”

“Absolutely not,” I snapped.

Greed had changed this man from someone who liked to deliver facts to someone who would do anything for ratings – and for the money those ratings would put into his pocket.

“This about it, Alpha. This could be your chance to clear your name and set the record straight.”

He didn’t care anything about my name or my reputation and I knew that. But my appearance on his station would have the entire pack tuning in.

Not only was I not going to do that, I was also going to turn this around on him, which had been my plan from the start, after hopefully finding out who had leaked that audio recording.

“That recording was made illegally, from someone sneaking into my private residence,” I said fiercely. “I may be a public figure but I still have a right to privacy. Words spoken between my wife and I in our own home are not for everyone’s ears. Either you take that audio recording down, stop this coverage, or we will have a judge decide.”

What I hoped might intimidate Harold did not seem to have that effect. Instead, he just seemed exasperated.

“What’s done is done, Alpha,” Harold said. “Even if I stopped airing that now, the people of this pack would still talk about it. And they would then accuse you of corruption for trying to cover it up. I’m telling you this now, out of respect to your father, that an interview is the only way to turn this around for you.”

“And the money you would make from that ratings increase isn’t motivating you at all?” I accused.

“I won’t lie, the money helps. But it is not the reason I am saying this. I’ve been in this industry a long time. I have seen scandals like this arise and fall in the past,” Harold said. “I know, from experience, that the only way for you to survive this storm is to get ahead of it. Go on air, tell everyone you were saying things just to make your mate happy and that you didn’t mean any of it. Then, you will weather this.”

He wanted me to lie. Or maybe he assumed I had already lied, to Amber.

He could be telling the truth. Given what I had said, that I was placing my family above the good of the pack, the best thing to do for my standing in the pack was to back track that statement.

For Alphas, the pack was to be first with everything after.

I’d lived that way in the past and I had almost lost my family because of it.

Hell, I had lost my family because of it, and I’d missed the first six years of my daughter’s life.

I loved this pack, and I found personal fulfillment and happiness in leading it to success and prosperity. But why couldn’t I continue to do that, without the expense of my family?

Why couldn’t I have both of those things?

“I will not bring my family into the spotlight,” I said.

Harold sighed like a disappointed father. “It is already in the spotlight. And it will only get worse the longer you try to ignore it. The people feel uncertain, Alpha. They need reassurance and you are the only one to give it.”

“Have your reporters say something,” I said, already checking out of this conversation.

“They’ve been saying something. All morning, since the news broke,” Harold said. “You are the only one the people want to hear from. You are the only one whose opinion has any real merit in this discussion. And if you don’t clarify for the people where your values are, they will come to resent you.”

My values were as I said, but I had a feeling admitting that would only make things worse. If the pack discovered that they truly were second in my heart, after Amber and Alice, their fears would prove true.

If I couldn’t smother this story, which seemed impossible now, I needed to find another way. I wasn’t going to find that way in this room with Harold and all his vested self-interests.

But if not here… where?

Amber’s POV

When I blinked my eyes open, I had the worst headache. I was in my bed, but I was fully dressed for the day. The sun was high too, filling my room with the brightness of midday, not the dim brightness of morning.

Had I slept walked? Or had I woken up, changed, and then fallen back asleep?

I didn’t remember anything at all, and when I tried to, my headache only hurt worse.

What the hell had happened to me?

With growing dread, I started to have a suspicion. This wasn’t the first time, I had woken up with a cloudy head and a gap in my memory.

Had someone come to visit me this morning? Had I met with the poisoner again?

I couldn’t be sure.

No sooner had that thought struck me, though, then I was filled with fear for Alice. If someone was here, close enough to get to me, then could they have gotten to her as well?

Panic flashing through me, I jumped from my bed and then ran down the hallway to Alice’s bedroom. She was in there, sitting on the floor, playing with her dolls. She was changed for the day, but in mismatched clothes and a tutu – an outfit she would have picked for herself.

“Alice?” I asked, squeaking slightly, my throat closed tight.

Alice looked behind her, making eye contact with me. “Hi, Mom. You okay?”

“I am now,” I said, coming closer to her. I knelt down at her side and checked her over. “Are you alright? Did anything weird happen this morning?”

“Something weird…?” Alice asked, tilting her head.

“I just had a bad feeling,” I said.

Alice considered this. “Is it because of Cousin Tony?”

I blinked, startled. “What makes you say that?”

“Well…” She worried her hands together. “I came downstairs this morning and you were talking to him. It seemed like adult talk so I didn’t bother you… But you seemed upset.”

I didn’t remember that at all. Gods, I needed to get tested for poisoning, as soon as possible.

“I have to go to the hospital, honey. Will you come with me? Maybe Aunt Kathy and Penny will be there.”

“Okay,” Alice said, agreeable.

I was glad she didn’t seem to catch onto my growing dread. Holding her hand, I led her downstairs to the front door.

One of the servants seemed surprised when I went to the door, and hurried to intercept. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Have you forgotten? Alpha Julian asked for you not to leave the house today.”

That was news to me. “Why wouldn’t I be able to leave?”

“Because of the news, Ma’am…”

I frowned. “What news?”