Chapter 202

Amber’s POV

Even without Florence’s confidence, I was ready to push forward. I was even more motivated now, determined to prove to her how wrong she was.

I would find a cure, and I would bring it back here to help Matthew. I’d also gift it to all packs, so that any child with this affliction wouldn’t have to suffer like mine had.

First, though, I needed to solve this puzzle.

“Would you consent to me taking a blood same, Matthew?” I asked. “It will help me tremendously to find a cure.”

“It’s alright, dear,” Florence said to her grandson. “She is a Healer so good and famous, even I’ve heard of her.”

That seemed to calm him enough for me to quickly take a sample with a clean needle I had taken from the clinic. When it was done, I thanked both Matthew and Florence.

As Florence walked us to the door, she said, “I imagine we won’t be hearing from you again, but I do wish you the best, Healer Amber. That boy has suffered so much. If miracles do happen, and you manage to find a cure, I hope you will remember us.”

“I will,” I told her. “This won’t be the last time you see me.”

She hummed, but it was clear from her tone and body language that she did not believe me. “Best of luck to you.”

She held the door for us. The minute we were through it, she closed and locked it behind us.

Julian glanced at me. “Well, it could have gone worse.”

“This is progress,” I assured him.

We only made it to the end of the street, when Bill and his guards were waiting for us. I supposed we hadn’t been given as much trust and freedom as I had thought.

“If you’ve finished your business, we’ll escort you back to the edge of town,” Bill said.

I looked at Rafael and Julian, who both nodded.

“We’re done,” Rafael said and took the lead, approaching the guards.

Bill turned to lead us, while his guards took point behind us.

It all seemed rather unnecessary, as we’d already proven that we meant no harm. But I couldn’t be angry about it, knowing how hurt the people were, and how frightened they were, too.

Truly, I was pleased that they had allowed us as much as we’d been allowed. With the vial of blood in my bag, I felt closer to a cure for Alice than I ever had before. Already my mind was a flurry of possibilities and the steps I would need to take to get there.

Bill broke through my thoughts by speaking to Rafael. “I imagine you will soon bulldoze the town now, rather than keep your word.”

Rafael scoffed. “I am an Alpha. My word is not so easily broken.” Softer, more gruffly, he added, “Not even to rogues.”

As we walked, Julian reached out and laced his fingers with mine. I looked over at him and we shared a small smile.

He likely hadn’t forgotten the way I had called him my mate, and neither had I.

When this was said and done, we had a lot to think about.

For now, we just continued to the trek forward in silence, comforted by each other’s touch and the strong thrum of the mating bond between us.

Julian’s POV

As happy as I was to have Amber call me her mate, I stayed on alert for her sake as we were escorted out of town. I’d already been shot once, in protecting Rafael. I wasn’t going to let my guard down at all for the rest of our time here.

Bill spoke to the guards at the edge of the town, who separated to let us by. Rafael’s enforcers were still waiting for us on the other side, and they seemed visibly relieved as Rafael was returned to their number.

None of us said a word as we walked back along the old road to where we had left our cars.

Only when we were inside, did we start to talk again.

“What an absolute cluster fuck,” Rafael grumbled.

I was inclined to agree, but probably not for the same reasons.

Rafael had made clear that he didn’t care for rogues. As an Alpha, I could agree with him on that. After all, someone didn’t just get exiled. There was a process, and almost always a good reason.

But this experience had been eye-opening for me. Once the rogues left the pack, I didn’t really think of them again. Yeah, their names were added to checks and borders, to keep them from re-entering, but once that was done, and if they never resurfaced, I didn’t give much thought what might happen to them.

Seeing a town like this, where the rogues had congregated, trying to survive, it raised so many new questions that I foolishly and perhaps callously had never considered before.

They children were what struck me the most.

“That Bill actually thought I would raze the town down,” Rafael scoffed.

“At first, honestly brother, it didn’t seem like you were against that idea,” Amber said.

He huffed, like that wasn’t true, even though I could back Amber up on this. He definitely had some… controversial opinions when we had first entered the town. That they tried to kill him on sight didn’t really help with that opinion.

Though, oddly, he didn’t seem all that worked up about that part of it. The history between him and that Jessica seemed strange indeed. At least he seemed grateful that I saved his life.

That was neither here nor there right now in this discussion.

“It does present a type of ethical dilemma,” I said, struggling with my own morality here. “Yes, the rogues had cause to be exiled, but does that mean their children should suffer the same fate?”

Rafael groaned like he didn’t want to agree, but then he did, “It is a problem, certainly. Our must have faced it before.”

“Maybe they didn’t care,” I said. “But should we continue that trend? Should we turn our backs too?”

I already knew that for me, the answer was no. The minute I had a free moment, I was going to call my pack and have my Beta bring this issue to the council. Perhaps we could find a timely resolution that would satisfy every party.

I didn’t expect that same answer for Rafael, at least not at first. The longer he went without answering, the more I wasn’t so sure.

“If we expect them to be different than their fathers than we must be as well,” Rafael said.

Amber looked at us both and smiled. “I’m proud of you. Rafael. Julian. Not many Alphas would face this issue head on.”

I returned her smile, happy to have pleased her.

Rafael huffed again. “Don’t pretend like this isn’t thanks to your influence, sister.”

“Me?”

Rafael scoffed. To me, he said, “Knowing her longer, I’m guessing you’ve seen how stubborn she can me even more than I have.”

“I have,” I agreed. “And she’s very convincing on top of it.”

“Certainly,” Rafael said.

“Hey!” Amber said, her face reddening slightly at the teasing.

What a strange moment it was, siding with Rafael to tease his sister, my mate. For a moment, it almost seemed like we could get along. Like Rafael might not be as opposed to my being with Amber as he had been previously.

This time, I didn’t have to ask him if I’d impressed him, or if things had changed. I had a very real sense that they had.

As we neared the pack, and the mood had settled between the three of us back to calm reflection, Amber said, “I need to get to the clinic as soon as possible.”

Rafael spoke up before I could. “That place will be swarmed when the public learns you are there. There’s no way we’re letting you do that.”

I glanced at Rafael and then at Amber who looked back at me with pleading eyes.

“We won’t let you go,” I said, adding one very crucial word, “alone.”