Chapter 223

Amber’s POV

Julian and I stayed with Gloria for a while before a few of Julian’s family members came through the door to join us. They looked between us and Gloria before saying, “We just want to sit with her a while.”

“Of course,” I said and offered one of them my seat.

Once they did, we all sat quietly for a long moment. The two that were sitting with us had always leaned more toward supporting Tony than supporting Julian, but they seemed pensive right now, looking at Gloria and her injuries.

“The only person who has been able to come in here, other than the healers and the guards, has been Tony himself,” one said. “How can he continue to expect us to believe he had nothing to do with this? He can’t think we would suspect the healers?”

“I wish I could tell you that he didn’t do this to his own family,” Julian said. “But after our debate, I suspect that he’ll now do anything to win, even if that means hurting people that love him.”

“He said you didn’t care about Gloria,” the other family member said. “Tony told us that you abandoned her in her hour of need. And we believed him. You simply weren’t here anymore.”

“I had my reasons,” Julian said.

“Yes, we know. We saw the debate.” One sighed. “We’re sorry it took us this long to see how Tony has changed.”

Julian waved them off. “That you can see now is the only thing I need.”

They nodded.

“He’s truly gone too far,” one said. “Poor Gloria.”

“She will make it through this,” I said. I didn’t know the woman well, but I had studied her physiology in my efforts to save her. Though I couldn’t do more than I already had to help, I was confident that the tools we had provided her wolf would help her survive on her own. “She has a lot to live for.”

I looked at Julian and gave him a soft smile.

He returned it briefly, and I knew that my offer of support had been accepted and appreciated.

“I hope you kick Tony’s ass,” said one of the family members, startling all of us, even herself. After a second’s pause, she continued, “I’m serious! He needs to get kicked into next Tuesday.”

“I don’t think you will have any trouble with him,” said the other family member, to Julian. “He’s never been a fighter. He’s only ever been a performer. I wish he would have stayed with the theater instead of taking up politics.”

“Don’t we all,” said the first.

While I was also sure that physically Julian could take Tony in fair one on one combat, I was just as sure that with Olivia’s involvement, Tony was going to cheat.

“You still need to be careful,” I said, hoping I wasn’t bringing down the mood too much by expressing caution. “Likely, he is still depending on Olivia, and if she is helping him, I don’t think she will want to play fair.”

“She definitely won’t,” Julian said, and I was relieved that we were on the same page here. “I promise I’ll be cautious, but I won’t back down. There is no way I’m going to turn the pack over to Tony and Olivia.”

Of that, it seemed, we could all agree.

“My only other concern,” I said, “is that they might come back here to try to hurt Gloria again. Though you may have been able to convince the council to allow us entrance this time, there’s no saying if that can change.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” said one of the family members. “We might have failed before, but seeing what happened because of it… Never again. We will watch this room like hawks. No one is going to get in or out without our say so, I don’t care what the guards say.”

The other family member agreed. “Healers and family only. No Tony and no Olivia. No unknowns at all!”

Hearing their passion gave me some relief and I nodded, pleased with their easy acceptance of the change here. They could have stubbornly chosen to ignore the evidence in front of them and continue backing Tony…

Yet I think seeing Gloria in this position helped shift something inside of them. Tony wasn’t so infallible anymore, as he had been the only one with the means and opportunity to hurt their other beloved family member.

“They’ll do the right thing,” Julian told me later, when we had gone to my makeshift office for a minute, to have a breather and be alone. “Family has always been most important to them. For Tony to betray that… He must have known he would lose them.” He shook his head. “He’s desperate.”

I looked down at the foot and a half of space between us. “It’s that desperation, along with Olivia’s involvement that makes me worry.”

“Hey,” he said gently. He closed the distance between us at once, then cupping my cheeks with his palms, softly coaxed my face upwards, my gaze meeting his once more.

“I beat Roman, remember?” he asked. “He was a fighter. There’s nothing I can’t do. At least, not with you there cheering me on.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. Some of my worries went away with the kiss. “You will be there for me, won’t you?”

“Yes,” I told him and leaned up for another kiss. After a few more, I stopped him to say, “But I don’t want Alice to be there. She’s too young for all this.”

“We’ll keep her from it,” Julian said. “We can have Aunt Kathy come over to watch her, and make sure they only watch cartoons or a nature documentary or something.”

I nodded, somewhat satisfied with this.

“I’m still a little nervous,” I admitted. I didn’t like the idea of Julian fighting anyone, chancing getting hurt. I wanted him to be in my life safe and sound.

Though I suppose even everyday life had its own dangers. Yet, to go into an arena felt like it was egging danger on.

“I suppose I’ll just have to keep helping you relax, then,” he said. “A few more kisses should do.”

“It might take more than a few,” I said.

“As many as you need,” he replied and kissed me again.

Olivia’s POV

That night, I waited outside of Julian’s estate in a rental car parked on the street. I was down a ways, and wearing dark clothing, keeping out of sight. So far, I’d remained unseen.

My vigil finally paid off when Julian, Amber, and Alice finally arrived home. They parked their car, and went to the door, Alice leading the charge.

I stayed watchful as the family entered the house and went their separate ways. I carefully watched which lights came on in which windows, mapping the house out in my mind. I had been in there before, but it had been some time now. I needed to be sure my recollection matched with reality.

Alice must have run upstairs, as I watched a light click on and her shadow appear in the window. Was that her bedroom? It was a bit high up, but I could make the situation work.

I might have tracked down some performance enhancing potions for Tony, but I still didn’t trust him to win. Even if he did, he would be feral.

I needed my own insurance, especially as Amber consistently kept getting in the way.

The best way I could do that, was with a Plan B.

Watching Alice in the window, I already had that Plan B forming.

A kidnapping would keep Amber in line this time.