Chapter 243

Julian’s POV

After my meeting with the council, I saw Amber’s missing calls and her message. Worried that something was wrong, I immediately called her back.

She picked up right away. “Julian?”

“Amber, what’s happening?”

“Could you please come home?” she asked.

“Did something happen?” I asked again.

“No, I just… I’m worried about you.”

“About me?” Ridiculous. “Amber, I’m Alpha.”

“That doesn’t mean she won’t try something,” Amber said. “Someone has before.”

I knew what she meant. My own silver wounds still ached sometimes, evidence of the ambush Tony had led me straight into.

I was Alpha, but I wasn’t invincible. A few well-aimed silver bullets would eventually bring me down. But that would be difficult to accomplish. Olivia would have to manage to get very close to me to achieve that.

“I’m going to be fine, Amber. You and Alice stay safe. That’s all that matters to me,” I said.

“Your safety matters to me too, Julian. I just… I have a bad feeling. I know you are doing important things. I know the pack needs unified, but I would prefer it immensely if you would just come home, okay?

I loved Amber so much that there was little I wouldn’t do for her. But with Tony’s press conference being arranged for this afternoon, I couldn’t just bail on this situation. “I’ll be home tonight,” I told her.

“Julian.” That wasn’t good enough, I could tell with her tone of voice.

“I’m sorry, Amber. This is too important. Besides, I’m certain Olivia is going after you, not me.” I thought a moment, trying to come up with a solution. “Why don’t I call Aunt Kathy and Penny, and have them come over and sit with you. Tony is going to give a press conference this afternoon, you can all watch it.”

“I don’t know…”

“It’s going to be fine, Amber. I promise.”

I didn’t know what had happened to scare Amber, or if this sudden fear was just a feeling she had, but I didn’t have time to acknowledge it, even though I wanted to.

There was too much to do, too much at stake.

“I’ll be home as soon as I can,” I told her.

“Okay…” she said. Just… please be careful Julian.”

“I will.” I could promise that much. “I’ll see about getting more guards at the press conference, okay? But I’m sure it will be fine.”

Amber’s POV

I welcomed Aunt Kathy and Penny into the house, but I remained anxious. I could understand Julian dismissing my concerns, even though it worried me. By all accounts Alice and I were the more vulnerable ones.

But Julian was the one who was out there. That should have been enough reason to be concerned.

Aunt Kathy and Penny seemed to have other matters on their mind.

“I can’t believe Tony is going to actually do the right thing,” Penny said. “He’s been off the rails for so long.”

“As a feral, he was trapped in the prison of his own mind,” Aunt Kathy said. “That changes people.”

They came into the living room with me, joining me on the couch. Alice was sitting on the floor. She had brought down more dolls since our talk earlier and was now arranging them all so that they were watching the television.

“He was never a bad child,” Aunt Kathy explained. “Just misguided. He was easily led astray. Hopefully, without that temptress around, and having recovered his mind, some of his sense came back with it.”

I wasn’t sure I could be as forgiving to Tony as his family was. After all, the man had taken part in plots that could have hurt or killed Julian, Alice, and myself. Whether or not he had turned a new leaf, I wanted him to sit in jail for a while.

That seemed to be the plan, at least, regardless of what he spoke on today.

“Let’s just hear what he has to say for himself,” I said. “Then we’ll see if he can be redeemed or not.”

Aunt Kathy nodded, and Penny appeared thoughtful.

The news stations were already outside of the jail where Tony was to give his press conference soon. They weren’t the only ones setting up there. From the shots of the parking lot, a large crowd was arriving to hear Tony’s words from themselves.

I wondered how many of Tony’s fans were there. Would they accept his words, if he chose to back Julian? Would they be willing to try to unify under Julian as Alpha?

It was difficult to tell simply from panned shots over the crowd.

“Mommy!” Alice shouted suddenly.

I nearly jumped off the couch at the alarm in her voice. “What is it, Alice?”

“There!” she pointed at the screen, but I saw too late what she was pointing to. The camera had already panned away. Soon, it came back though. “There!” she said again, pointing once more. “It’s her!”

This time, with dread, I saw who she meant.

Olivia was in the crowd outside the jail, waiting for the speech to begin. She had changed her hair color, and she looked somewhat gaunt and pale. But there could be no mistake this time. That was definitely her.

I was on my feet in an instant, silver poison pains or no. Grabbing my phone, I tried to call Julian. The line rang and rang and he didn’t answer.

“Answer, Julian. Please.”

“He can’t,” Penny said.

“Why not?” I asked.

She gestured toward the screen, and I saw my mate stepping out onto the stage behind Tony as Tony came out to give his speech.

Olivia was in that crowd in front of them. Gods knew what she was planning to do, but I was certain, down to my very bones, that it was nothing good.

If he wasn’t answering his phone… if he couldn’t…

Then…

“I have to get there,” I said, and started walking toward the door.

“What? Amber?!” Aunt Kathy said, trying to push herself up from the couch.

Penny was quicker, following me into the foyer. “If Olivia is there, that’s all the more reason for you not to go.”

I wasn’t going to be convinced otherwise. I just felt it, that Olivia wasn’t after Alice and me this time. She wanted Julian.

I threw open the front door, ready to run through it, but a pair of guards were there, their backs to me. They seemed surprised when I opened the door, and more so to find me there, looking like I was about ready to raise all kinds of hell.

“Ma’am? Are you trying to leave? We can’t let you,” one of the them said to me.

“Julian is in danger,” I told them. “Olivia is in the crowd at the event. I have to be there. I have to get there. Right now.”

“We’re under strict orders to—”

“I’m going whether you help me or not,” I told them. “If I have to shimmy out a window and sneak out, I will. But it will be far less dangerous if you actually escort me.”

One of the guards seemed hopelessly lost.

The other put his phone to his ear and walked away a few steps.

“We need to call this in,” the guard said.

“I’m going,” I told him.

The guard finally relented. “We’ll split the force. Some will stay here to watch the family and Alice. The rest will cover you.”

Finally.