Chapter 59

Amber’s POV

The next day after I entered the office, I told Anna everything that happened with Julian and the meeting with Alice. As I explained, I tried to be as non-partial as I could be, but my own feelings seeped through without my meaning to.

It was hard not to be emotional and partial when I was talking about the future of my child.

Her face was cloudy throughout my speaking. When I finished, she seemed absolutely furious on my behalf.

“I knew he’d try something like this,” she said. “He never gave you the respect and consideration you deserved, always making these choices for you – you’ll be a housewife, you’ll stay hidden… I’m sorry to say I’m not surprised that he is now trying to dictate everything for your child too. It must be the Alpha way.”

“I didn’t even let Alice say goodbye…” I said, feelings some guilt over that. I still wanted the two to have a relationship, but I didn’t want to entirely lose her to him. What was so wrong with visitations? Every other weekends? Even summers, I would negotiate. But for Alice to move to Thorn pack permanently?

I couldn’t stand the thought, not after I’d gone through so much to escape that pack.

And who knew if and when Julian’s opinion on Alice would turn? Yes, he supported her now, but if she started to do things he didn’t like, would his attitude switch? Would he want to keep her hidden, or force her to be something she wasn’t?

I couldn’t stand it if that were true, but by then, it would already be too late to do anything about it.

There had to be something I could do. Julian’s showing up here meant that if I tried to run again, he would only keep tracking us down.

I could try to talk to him, but he was so damn stubborn. Once he thought he had made the most logical decision, it was very difficult to talk him out of it.

On paper, it made sense. Alice would receive the most financial benefit from returning with Julian to the pack and being raised as his heir. But emotionally, would that be best? That was much more difficult to determine.

My point that Julian didn’t know what love was had been a low blow at the time, but it was a truth that I’d secretly harbored for years. I didn’t think him incapable. His mother was a kind soul, and surely he had inherited some of that. And there had been moments when we’d been together where I almost saw a side of him that encouraged me to believe…

But in the end, he had cast me aside so quickly, so viciously, it was like I had never meant anything to him at all, despite being his wife. To me, that had been the truth of it. Of everything.

That had been what made me doubt he even knew what love was. Because the way he treated me? That was anything but.

I wouldn’t let my daughter learn those ways. Duty was important, as was pack, but it wasn’t more important than love and self-respect.

Julian valued pack so highly that I worried down the line, he might even force Alice into some kind of arranged marriage or something. He’d probably tell her, ‘It’s for the good of the pack!’

Over my dead body.

“There has to be something we can do to convince him,” I said, though maybe that was wishful thinking. I really didn’t want to have to run again, to keep running, to keep restarting our lives every time Julian got close.

And again, I wanted Julian and Alice to have a relationship. But not one where he totally controlled her life.

And mine.

“Alice is happy here,” Anna said, after a moment considering. “Maybe if you could show him that being here has benefits…”

It was an idea. Though, in truth, I was ready to keep Alice far away from Julian. At least for now.

There was a knock on the door, and my assistant Carla poked her head through. “Amber… That man from yesterday is here for you.”

My stomach dropped. I had just seen him yesterday, and already I was going to have to be faced with him again? Did he want to argue more? I didn’t know if I was ready for that.

Carla continued, “He said he’s here to start his training...?” Carla had a puzzled look on her face.

Anna and I mirrored it as we looked at each other.

Whatever he was really here for, there was no avoiding it until I faced him. For now, I had to be an adult and find out what he wanted.

Standing from my desk, I said to Anna, “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” she said.

I walked around the desk and then out into the hallway, where I followed Carla to the waiting room. There, much like yesterday, Julian was standing, waiting for me. In was in his full suit today, with his hair carefully slicked back.

“I didn’t know what to wear,” he said. “We didn’t talk about a dress code.”

My brow drew together in confusion. He seemed earnest in the way he talked, like he was genuine.

“A dress code for…?” I prompted.

“Didn’t she tell you?” he asked, motioning to Carla who is returning to her desk. “I’m here for my training. We didn’t talk about a specific time for it to happen, but I thought the sooner the better. If I’m going to help you put this project into action, I should probably learn how to do things.”

“Things…?” I was still having trouble following along. We had talked about the project, about perhaps traveling to the different packs to help sick children. But that had been one of many conversations, the latter of which did not end with any kind of comradery.

“Whatever you need me to do,” he clarified. “I assure you I am capable, and I’m ready and willing to learn whatever I don’t already know. I am your most dutiful student, Amber. I want to be your assistant.”

I blinked, unsure.

“You did still want to complete the project…?” he asked.

I did. That much was true. But after everything else we had talked about…

No, maybe this was the perfect opportunity. If I could show him how capable I was, and how good of a life Alice had with me, not tied up in the Thorn capital, maybe I could convince him to consider visitations or shared custody, rather than taking Alice from me.

We’d already established that I couldn’t escape him, even if I tried to run.

Maybe this was the chance I needed…

If we could get close, if he could see…

Maybe he would soften his stance on this enough to see things my way.

Yet even as I welcomed him into one of the back offices, I still wasn’t sure this was real.

I set him up at a computer, got him some credentials and logged him in. He sat at the desk while I leaned over him. He glanced back at me, while I looked at him. We were close.

Too close.

“Amber…” he said, a whisper. Something softened in the depths of his eyes. He looked at me with an affection that reminded me of a time long ago. He would often look at me like this, especially right before we explored our passion for each other.

Blushing, I quickly leaned back.

I couldn’t get distracted here. We were bound to be in close proximity if he was serious about pursuing this project.

I had to stay strong and remember my purpose.

I had to convince him that staying with me was the best option for Alice. And if that meant allowing him to shadow me for the next few months, then I had to do that.

Without getting my heart involved.