Her sudden insistence did brighten my mood somewhat and Iughed. It was hard to say no to that face.

    “Let Julian and me talk about it,” I said.

    “Right now?” she asked, already hopping from the couch. Before I could stop her, she raced to the hallway.” Talk right now, okay?” Then she disappeared around the corner.

    I sighed in fond exasperation. She seemed to be feeling better to have this much energy and be this upbeat. Typically after shifting, she would be miserable for a long time. I didn’t know what the change was this time – the existence of the ne, the excitement of a potential vacationb, /bor the fact that Julian was here.

    Either way, this change was a massive relief, and left me feeling more open to talking to Julian, who walked closer to the couch. I stood up to talk to him, not wanting to be seated while he loomed over me.

    “I still think it’s a good idea for us to go,” he said. “Now more than ever.”

    “Because Alice wants to go?” I asked.

    “Yes,” he replied. “But also because after this happened, I put some of my team on research, searching for ways to help cure Alice. There’s nothing truly substantial yet, just threads that could eventually lead to something more. But some of the neighboring packs have been mentioned in the texts the researchers are looking into.”

    “I’ve seen those texts,” I said. “They are rumors, nothing more than gossip.”

    “Isn’t that worth checking, though? Maybe the stories are just that, but maybe they are actually what leads us to a cure.”

    Maybe. I could admit that even a longshot lead was better than none at this point. Things I had discarded in the past might be worth another look.

    But that didn’t protect us from the people who were still out there, potentially wanting to do us harm.

    “But Olivia is still out there…” I said as I wrapped my arms around myself.

    Julian swayed closer to me. At his full stance, his posture was all confidence. Looking at me, deep into my eyes, he promised, “Amber, I will keep you and Alice safe.”

    I had so many reasons for not believing him, but after his actions today, with how quickly he shifted to protect us and how fiercely he had been ready to fight for us… Maybe I had been too quicktely to misjudge

    him.

    Truly, he was a good man. A good father, who wanted to protect his daughter. While I still didn’t fully trust his feelings for me, I knew he would do his best to protect Alice, and that was good enough for me.

    As Julian looked at me, his eyes softened a little, taking on some sadness. Like he could read my thoughts, he asked, “What do I have to do to win back your trust?”

    I wished I had an answer that would suit us both. If only I had a switch in my heart that I could turn on and off. Real life was moreplicated, and my feelings were in a constant storm.

    +15 bBONUS /b

    “I don’t know,” I said.

    He inched closer. I didn’t move way.

    His arm brushed alongside my own and I found myself swaying into him without thought, seeking thefort of his warmth and presence.

    “We should go,” he said. “It would be good for all of us.”

    This time, I couldn’t argue. I only replied, “Okay.”

    Olivia’s POV

    Olivia, disguised in a wig and sunsses, watched from beyond the chain link fence of the small town airport as Julian led Amber and Alice across the tarmac to his private jet.

    Alice seemed excited, Amber seemed content. And Julian looked pleased.

    It made my blood boil.

    “Enjoy this,” she growled beneath her breath. “Because soon I will have my revenge.”

    X