Chapter b141 /b

    Julian’s POV

    The moment Amber called me and told me what was going on, that Alice was missing, had likely ran away, and was probably heading to the hotel to find me, I had felt like my entire world was hanging in

    the bnce.

    I’d been so far from the hotel, already having walked several miles in the opposite direction. I hadn’t been ready to sit still yet, wanting to clear my head from all the stray and worrisome thoughts that had gued me since the debacle at the restaurant.

    Since Chase kissed Amber…

    Since Olivia imed that Chase and Amber had been lovers…

    That phone call had sent me spiraling. I changed directions so quickly that I still felt dizzy. Then I shifted, racing back here as fast as my Alpha werewolf legs would carry me.

    Blessedly, I had found Alice and held her now. She seemed unharmed.

    If anyone would have tried to hurt her, I swear they would know the meaning of pain.

    “Alice… are you okayb?/b” I asked, because though she seemed physically alright, she was crying.

    “There were these scary men,” she said, briefly filling me in on some of what she had experienced. It was difficult to discern most of it through her panted breathing and her tears, but I understood she had been

    chased, and Olivia had intervened.

    Looking up, I caught Olivia watching us now. I would approach herter, to find out what truly happened. If she could identify these men, I could hunt them down.

    But that couldeter. For right now, I needed to do what was best for my little girl. That meant keeping her safe. And also telling her mom where she was.

    I shuffled Alice over so that I could hold her with one arm while I fished my phone out of my pocket with

    my other.

    “What are you doing?” Alice asked, sniffling.

    “Telling your mom where you are,” I said. “And that you are okay.”

    “Don’tb!/b” she said, and tried to reach for my phone. I moved quickly, pulling it out of her reach.

    Amber had guessed that Alice woulde to me, but I didn’t consider she might be running from Amber

    itoo/i. That didn’t seem right. By my estimations, Amber seemed like a great mom who would do anything for her daughter, and until now, Alice had always seemed happy.

    “Did something happen?” I asked her. “Are you mad at your mom?”

    Alice slouched a little. “Maybe…”

    I gave her a look. I hadn’t really gotten to try out more fatherly looks yet, but this definitely was one. I was being stern, pushing her for more information without having to say anything or pry it out of her with

    words.

    The look worked because she sighed and answered. “She kissed Chase…” Alice grumbled, frowning.”

    Chase is okay, but he’s not who I want to be my dad.”

    My anger for Chase resurfaced. He’d cut so many wounds with that careless kiss, even making a few on himself, I suspected. No wonder Alice had thrown that bear out the window.

    As much as I would have liked to bad–mouth Chase to get Alice onto my side, the truth of the matter was

    that while Amber was secretly still my wife, she didn’t believe herself bound to me in any way.

    As such, as much as I hated it, she could still kiss whoever she wanted.

    In this case, it was clear that Chase had forced a kiss on Amber, but… I didn’t know what to believe, really.

    If she and Chase did get together someday… Well, whatever happened wouldn’t change things between

    Alice and me.

    She would always be my little girl.

    “Alice…”

    “You are my dad,” she said, and hugged me tightly around the neck, burying her face in my shoulder.

    I hugged her back, squeezing her as tightly andfortingly as I could without hurting her.

    “I am,” I said. “But I don’t need to be kissing your mom to have that right. You are my daughter, no matter

    what else happens. Even if your mom and me aren’t together. You are my daughter, and that will never

    change. No matter what.”