bChapter /bb159 /b

    Julian’s POV

    With Chase headed north and Olivia totally missing, I took a moment bto /bcall my Beta back in the packnds and inform him of what was going on here. After exining things, my Beta agreed to put out an alert, bto /bclose the borders to Chase and Olivia. If either were spotted in the packnds, they were to be imprisoned at once until I could return and deal with them.

    This didn’t totally put my mind at ease, as Amber and Alice weren’t within the packnds where I could keep them safe. I could reach out to the Alpha of this pack, but there would be no guarantee that we could even track Olivia down.

    Olivia was smart, and she had the financial means to disappear.

    Moving forward, all of us would have to be careful.

    After this call, feeling that I had done all that I could, I headed to the clinic to check on Alice. I didn’t bhave /b

    a car anymore, bso /bI walked as briskly as I could back across town to where the clinic was.

    Inside, Ca waved me through immediately. She was working on something at her station. I didn’t have time to see what it was or worry why she was so distracted, not with my daughter’s health on the line.

    I found Amber and Alice inside one of the exam rooms. Alice was being checked over by one of the healers Amber had brought on to help the clinic in her absence. We were supposed to have been long gone by now. Instead, here we were.

    Amber made eye contact with me when I came in, but she didn’t ask any questions. Instead, she slid her gaze back to Alice and the healer examining her.

    My eyes went there too. The healer was bandaging up some of the many scrapes, cuts, and bruises all

    over Alice’s small body.

    The shifting truly had seemed to have done a number on her. She looked like she had been in a fight with a wolverine. Immediatelyb, /bsome of the rage red to life inside of me once more. Maybe it had been

    wrong of me to let Chase go, after all. Perhaps I should have just killed him and been done with it.

    Every protective instinct inside of me was ring to life, begging me to do something and bstop /bthe bpain /bAlice was still going through as she whimpered lightly.

    b“/bPlease be more gentleb,/bb” /bbI /bsaid, snapping despite myself.

    The healer looked over at me. “I am being gentle.”

    “She’s crying,” I said.

    b“/bbIt /bwill bhurt worse /bbif /bbit’s /bbleft /bbuntreated/bb,/bb” /bthe healer said. She looked at bAmber /bbfor /bbsupport/b. bI /bbdid/bb, /bbtoo/b. bAs /bba /b

    healer herself, Amber should have been able to tell this new person that her daughter deserved better

    bcare/bb. /b

    Instead, Amber looked at me. b“/bI’m sorry, but the healer is right. Alice knows this too. It has to hurt ba /blittle bit now to save a lot of hurtter.” Amber’s own eyes held pain, even if the words were delivered as a healer would say them.

    This had to be hurting her as much as it hurt me.

    Yet neither of us were hurting as much as Alice herself.

    b“/bIt’s okayb, /bDaddy,b” /bAlice sniffled. “I’m a strong girl. I won’t cry anymore…”

    “I didn’t mean that, Alice,” I said at once, my heart breaking. “I know you are touch and strong. bYou /bcan bcry /ball you want, okay? I just… I wish you didn’t have to do this…”

    “We all do,” Amber added.

    The healer continued to work and eventually finished. As they turned to leave, I realized I had been a bit of a jerk. I stopped them before they were through the door. “I’m sorryb,/b” I said. “I didn’t mean to lose my temper. bI /bjust… she’s so special to me.”

    “I understand,” the healer said. “A father should be protective of his children. I simply wish there was more I could bdo/b.”