bChapter /bb94 /b

    Amber’s POV

    bFor /bdinner, Alice and I decided on pizza. So when the doorbell rang, I assumed it was the pizza delivery man. I went there, utched the lock, and threw open the door without checking.

    Then, turning to greet the delivery driver, I saw Julian standing there instead, and I froze.

    “Amber, I was hoping we could talk,” he said.

    Though it took me a moment, I recovered quickly enough to tell him. “I don’t think we have anything

    more to say to each other.”

    “I disagree.”

    I started to close the door.

    “Wait!”

    Despite myself, I paused.

    “Amber, please. At least give me the chance to exin.”

    “And why should I?” I asked. “Isn’t Olivia waiting for you somewhere? I’m sure she would rather have your time.”

    I was being petty and I knew it. But I was also furious. Not only did he get Olivia pregnant, he then left her toe out here and try to pursue me. If that was even what he was doing! I was still pretty sure, now more than ever before, that he had only resurfaced so he could im Alice and take her back with him.

    Over my dead body.

    In fact, I didn’t want her to hear this conversation at all. As soon as he left, I was going to tell her that he

    went back home, and then we’d move again.

    Gods, why couldn’t anything ever be easy? Why couldn’t he just stay away from us?

    Before I could start yelling, worried Alice might overhear, I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. This brought me closer ito /iJulian, who looked down at me in confusion for a moment before realizing

    and stepping back himself.

    His closeness made my skin tingle pleasantly, and I had to force myself to remember all the things he was guilty of, reying them again and again in my mind. The more I reyed them, the angrier I

    became.

    “I don’t even want to talk about this with you, Julian. I’m so mad I could spit fire. Just leave, okay? Before Alice sees youb. /bJust get out of here and don’te back.”

    Fot a brief moment, a look of hurt crossed over his face, yet then, in another blink, it was gone, his typical steely demeanor recing it. A determination rose within him, though, that much was clear from the firm way he was staring at me.

    “Olivia isn’t pregnant,” he said.

    Though he’d said the words tly, they still hit me like a punch. I stared back at him, my mouth slightly agape, confused and stunned, unsure what to believe.

    Typically, I knew Olivia to not be a reliable source, if only from the nature of some of her choices, as well as her clear dislike of me. But she hadn’t been the one to directly hurt me. Julian had made the choices that led to my heartbreak, to my leaving, to everything

    How could I possibly trust him in this?

    Yet my heart, and my wolf, felt like they were on his side. Treacherous, traitorous things. They had nothing to go on but feelings and desires. They wanted him to be innocent, so they trusted him.

    Olivia could be pregnant, no matter what he said. I had to keep that knowledge in the forefront of my thoughts. Until I had proof one way or the other, neither Olivia nor Julian could be fully trusted.

    “Why would she tell me she was?” I asked.

    “Because she knows why I really came here,” Julian said. “And she is against me achieving my goals.”

    My confusion must have been clear on my face; he seemed startled by it.

    “You do know why I came here?” he asked.

    “The project…?” I knew that wasn’t the only reason. He had wanted to track me down so that he could im Alice and take her away. Except he hadn’t done that yet…..

    “No, Amber.” Julian moved closer again, just a tiny little half–step. Yet those few inches felt like miles, as he came so much closer to me. “I intend to make you my wife again.”

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