Chapter 297
Chapter 298
Chapter 298
Julian’s POV
After a short phone call to Rafael, he and Anna agreed to bring Alice to the clinic to receive the treatment. By now, Amber had been up something like thirty-six hours straight. I was worried about her, but she insisted on completing all the tests to be sure the treatment was safe.
She couldn’t wait. I tried to push, I was as persistent as I dared to be. But now that she was on track for a cure, she was like a woman possessed, obsessed with seeing it to completion.
I supposed I couldn’t blame her exactly. If she could spare Alice even one more day of hardship, I was for it. But I didn’t want Amber to risk herself to do so. I needed both mother and daughter to be okay.
Still, with the clear passion in Amber’s eyes, I knew there was no way for her to stop now. So I did all I could to simply support her, making sure she was fed and moved around every once in a while to keep from getting too stiff.
When Rafael, Anna, and Alice finally arrived, one of the nurses from the front let us know and directed us all to an examination room. Alice hopped up on the table, already ready for an inspection that she had endured many times.
Hopefully, this would be the last.
No, no hope. I knew this would be the last. Amber was the most capable, talented Healer on the continent. If anyone could save our little girl, it was her. And she had my full confidence.
“This will cure me?” Alice asked as Amber brought her a small potion to drink.
“Yes,” Amber said.
“And it won’t hurt anymore p>
The crack in her voice made my heart ache.
Amber’s face mirrored my pain, but with a few blinks, she was back to being strong again. I was so proud of her, proud to know and love her.
She and Alice were my perfect little family.
“It won’t hurt anymore,” Amber told her.
Alice then held her hands out and accepted the small bottle from Amber.
“Try to drink it all at once. No small sips, okay?” Amber said.
“Okay, Mommy,” Alice said. She seemed a little frightened, so I inched closer, letting her know that I
1/4
Chapter 298
was here for her. As her father, nothing and no one would dare to hurt her so long as I was around. She gave me a soft, grateful smile.
Then, she focused on the potion again. With a breath, she lifted the bottle to her lips, and drank it down, all at once, just like her mother had told her.
When she finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and passed the bottle back to
Amber.
Everyone in the room was staring at her. She must have been self-conscious because she looked between us before glancing awkwardly to the side.
“How are you feeling?” Rafael asked. “Do you notice any difference p>
“Uh…” Alice paused. “I feel okay p>
“She might not notice a difference right away,” Amber said. “It’s in the moments where the wolf would come out that she will truly be able to tell p>
“I don’t know,” Alice said. “I think I feel a little better p>
“You do?” I asked, eager.
“Yeah,” she said. “I’m less… itchy? And it’s not as loud in my head.” She looked around. “Are things always this quiet p>
“What do you usually hear, Alice?” Anna asked gently.
Alice considered it, then replied, “I can usually hear a wolf snarling p>
Gods, her wolf must have been so enraged, that it snarled in her mind even when she wasn’t angry?
With her eyes as wide as saucers, Alice looked at Amber and me. “Will the wolf come back? I don’t want her to come back.” There was clear fear there, and in the way it made her voice wobbly.
Amber looked at me, some defeat and worry in her eyes that I knew matched my own.
“Your wolf will return to you after it’s had some time to rest,” Amber said to Alice. “It’s only because she was awakened so early that she has been so angry. When she comes back, it will be when you both are ready, and you will find her to be more of a comfort than a curse p>
“Really?” Alice asked.
“Your mother’s right,” I agreed. “My wolf and I work together. Now that your wolf is asleep again, you don’t have to worry about anything, alright? When she wakes up again, the two of you are going to work together, not separately, how it should be p>
2/4
Chapter 298
“Okay…” Alice said. Her voice was small, still uncertain, but she trusted us. Amber and I were her parents, and it warmed me to see her give us so much confidence.
It made me want to do whatever I had to do to keep my family safe.
Now that Alice was feeling better, and the cure was found, I could start to see the wear on Amber, as she slouched and yawned. Putting my arm around her, I coaxed her to lean into me, to rest her head on my chest as her eyes started to close.
Rafael noticed and gently said, “Perhaps we should all returned to my estate for some much needed
rest p>
Amber fought off sleep. “Matthew needs the cure too p>
“He has the necklace,” I reminded her. “We don’t have to rush p>
“I have to keep my promise p>
“You will,” I told her. “You have. But give yourself a minute now to catch your breath p>
She might have argued, but she was already snoozing against my chest. I wrapped both arms around her to keep her there, in case her legs gave out.
“Mommy’s tired,” Alice said.
“She’s earned the rest,” I replied.
“Let’s get her home and into a bed,” Rafael said.
At the same moment, his phone started to ring. “One minute,” he said, checking his phone. “I need to take this. I’ll meet you all in the car p>
Rafael’s POV
As the others started out of the room, I answered the call from my cousin Mary.
“Now isn’t a good time, Mary,” I said.
“I’m already on my way,” Mary replied. “I trust there is room at the house for me, even with all of your company p>
“There’s a lot going on,” I said. “It might be better if p>
“You won’t deter me, Rafael, so don’t even try,” she said. “I will be there in time for dinner and I expect to mingle with your guests, including that imposter p>
I checked behind me to be sure that everyone else had by now cleared out of the room. When I knew they had, I returned my attention to the phone.
3/4
Chapter 298
“Don’t call her that p>
“I showed you the test results that I had done,” she said. “I don’t know why you continued to deny the truth p>
“The first test results showed otherwise, and I know in my heart what’s real and what isn’t p>
“That’s nice, but it doesn’t make it true,” she replied. “I hold the facts, Rafael. And it’s time she knows about it p>
“Do not come here just to start trouble,” I warned. “We already have enough of that p>
“I’m not going to start trouble,” she said. “I only want to show the proof to Amber, so that she can be aware that we all know she’s lying. She is not your sister, not part of this family, and I’m tired of her playing pretend p>
4/4