Chapter 318
Amber’s POV
“I am grateful to have a family now,” I told Olivia, while we were up on those rafters, arguing much like the debate happening on the stage below. “A history. A lineage. Being Rafael’s sister has added a lot of richness to my life. But I will never belong to that pack, not fully. Not while my heart and my future are here p>
“Your future isn’t here, or are you deaf?” Olivia asked. “Can’t you hear the sway of the crowd? This isn’t anything more than a reflection of the opinions of the entire pack. Everyone here hates you and Julian. And after what he did to you, I don’t know why you won’t just leave him to live your life of comfort as a princess p>
I supposed, to someone like Olivia, it was difficult for her to see things as I did. I didn’t think Olivia had ever been in love. Perhaps, though I felt guilty for thinking this, she didn’t have the capacity for it. Her motives had always been entirely selfish. Even now, with Tony, I suspected she was only looking to help herself.
I wondered if there was any hope for her at all. Was there something I could say that would shift her attitude and help her realize that she had the wrong of it?
As she was directly working to overtaking the pack with Tony, I felt it was my duty to try. She was attempting to manipulate me with harsh memories of the past. Perhaps, in counter stance, I could convince her with the truth of present reality.
“Julian made mistakes in the past, it’s true,” I admitted. Though I had forgiven him, and would no longer hold these things against him, the pain of those memories was still present. Healing, but present. “But I made mistakes too p>
Back then, Julian and I had a nasty habit of not actually talking about our problems. We both had made assumptions and talked over or around each other. I had given up when I should have pressed. He was too busy focusing on the pressures of the pack to see me struggling.
We’d been younger then, and maybe we had both been a little selfish. Perhaps Julian even more than me.
But that was years ago. And in our separation and then our reuniting, we had both grown so much more. Now, we could hear and see each other as we should have always done so. Now, we were equal partners in this as–of- yet unnamed relationship, each carrying equal weight and confidence.
I didn’t think there was anything Julian and I couldn’t talk about now. And because of that, because our bond was so strong, I didn’t think there was anything we couldn’t achieve either.
“We’ve grown together,” I told Olivia, only giving her a hint of the love between Julian and me. “We have our daughter. The three of us are a unit, relying on each other. Supporting one another. No home is no longer a place. It’s wherever Julian and Alice are p>
“You are a fool,” Olivia said. “You could be living a life of luxury, and instead you are wasting your time in this pack that hates you. The easy road is right there! If I were a princess of another pack, I would have been gone the moment it was revealed! Even if I had a partner, he could stay or go, I wouldn’t care p>
“Because you’ve only ever thought of yourself,” I told her. “Don’t you know what it’s like to form meaningful relationships? Truly, I pity you, Olivia. I do. I don’t know what it’s like to live with that kind of jealousy p>
1/2
“J–jealousy?” she gasped with disgust and dismay, clearly angered by my words.
Though I hadn’t wanted to escalate her rage, it did feel good to be the one to rattle her for a change.
The hatred shined in her eyes more clearly now, but I wasn’t afraid of it.
It only meant that I was winning.
Julian’s POV
I was losing what little control I had over this debate with Tony’s bombardment of accusations and questioning. I hated being on the defensive, when this entire event had been my idea to begin with.
Florence
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.