Chapter 69. A Lingering Presence

Julian’s POV

I should have left.

The war was over, the dust had settled, and my duty as an Alpha demanded that I return home and report to my parents. Yet, here I was, still standing within the Golden Ridge Pack’s borders, watching over Avery like some loyal guard dog.

I told myself it was temporary. That I was simply fulfilling my role as Amelia’s fiancé, ensuring she had support in these trying times. That was the excuse I fed my parents when they asked why I was still at Golden Ridge.

The truth? I didn’t want to leave her.

She wasn’t the fragile girl who had once been easily overlooked, dismissed by her own father, and undermined by her sister. There was a fire in her now—a quiet, determined force that set her apart. She didn’t just survive; she adapted, evolved, and fought for what she believed in.

And I found myself drawn to it.

Each day, I watched her rebuild what had been torn down. She spoke with Pack members, organized resour