Raidan amusedly glanced at his wife. "I didn’t expect you to say that to Gabriel," he remarked.
"Even I didn’t know I would say that," Mabel whispered.
"Well, Amelie has brought a change in our son. Gabriel wanted to be loved. Kate told me on phone that Amelie is a sweet woman. She didn’t know the man who rescued her the night she was being hunted, was none other than Gabriel. Amelie never took advantage of his status. I hope you give them your blessings and forget the prophecy which always made you so detached with Gabriel."
As Raidan finished those words, he looked forward to Mabel’s response. But she remained quiet.
Raidan reached to her hand and gently caressed it. "Don’t keep such a stoic face in front of Gabriel. He still hopes to see the love of his mother. He may say he doesn’t care for it, but he does. After all, he’s just a child to us," he opined.
Mabel hummed and furrowed her brows together.
~~~~
Gabriel leaned back on the recliner and shut his eyes. His body was tired and needed some rest. He didn’t realize when the sleep took over him and he fell into a deep slumber.
Amelie returned to the mansion and went straight to his room to check on him. However, as she walked in, her sight greeted his resting body. She found out from Katelyn that Gabriel remained by her side the entire night without taking a single wink of sleep.
Quietly, Amelie stepped toward him while being careful not to make a sound. She opened the cupboard and pulled out a soft, warm blanket. With tender hands, she draped it over Gabriel’s sleeping form.
She lowered herself onto the rug beneath the recliner, inhaling the familiar musk that clung to him, which was both earthy and fresh. It wrapped around her like a comfort she didn’t know she needed. A gentle smile tugged at her lips as the storm in her chest slowly began to quiet.
Silently, Amelie leaned her head against the small space left on the edge of the recliner, close enough to feel the warmth of his body.
’Since when did I become so addicted to your presence? When did just being near you start to feel like home?’ she wondered. ’And I think I’m in love with you, Gabriel.’
The thought lit something in her chest. A bright smile bloomed on her lips, and she shut her eyes tightly, as if holding onto a secret only her heart understood.
When she opened them again, Amelie found herself lying on the bed, curled up beside Gabriel.
The soft golden hues of evening poured through the curtains, startling her — she hadn’t meant to fall asleep for so long.
She shifted slightly, attempting to sit up, but Gabriel’s arm tightened around her waist, halting her.
"Where do you think you’re going?" he murmured sleepily, eyes still closed.
"It’s evening," she replied gently.
"Mhm." He nuzzled his face against her neck, his breath hot against her skin. His teeth grazed her throat ever so lightly. "And your scent is making this evening even more beautiful," he whispered.
A warm flush climbed her cheeks.
"How did the meeting go with your father?" Gabriel asked next, his voice still husky with sleep.
"It went well. He risked his life last night, just to bring the truth to light," she said softly. "I didn’t know he had that courage in him."
Gabriel opened his eyes and met hers, his expression filled with pride. "It’s good he chose to trust you... and chose his family over the pack’s politics," he said.
Amelie nodded. "But if there’s someone I truly owe, it’s you." Her hand reached up to caress his cheek. "Katelyn told me everything. How you rushed to help the moment Shaw called... how you didn’t hesitate even for a second. And Prince Casaio, I owe him as well."
Gabriel shook his head lightly. "You don’t owe me anything. That’s not how things work between mates," he said with gentle conviction. "As for Casaio... he did lend his support."
Her curiosity sparked. "I was wondering how you all reached the Red River Pack so quickly."
"Teleportation," Gabriel replied.
Amelie’s eyes widened. "What? That kind of power actually exists?"
Gabriel nodded. "Among the royal bloodline, yes. But it has its limits. It drains a lot of energy. I’ll need a few days to recover fully."
Amelie lowered her gaze, a wave of guilt washing over her.
’So that’s why the Queen was so furious. Gabriel has already endured so much in such a short time. I should be bringing him peace... not chaos. What kind of mate am I?’
"What are you thinking about?" Gabriel asked, lifting her chin gently.
"Nothing," she lied, offering a small smile. "We should get out of bed." She pulled herself out of his arms and sat up. "You don’t need to get up, though. You should rest more."
She tied her hair into a bun, preparing to leave, when suddenly Gabriel’s arms wrapped around her from behind. His chin came to rest on her shoulder.
"Stay with me a little longer," he murmured. "I’ll heal faster that way."
Her breath caught, and she slowly turned her head to meet his eyes.
"Are you feeling drained?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
Gabriel nodded slightly. "Hmm, I do. A miracle happened today."
"Huh?" Amelie arched a brow in amusement.
Gabriel let out a quiet breath, his expression turning contemplative. "My mother said something today... something that made me question if I might have been wrong about her all along," he confessed with uncertainty. "I’m still not sure what to make of it, and I don’t want to get my hopes up by believing that she may love me equally."
Amelie didn’t respond right away. She knew better than to offer hollow reassurances when he was baring a vulnerable part of himself.
Just then, a soft knock echoed from the door, breaking the moment between them.