Amelie gently placed her hand over his, her thumb brushing his knuckles in a soft caress. "Then let’s make sure she becomes your biggest supporter," she said, her eyes shimmering with sincerity.
Gabriel offered her a faint smile and popped the last bite of cupcake into his mouth.
"I mean it," Amelie added earnestly.
Gabriel leaned back slightly. "Let’s not talk about her," he murmured.
Amelie’s gaze lingered on his face, studying the subtle shadows that passed over it. She hummed in acknowledgment and quietly closed the cupcake box. After placing it back into the refrigerator, she turned to look at him again.
The evening sunlight poured through the kitchen window, casting a golden hue across his features. Even in the middle of his silence, he looked radiant. Like an angel who just had come from the heaven.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of Gabriel’s phone vibrating in his pocket. He fished it out, answered the call, and within moments, a faint frown furrowed his brow.
"Ame, I have to go somewhere. I’ll see you later at dinner," he said, lowering the phone.
"Where?" Amelie asked, concern edging her voice.
"It’s important work," Gabriel replied, offering no further detail. He crossed the short distance between them and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
"I wonder what kind of work he does without telling me," Amelie murmured to herself.
Shaking the thought off, she decided it was finally time to speak with Zander. She had been trying to find a moment since morning but hadn’t managed it. As she stepped into the hall, she noticed her mother and sister were no longer in the living room.
She sighed and made her way toward the guest room where Zander was staying. But in the corridor, she unexpectedly crossed paths with Casaio.
Instinctively, Amelie bowed to him out of habit.
"That’s not needed," Casaio said gently.
Amelie straightened, offering him a small smile. Her eyes drifted to his hand. "How’s your hand?" she asked. "Ah, it must have healed already."
Casaio flexed his fingers briefly. "Thank you for that night," he said.
"I should be the one thanking His Highness," she replied softly, "for bringing my father to the hospital."
"How’s your baby? You were in extreme pain last night," Casaio asked, his tone careful yet concerned.
"It’s fine. There’s nothing to worry about," Amelie replied, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach in reassurance.
"A lot happened within a night and a day," Casaio remarked. "I hope the wedding goes ahead without any troubles. Katelyn mentioned Gabriel has done quite a lot for it. He’s been quiet about the details, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it."
Amelie nodded with a joyful smile that slowly began to fade. "I heard about your mate, too. I hope you’re able to heal soon. It’s hard, but once we let go, we start to adapt," she said gently.
"In my case, there will be no second chance, mate, Amelie. But I appreciate your words," Casaio said.
Before Amelie could offer an apology in case her words had wounded him, he turned and walked away with quiet composure.
Sighing, Amelie continued down the hallway and stopped in front of Zander’s room. She lifted her hand and knocked lightly.
"Zander, it’s me," she said, lowering her hand afterward.
A few seconds later, the door opened, and Zander stepped aside to welcome her in.
Amelie walked in, pausing near a chair before turning to face him. "Thank you for saving my mother’s life last night," she said. "It truly shocked me that you chose to help me," she added, her gaze tinged with bewilderment and gratitude.
"I should have helped you from the very beginning," Zander said, his voice weighed down by guilt.
"I understand your position as the beta," Amelie replied softly. "And you and Alex... you are best friends too."
"We were," Zander corrected. "The moment he chose to do something heinous again, our friendship ended. I can’t stand beside someone who crosses that line."
Amelie blinked, stunned by his words.
"Anyway," Zander continued, shifting the conversation, "you don’t need to thank me. I only did what was right, what I should have done long ago."
There was a pause before he added, "I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. So... let me wish you in advance—may you have a peaceful and happy married life."
Amelie smiled gently. "Attend the wedding," she said. "The fate of the Red River Pack now hangs by a thread. That’s why I want you to stay. I know you wouldn’t want to see the pack fall apart."
"Of course. The pack is my home," Zander replied. "But I don’t want my presence to make you uncomfortable."
"Oh, not at all," Amelie assured him.
"It was I who saved Alex from Prince Gabriel the first time he was caught. I am sorry for that. I shouldn’t have covered his crimes," Zander stated.
"It was Alex who made the wrong choices from the beginning. As I said, you merely carried out your duties as his beta. I’ve never held anything against you." She paused, her voice softening.
"Please, don’t leave tomorrow. I want you to be there for my wedding. I may not have had many supporters within the pack, but you always warned me about Alex. Even when your words were harsh, they came from a place of concern. I was the one who ignored them because I was blinded by love," she finished, her tone laced with regret.
Zander nodded slowly. "Of course, I’ll be there for your wedding."
"Wonderful!" Amelie beamed.
"How’s your pup doing? Healthy, I hope?" Zander asked with genuine concern.
"Yes, very healthy," Amelie replied with a soft smile. "I should get going now. If you need anything while you’re here, don’t hesitate to ask."
"I will. And by the way," Zander added with a small smile, "you’ve grown a lot more confident than before. It’s a good change and I’m glad to see it."