Katelyn couldn’t take a single wink last night after how Karmen rejected her plainly. Even in the morning, she didn’t leave her bed until her mother’s call came.
After taking a bath and changing into a nice dress, she went outside to have her breakfast. But what shocked her was the presence of Amelie and Gabriel. However, another presence bothered her. It was Karmen, who was smiling with them.
"Kate!" Amelie called her name in joy and went to her, holding a bag in her hand.
"Amelie, you returned earlier than I expected," Katelyn remarked, hugging her.
"We were away for five days," Amelie said, pushing the bag to her. "I bought this for you. I hope you like it," she added.
Katelyn accepted it. "Thank you. I am sure it will be good," she said, smiling.
"Why are your eyes swollen? Didn’t you sleep well?" Amelie worriedly asked.
"I slept late. Maybe that’s why," Katelyn replied. Her eyes went back to Karmen, but he wasn’t even looking at her. "You both must be tired. And Amelie, your bump has started showing!" she exclaimed in surprise.
At her remark, both Gabriel and Karmen gazed in their direction.
"Yes, it has," Amelie said.
"We should go and take some rest." Gabriel approached Amelie, his hand moving to her back, holding her close.
"Yes, go upstairs and rest," Katelyn stated.
"Karmen, let’s see each other later," Gabriel told his beta before heading upstairs.
Katelyn turned on her heels while thinking, *’He may apologize to me now.’*
She kept walking, but Karmen didn’t call out her name. She tilted her head over her shoulder but didn’t find Karmen.
*’What? He already left!’* she thought, her fists tightening in anger.
*’Kate, I think Karmen was serious about his feelings toward you. He doesn’t like you or keep any relationship with you,’* her wolf, Stella, spoke.
Katelyn hated admitting it, but this was the truth. She had a crush on Karmen for so many years. Probably from the time when she was in middle school. With time, it turned into love, and upon turning eighteen, when she couldn’t discover her mate, she didn’t either want to. She felt Karmen was the destined one for her.
Arriving at the bedroom, she shut the door and went to the bed. She lay on the mattress while her eyes glued to the ceiling.
"How to stop loving someone?" Katelyn murmured. "I think I should go back to the capital. But I promised Amelie that I’d be with her till the pup is born."
Shutting her eyes close, she thrashed her legs in annoyance and tilted her head to hug the pillow close. "Let’s just cope with this rejection," Katelyn told herself.
~~~~
Amelie ate the fruit salad that Albus sent upstairs while sitting on the bed. "Do you want to eat?" She stopped, looking at Gabriel, who had just come out of the washroom.
He approached her with a sweatshirt in his hand and leaned down to eat the apple slice embedded in the fork. Chewing it, he straightened and let the sweatshirt hang on the chair.
"When will we go to the palace? I think Sunday will be a perfect day," Amelie suggested.
"I’ll send the gifts from someone’s hands. We don’t need to go there," Gabriel stated, getting on the bed from the other side.
"No, that’s not appropriate. I want to hand the gifts myself. I understand why you don’t want me to go to the palace, but as your wife and mate, it’s not good to ignore your parents. They are my in-laws, and it’s my responsibility to win the heart of your mother," she stated.
Gabriel tilted his head, his head rested on the headboard while his right hand was on the right knee.
"Ame, she’s going to humiliate you," Gabriel said in a confident tone. "I can’t bear that. Also, it’s the time you should avoid any kind of stress. My mom will again show her hatred toward you. You think I’ll stay calm and watch her let you be hurt? I’m already holding what she did on the wedding day just for you," he affirmed.
Amelie lowered her gaze to the salad bowl in her hand as she moved the fork in it.
"I get it," she replied. Amelie then shoved a strawberry into his mouth. "Eat," she smiled.
"It’s sour," Gabriel replied, chewing it slowly.
"I like sour things," Amelie said. "It makes you tingle." She ate the last strawberry from the bowl, chewing it.
*’She’s so simple,’* Gabriel thought, smiling.
"We have to buy loose clothes for you," he reminded her. "I’ll call them at home."
"No, let’s go shopping in the evening. I want to buy a few baby items too," Amelie opined.
"Alright," Gabriel agreed and saw her placing the bowl on the table.
Gabriel reached for her hand and gently pulled her into his arms. He wrapped her in a warm embrace, his lips brushing against the curve of her neck in a feather-light touch.
"Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?" Amelie asked softly, tilting her head just enough to meet his eyes. "I thought you were tired."
"Your scent relaxes me... like magic," Gabriel murmured.
A soft laugh escaped Amelie’s lips. She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You really do know how to pamper me."
She lifted her hand, placing it gently over his. Then, leaning closer, she brushed a tender kiss on the bridge of his nose in an affectionate gesture.
Gabriel gently laid Amelie down on the mattress, his body hovering protectively over hers. With quiet tenderness, he placed his hand over her bump. Lowering himself, he pressed a kiss atop it through the fabric of her top.
Amelie’s breath hitched, her eyes turning misty. Every time he showed love for Noa, it stirred something deep within her — a warmth which was so overwhelming it nearly brought her to tears.
’Words aren’t enough to describe the goodness he carries in his heart,’ she thought.