"You’re not wrong in your stance," Amelie said gently, "but your brother isn’t either. He just approaches things differently than you do. That doesn’t make him weak, it just means his perspective isn’t the same as yours."
She paused, meeting Gabriel’s gaze. "I know you care about him, Gabriel. I see it. But maybe you could be a little less harsh with him. Because when you’re not... others might assume you feel nothing. And that’s not true."
Gabriel’s eyes flickered, surprise softening his features.
"You might not show your care the way others do," she continued, "but I can see it clearly."
Something shifted inside Gabriel. Her words didn’t just comfort him, they reached a part of him he often kept buried.
’She sees what others can’t,’ he thought.
’She is our mate,’ Valko, his wolf, murmured in the back of his mind. ’She understands us.’
’Yeah...’ Gabriel agreed silently. ’She really does.’
But before he could say anything aloud, Amelie suddenly covered her mouth, her face contorting with discomfort.
"Amelie?" Gabriel stepped forward, concern flashing in his eyes.
Without answering, she turned and rushed out of the kitchen.
Without hesitation, Gabriel followed her in worry. Casaio, Karmen and Denzel noticed them running upstairs.
"Is she alright?" Denzel murmured in concern.
"I think she’s suffering from the morning sickness," Casaio said.
Meanwhile, upstairs in the bathroom, Amelie threw up while Gabriel caressed her back in gentle pats.
Amelie made her way to the sink and rinsed her mouth.
"Ame, the morning sickness started again. Is it triggered because of the espresso?" Gabriel questioned, taking out the towel from the cupboard. He dabbed her mouth with it and saw her shaking the head in refusal.
"No. I did feel nauseated since I woke up. But I ignored it since I craved for espresso too," Amelie said, lowering the towel from his hand to wipe her hands with it.
"You should’ve told me," Gabriel said and brought her to the bedroom. Making her sit on the bed, he continued, "Even if you crave for such things, avoid them. You may feel weak after throwing up."
"Hmm... I won’t be eating breakfast," Amelie murmured, curling slightly as she pulled her legs up onto the bed.
Gabriel, still crouched on his legs, tried again gently. "What about some porridge? It’s much lighter, and at least it’ll fill your stomach a little."
"I’ll eat in the afternoon," she said, resting her head against the headboard. "I just feel... really strange right now."
Gabriel climbed onto the bed beside her and placed a hand softly over her growing bump. "But staying on an empty stomach isn’t good for you. Noa needs nourishment too, for their growth."
Amelie smiled faintly, her hand coming up to rest against her chest. "I know... but if I eat now, I might just throw it all up again. Once this nausea passes, I’ll eat. Don’t worry, okay?"
Gabriel frowned slightly, but nodded. "I’ll ask Skye if there’s something that can—"
"No," Amelie interrupted as she reached for his hand to stop him from grabbing his phone. "Don’t disturb her. She might suggest a medicine, and I... I don’t want to take anything right now."
He paused, his thumb brushing over her knuckles before he put the phone away.
"It’s so tough... carrying a pup," he murmured with a soft sigh, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her temple. To soothe her further, Gabriel released a calming wave of his pheromones, filling the space between them with comfort.
She exhaled quietly, the tension in her shoulders easing.
"Take it easy today," he said, placing a cushion behind her back and adjusting the blanket over her legs. "I’ll be right here, okay? I’m not going anywhere."
Gabriel gave her a warm smile, his hand still resting protectively over hers as he shifted closer.
"I was thinking..." Amelie began softly, breaking the ice, "that we should visit your parents once."
Gabriel’s expression shifted, his gaze lowering slightly. "We’ve already talked about this," he murmured. "It’ll only weigh you down. I don’t want anyone messing with your peace of mind, especially when you’re in such a crucial phase of your pregnancy."
Amelie nodded slowly. "Hmm..."
She understood the depth of his concern, how fiercely he protected her, but an unexplainable unrest still lingered in her heart. There were questions only the Queen could answer.
"Do you want to eat fruits? I’ll bring some for you," Gabriel asked.
"Not now," Amelie replied.
As they were enjoying the quiet, the phone on the bedside table started buzzing. Gabriel checked it and found it was of his father’s call.
As he answered the call, Gabriel brought the phone to his ear. "Dad, good morning."
"Good morning, Gabriel," Raidan’s deep voice came through the receiver. "How are you doing? And how’s Amelie?"
"We’re doing well, Dad," Gabriel replied, casting a quick glance toward Amelie, who was resting.
"I’m glad to hear that," Raidan said, then got straight to the point. "I called because I wanted to ask, has Casaio decided on Zilia’s punishment yet? His phone’s been switched off. Well, if he won’t act, then I want you to find out the truth from her," Raidan instructed firmly. "I need to know why she was spying; what she hoped to gain and who she was working with."
"Wait, Dad!" Gabriel’s voice sharpened with surprise. "How did you find out about this? Did Casaio tell you?"
There was a brief pause before Raidan replied, his tone tinged with disappointment. "Your mother found out. You two tried to keep this from us."
"Dad..." he exhaled. "Can I call you back in a bit? I need to speak with Casaio first."
A second of silence passed before Raidan responded, his voice softening. "Ah, sure. Do what you need to, son."
"Thank you, Dad," Gabriel said and lowered the phone after the call ended.
"What happened?" Amelie asked.
"Mom found out about Zilia. Casaio didn’t tell me anything related to this. I’ve to see him now," Gabriel replied.
"Sure, go ahead," Amelie told him. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll just watch the TV for some time."
Gabriel hummed and left the room.