"Mabel, don’t say that," Alpha King Raidan finally intervened. He cast a glance at Gabriel, who had yet to respond. Before the argument could start, Raidan said, "You should go to your chamber. Take some rest."
Gabriel, however, had no intention of leaving without making his stance clear. His violet gaze locked onto his mother’s.
"I won’t set foot in this palace again after I attend the gala with Amelie," he declared. "Your treatment has hardened me so much that your words no longer affect me, Queen Mabel." His lips curled into a smirk, though his eyes held no amusement. "And as long as it infuriates you, I’ll keep doing everything that makes your heart burn with hatred."
Gabriel tightened his grip on Amelie’s hand as they made their way toward the Eastern Palace, the secluded part of the estate where they could find some peace, away from the suffocating tension of the main palace.
"Butler Lester, make sure my dear brother and his partner have a comfortable stay," Casaio ordered. He then turned to his mother. "Mom, you should start treating Gabriel better. He’s no longer a child."
Raidan nodded in agreement, but Mabel scoffed, her face contorted with anger.
"He will bring chaos to this family one day. His birth was a mistake," she spat. "I don’t want to hear another word about this. You’ve disappointed me, Casaio." With that, she turned on her heels and stormed out of the hall.
Casaio exhaled sharply, rolling his eyes as he leaned back into his chair. "Dad, why don’t you make Mom understand? Gabriel already sees all of us as his enemies. I warned him not to bring Amelie here, but he was stubborn. He even went as far as claiming she was his mate."
"But there was no mark on her neck," Dominick pointed out. "She’s not claimed by him."
Raidan remained silent for a moment before exhaling deeply. "I’ll speak to Gabriel later. For now, stay away from him," he instructed his sons. He knew, better than anyone, that Gabriel was far more wounded by Mabel’s words than he would ever admit.
"Well, I have no intention of going near him," Dominick stated firmly as he stood. He adjusted his coat before turning to his father. "I have urgent business to attend to outside," he added with a respectful nod before striding out of the hall.
Casaio remained silent, casting one last glance at Raidan before he, too, left for his own room.
Left alone in the vast, dimly lit hall, the Alpha King exhaled deeply, his fingers tightening. His gaze lingered on the grand chandeliers above, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
’Gabriel will bring calamity?’ Mabel’s harsh words echoed in his mind, laced with the same resentment she had carried for nearly three decades.
Raidan shook his head. ’No... Gabriel is not the one bringing destruction. It is us, the very family meant to protect him that has pushed him to the edge.’
His fingers drummed against his thighs. ’How am I supposed to make Mabel understand?’ No matter how much time had passed, she had never once acknowledged Gabriel as her son. Not when he was a child yearning for her love. Not when he had grown into a man, hardened by the rejection.
~~~~~
"Amelie, this is my room, where I spent seven years of my life," Gabriel said, stepping inside with her. His gaze swept over the familiar space, a faint smile tugging at his lips as memories resurfaced. "After I turned eleven, I asked my father to let me move to the Eastern Palace. I designed this room myself, the interiors, the layout, everything."
Amelie, however, barely registered his words. Her mind was still trapped in the moment when Queen Mabel had openly scorned Gabriel in front of everyone. Yet here he was, smiling as if it hadn’t affected him at all.
’How can he still smile after the way his mother spoke to him?’ she wondered, her heart aching for him. ’I always thought I had a bad mother, but at least she wasn’t cruel. Gabriel, on the other hand, has spent his entire life under the shadow of a mother who hates him.’
Her thoughts clouded her focus so much that she didn’t notice Gabriel moving. In the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of her, snapping his fingers near her face.
"Where are you lost?" he asked as he pulled her back to the reality. He brushed away the hair strands, hanging near her cheek.
"Gabriel, are you alright?" Amelie asked softly, unable to ignore the unease gnawing at her. She searched his face, wondering if his smile was merely a mask hiding his true emotions.
Gabriel let out a small chuckle, brushing off her concern. "Yeah. Why do you ask? Ignore my mother’s words. She has always been like that."
Amelie frowned slightly. "Are you sure?" Her eyes locked onto his, searching for even the slightest crack in his composure.
"Hmm," he hummed, nodding. "I don’t mind her words anymore. I could’ve given her a more fitting reply, but I decided to hold my tongue."
His words were lighthearted, almost playful, but Amelie wasn’t convinced. She could sense the weight behind them—the years of pain he had buried under forced indifference. He had endured so much, and yet he still stood strong, carrying his wounds in silence.
Amelie stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Gabriel as she lifted herself onto her toes in an attempt to reach him. He was too tall for her.
"Gabriel, I promise you, I won’t ever leave your side," she whispered with sincerity. She knew deep down that no matter how strong he appeared, he carried wounds that no one else could see. And she wanted to be the one person he could always rely on.
Gabriel stood still, his arms slowly encircling her as if unsure whether to embrace the comfort she was offering.
"I hope you’re truly okay," she continued, pressing her cheek against him. "It’s fine if you don’t want to share everything with me now. But if one day you feel like the weight is too much, you can pour your emotions out in front of me. I’ll always be here to listen to you."