Chapter 585
Mona entered the luxurious chamber where Karmen and Lester had led her.
“Miss, please enjoy your stay in the palace. I will inform the Alpha King and the Luna Queen of your arrival immediately. If you should need anything, a maidservant is stationed just outside for your service,” Lester stated, his tone as humble and professional as possible.
“Thank you, sir,” Mona said, giving the room a quick, appreciative glance.
“Follow me,” Karmen said again. He clearly had no intention of letting her settle in before she faced Gabriel and Carlos.
Mona hummed a soft acknowledgment and quickly ran after him. As they approached the drawing room, she could feel the heavy presence of powerful Alphas nearby.
“Your cousin is here,” Karmen announced as he stepped aside.
Carlos stood up instantly. “Mona, why did you travel here?” He closed the distance between them, worry etched across his face.
“I shall go then,” Louis intervened, sensing the privacy they all needed. He adjusted his coat, nodding toward the Beta. “Karmen, do tell me the moment you are ready to leave for Zedrion. I’ll have my affairs in order.” With a final, calculating glance at the newcomers, Louis exited the room.
“Brother, I told you I wanted to explore this country, and I wanted to meet Amelie, too,” Mona stated, trying to sound casual despite the intensity of the room. She shifted her weight, glancing toward Gabriel. “So, I thought I’d surprise you. I know I came unannounced, but I felt I had to p>
“Now that she is here, don’t scold her about it, Carlos,” Gabriel said. “Let her settle in p>
“Still, you all are already stressed enough,” Carlos remarked. “I will see you later, Gabriel. We have much to discuss once she is settled p>
Without waiting, Carlos excused himself and dragged Mona out with him.
Karmen turned to look at Gabriel. “I will prepare to leave for Zedrion immediately,” he said.
“What do you think?” Gabriel inquired, leaning back in his chair and tapping his fingers on the armrest.
“About p>
“About making Louis my advisor. Personally, I don’t think I need one,” Gabriel asserted.
“He has excellent negotiation skills, and as you have always said, he is resourceful,” Karmen suggested, weighing his words carefully. “I know you’ve worked all by yourself all this time, but it might be best to bring such people into the fold. To strengthen your position, you need to turn potential rivals into assets p>
“Louis thinks I can become the future Alpha King. He was clear about his ambitions,” Gabriel muttered.
“Well, I don’t see any reason why you can’t be the Alpha King,” Karmen remarked. “The only and main reason you are away from the palace for so long is because of your mother p>
Karmen then slightly bowed his head and walked away, leaving Gabriel alone in a state of deep contemplation.
After Katelyn finally drifted into an uneasy sleep, Sage retreated to the guest chamber at the request of the Queen, who had arrived to personally check on her daughter.
Mabel was in the middle of giving sharp instructions to the maidservant about the security protocols that needed to be established around Katelyn’s room. She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Gabriel standing in the doorway.
“Is Kate awake?” Gabriel asked.
“No. She is resting,” Mabel replied softly. The maidservant bowed her head and hurried away, leaving mother and son alone in the drawing room. Mabel turned her full attention to him. “What are you planning, Gabriel? You refused to let Casaio and Nick get involved. Take your brothers’ help, son. You cannot carry this mountain alone p>
“Mom, I don’t want them to get hurt because of me,” Gabriel stated, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I never imagined Katelyn would have to endure something so horrific. I’ve lost too many people in the past. When I saw Kate in that state, broken, and bleeding… I felt a strange, paralyzing fear in my heart. And I don’t want it to repeat p>
He looked up at her, his eyes filled with a haunting guilt. “Somehow, what you always said about me came true. I’ve brought nothing but chaos into this family p>
Mabel’s heart sank. The realization hit her like a blow; her past warnings, born out of her own fear created by Ophelia, had etched themselves into his soul. She realized how deeply her words still poisoned his perception of himself.
Moving quickly, she closed the distance between them and took his large, calloused hands into her own, squeezing them tightly.
“Don’t say that. You never brought chaos; you brought happiness to this family,” Mabel said, her voice trembling with regret and fierce maternal love.
She reached up, cupping his face so he was forced to look at her. “And perhaps this path was necessary for Katelyn to reveal her true potential. She spent years worrying, comparing herself to her brothers, fearing she had no abilities of her own. But she proved everyone wrong by rescuing herself. She found a strength none of us knew existed p>
Mabel’s thumb brushed against his cheek. “There is a scar there now, yes, but even that will fade. We have the best surgeons in the world here if she needs them. She is alive, Gabriel. Because of her own spirit p>
Gabriel leaned into her touch for a fleeting second, but the darkness in his eyes didn’t lift. “Mom, thank you for trying to console me,” he whispered. “But all of this can’t quench the ache I’m feeling at this moment. I failed as a big brother. All I did was feeling proud about my abilities. It makes me angry, Mom. I really want to rip Ophelia’s heart out for creating ruckus in my life in this time line too p>
“Then, do it. You’ve always done it in ways others could never understand. Nick and Cas aren’t going to get harmed, Gabriel. They want to protect you too. So, take their help. You need not to fight this battle all alone by yourself. We all are with you. Keep this in mind p>