After breakfast, Zilia finally found a quiet mont to speak with Alie in private. She spotted her in the garden, tending to the plants, and gently reached out to take the watering pot from her hands.
"Let do that. You shouldn’t carry heavy things," Zilia said softly.
Alie tilted her head with a small smile. "It’s not that heavy," she replied. Then, her tone shifted slightly. "How are things going between you and Brother Casaio? I know it’s personal, but... I hope things are getting better."
Zilia hesitated for a mont before answering, her gaze drifting to the flowers.
"I’m not sure, Alie. Casaio has beco so hard to read lately. One mont, I see love in his eyes. The next, it’s as if that love turns to resentnt." A wistful sigh escaped her lips. "But I can’t bla him. It’s because of what I did to us."
"It must have been tough for you. After spending ti with Idris, I realized your choices weren’t easy either. You weren’t just protecting yourself... You were trying to protect so many people at once. We didn’t see that before."
"Thank you for talking to Idris, spending ti with him when he was all alone. He really respects you and even misses you. I always wanted to thank you for what you did for my brother even when you weren’t related to him."
"You’ve already thanked a lot of tis," Alie reminded her, asking her not to do it anymore.
"I can’t help it. Whenever I talk to Idris I do feel my brother got more interactive thanks to you. No one was interacting with him in the palace. But you chose to do so, ignoring the fact of what I did," Zilia stated, her eyes carried the gratitude in them as they glistened slightly.
"Brother Casaio chose you again, Zilia," Alie said gently. "That ans he still believes in the love you once shared. Maybe... maybe he’s trying to rediscover who you really are, the part of you none of us truly knew before you ca back."
Zilia let out a soft hum. "That’s what he says too," she murmured. "But I don’t want to talk about my past. It’s nothing but pain and shadows... and I’m afraid it’ll only push him further away."
"You should let him in," Alie encouraged softly. "If you want to rebuild what you had, you’ll need to trust him with the parts of you you’ve hidden the most."
"I’m trying," Zilia whispered. Then she looked at Alie, her expression curious. "What about you? I know Gabriel doesn’t talk much about what’s going on between you two, but... if you’re comfortable, I’m here to listen. I won’t breathe a word to anyone."
Alie hesitated, brushing her fingers lightly over the hem of her sleeve. "Gabriel... prefers to keep his family out of it. He wouldn’t want involving anyone, especially those close to him. Maybe, when the ti is right, he’ll open up to all of you himself."
"You’re right," Zilia said. "Still, if you need any help, you must tell . I’ll be there for you."
"Thank you," Alie said with a smile.
~~~~
From the front balcony of the mansion, Gabriel and Casaio stood side by side, silently watching their mates in the garden below.
"How are things between you and Zilia?" Gabriel asked, breaking the silence with a knowing smirk. "I knew you wouldn’t be able to lay a hand on her. You’ve always been soft-hearted, no matter how much you try to act otherwise."
Casaio let out a quiet sigh. "I couldn’t do it," he admitted. "And truthfully... my heart had already chosen Zilia. I had a talk with Idris, not long ago. He helped see things from her side. She wasn’t acting out of betrayal. She was trapped by her duty to her family. If I were in her place, I would’ve done the sa. I would’ve sacrificed anything to protect my siblings."
Gabriel glanced sideways at his brother, a faint smile playing on his lips. "That may be true. But anyone with eyes can tell things aren’t exactly smooth between you two. And still... you stood up to Mom for her, after everything. I didn’t expect that. You never go against her."
"I think I learned it from you," Casaio replied with a small smile, leaning against the balustrade, his gaze still fixed on the woman who held his heart. "You taught that sotis... loving soone ans standing where it’s hardest."
Gabriel simply smiled, not uttering a word now.
"So, why is the mage here?" Casaio asked. He tilted his head slightly as he leaned against the balcony railing. "Carlos Ashfall... I did so digging. He cos from a powerful witch lineage. Are you looking into the curse Mom used to talk about?"
Before Gabriel could respond, a familiar voice interrupted from behind.
"At the very least, you should be honest with your brothers," Dominick said as he joined them, stepping up beside Gabriel. His eyes briefly followed Juniper, who was now making her way toward Alie and Zilia in the garden.
Gabriel exhaled, realizing the mont had co.
"A witch is hunting both Alie and ," he finally said, his voice steady. "She bears a grudge, one born from a past life we can’t rember. We carry marks which aren’t supposed to be on the wolves. That’s why Carlos is here."
He paused before continuing, glancing at both his brothers.
"Alie saved Carlos’ life when she was just a teenager. She didn’t even know who he was. But he never forgot. He owes her, and now he’s here to repay that debt... by helping us survive what’s coming."
Both Casaio and Dominick stood frozen, the weight of Gabriel’s revelation sinking in.
Dominick was the first to speak, though his voice was barely above a whisper. "Wait... Mom always talked about this curse, but why was she—"
His words halted as Gabriel shook his head.
"No," Gabriel said, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Mom never wanted to experience love. She warned Alie once that love would be my undoing. That it would cost my life. I still don’t know exactly what the High Priestess told her, but whatever it was... it convinced her I was better off alone."
Casaio’s expression darkened, a bitter sneer forming. "She wronged you. Whatever her reasons were, she did you wrong."
"It doesn’t matter anymore," Gabriel said firmly. "I’ve made peace with it. Let our sister stay out of this, and I don’t want either of you getting involved either. This is between Alie and . We’ll face whatever cos together."
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