After dinner, Sage escorted Katelyn back to the palace before returning to his hotel.
As Katelyn crossed the main hall, she noticed Gabriel and Karn locked in a serious conversation despite the late hour. The mont they saw her, both n fell silent. Karn offered her a respectful bow before excusing himself.
"Are Alie and Noah asleep?" Katelyn asked.
"Yes," Gabriel replied. He turned to leave, but she stopped him.
"Brother, can we talk?"
Gabriel paused, frowning slightly as he faced her again. "What is it? If this is about Karn, then—"
"No, it’s not," Katelyn interrupted quickly. "I want to talk to you about Sage."
Gabriel studied her for a mont, then gestured toward the couch. Once they were seated, he waited patiently for her to continue.
"Can you tell honestly if Sage is a good man for ?" she asked softly. "I’m asking because you’re close to him. And... Mother said if I refuse Sage, I’ll still be expected to et soone else. If only I had found my mate, none of this would be so complicated."
Gabriel leaned back, folding his arms. "What qualities do you look for in a husband?"
"Um... Caring, respectful toward , soone who understands even when I don’t say a word," Katelyn replied thoughtfully. After a pause, she smiled faintly. "Soone like Father."
Gabriel gave a small nod. "Sage is a good man, with flaws, of course. You probably already know about his past. He’s had many relationships, but they were all casual, without commitnt. Still, he’s not the man people make him out to be."
"His family situation is ssy, isn’t it?" Katelyn asked quietly. "He hasn’t told much, only that his life is ’all thrones.’"
"Everyone has battles to fight, Kate," Gabriel said gently. "And you should know, Father won’t force you if you decide not to marry Sage. Sage himself is only here because of his own father’s pressure. If you refuse him, nothing in your life will change... Except you’ll have to et soone else. Maybe soone better."
"So, you think I should refuse him?" she pressed. "I wanted to say no again, but... Today I saw a side of him I’ve never seen before. It left confused."
Gabriel smiled. "Your decision isn’t mine to make. But I’ll give you this information. Sage is different from most. He won’t use your title against you. Other Alphas might remind you at every step that you’re a princess, expecting favors. Sage would never do that."
"But his father can," Katelyn countered.
"Well, Sage won’t let him do anything wrong. But Kate," Gabriel said gently, "this is sothing only you can decide. Sage could be a wonderful husband. There’s no doubt about it. But if you don’t feel he’s right for you, then you shouldn’t listen to or anyone else. Follow your intuition. Your heart will always matter most in a decision like this."
Katelyn nodded slowly. "Thank you, Brother. Also... could you tell how Sage’s mother died? I made a mistake not long ago, and I’d like to make up for it."
’So Sage hasn’t told her the truth,’ Gabriel thought grimly.
"Kate, I can’t," he said after a pause. "It’s not my place to share his personal affairs. You should ask him yourself." He stood. "Now, go to your room, it’s late, and I’m exhausted too."
Katelyn humd in acknowledgnt before leaving for her chambers, leaving Gabriel alone in the hall.
Just as he was about to retire, he heard Lester’s voice behind him.
"Your Highness, may I have a word?"
"What is it?" Gabriel asked.
"I saw your second brother sitting alone in the garden," Lester reported with a worried tone. "He seed... Troubled. Perhaps you should check on him."
"Alright. Thank you for telling ."
Lester bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Gabriel made his way through the dimly lit corridors and across the quiet grounds. After nearly ten minutes, he finally spotted his brother.
"What are you doing out here, Nick? Weren’t you supposed to leave with Casaio tonight?"
Dominick was sprawled across a white wooden bench, an empty bottle resting against his chest. At the sound of Gabriel’s voice, he startled awake, quickly sitting upright and clutching the bottle.
Gabriel’s expression hardened. "What’s wrong with you? You reek of alcohol!"
"I made a mistake," Dominick muttered, his voice heavy with regret.
Gabriel frowned. "What do you an?"
"I can’t say it yet." Dominick dragged a hand down his face. "I just... I can’t stay near June for now. Maybe if I step away, she’ll co to her senses. I don’t want her turning into soone I never imagined she could be."
Gabriel’s chest tightened at the defeated look on his brother’s face. He sat beside him. "Nick, co on. Let’s get you to your room. You need rest. We’ll talk about this tomorrow."
But Dominick shook his head stubbornly. "No. If we talk, we’ll only argue again. I keep thinking... maybe I shouldn’t have pressed Casaio to marry Zilia yesterday of all days. Maybe then June wouldn’t have grown so upset, so dark in her thoughts. But the fact she had them at all..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "It ans she already held those dark thoughts inside. Thoughts I never wanted to believe she had."
Gabriel stared at him, unsettled. His brother’s words were disjointed, but the pain behind them was real, and it worried him deeply.
’What exactly did June tell him that he’s co to this condition?’ he thought before pulling up Dominick, ready to take to the room.
He knocked on the door when after so ti, Juniper opened it.
She widened her eyes in shock seeing Gabriel holding Dominick.
"He was lying on a bench in the garden," Gabriel said.
"Do you really love , June?" Dominick questioned, straightening up. His hands moved to her shoulders as he pressed on them. "I never thought you would act like this. Why do you have to feel so low about everything? Why do you have to say those words?"
Juniper glanced at Gabriel, who simply walked away, giving both of them a space.
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