Alie and Gabriel didn’t stop until they reached his bedroom. Gabriel gently let go of her hand and turned to face her, his gaze searching her features.
"I feel... so light," Alie said, a soft breath leaving her lips as a smile tugged at the corners. "Like I can finally breathe. And I’m sorry... that you had to hear all those things because of ."
Gabriel stepped closer. "You have nothing to apologize for," he said. "My mother’s toxicity didn’t start today. She’s always been like that. But Alie..." He paused, his hands lifting to rest gently on her arms. "I saw a new side of you today. The way you stood up for yourself... for your pup. You didn’t flinch. You didn’t hide. You were brave."
She looked up at him, breath catching slightly when his hand slid up, fingers curving around the side of her neck, his thumb brushing tenderly across her cheek.
"Say it again," he murmured in a more intimate tone. "Say you like ."
Alie’s heart fluttered.
"I was surprised," he whispered, "when you confessed sothing so deep for ."
Alie opened her mouth and speak, "Everything ca out in a rush... but it was the truth. I like you."
A slow, genuine smile curved Gabriel’s lips. "That’s all I wanted to hear."
He leaned down, his breath mingling with hers. His lips brushed against hers, which were soft at first, and when she responded, their kiss deepened. Alie clutched his shirt tighter, anchoring herself to the mont.
Alie was the first to pull away, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady her breath. She peered into Gabriel’s eyes.
"I have sothing to ask you," she said.
"Go ahead," Gabriel replied, curiosity flickering in his gaze.
"You declared the pup as yours," she said cautiously. "Do you... really an to be—" She hesitated, the thought of marriage flashing through her mind, making her falter. ’Why did I even think of that?’
Gabriel chuckled. "You think way too much," he said, stepping closer. "Since you’ve already told how you feel... isn’t it ti I claim you as mine completely?"
His violet eyes gleaming with mischief and desire, and a smirk curled on his lips.
"What?" Alie blinked at him in confusion.
But before she could gather her thoughts, she found herself lying on the mattress, Gabriel hovering above her. Her breath hitched at the warmth of his body and the intensity in his eyes. She shivered when his breath brushed her neck, and her heartbeat quickened when his fingers grazed the sensitive skin where her neck t her shoulder.
"Rember?" he whispered with possessiveness. "I told you I’d mark you here... so everyone knows you’re mine."
Alie gasped when his lips found the spot. Her knee lifted instinctively, her back arching as he sucked gently on her skin. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, bracing herself against the overwhelming sensation building within her.
But then, soone knocked on the door.
Gabriel didn’t even flinch. His attention remained fixed on her.
"Let’s check who it is," Alie whispered, her voice shaky as she pressed her palm against his chest, gently pushing him back. "It might be sothing urgent. We shouldn’t keep soone waiting."
Gabriel groaned, frustrated, and rolled off the bed. "Fine. I’ll check."
With a final glance at her, he walked to the door and opened it, only to find one of the palace maids standing there.
"Sir," she said with a slight bow, "Miss Alie’s father is here. He wishes to speak with her."
From behind him, Alie approached, now composed with her hair pulled up into a neat bun. She had overheard the maid’s words.
Gabriel turned to her. "Do you want to see him?"
She gave a faint nod. "Hmm."
"Go ahead then," he said, his phone buzzing in his pocket at that mont. With a sigh, he pulled it out and headed toward the balcony to take the call.
Alie ca to a halt just a few steps away from her father, her heart already bracing for disappointnt.
"Did you really tell that story in front of the Queen?" David asked. "Flora would never go after the man you liked. And Alex... he’s the Alpha of the pack. He won’t do sothing like that. Tell the truth. Did you lie in front of everyone?"
For a mont, Alie couldn’t breathe. She stared at him, stunned, not by his accusation, but by how unsurprising it was. Still, it stung.
"You... don’t believe ," she whispered.
She turned her back to him. "I have nothing more to say to you."
"Alie, you can’t just accuse—"
"Accuse?" She spun back around, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "You think I accused them? Why don’t you ask Alex what he did to that night? Ask Flora how she laughed in my face after he rejected , like it was so kind of joke."
Her eyes burned, but she refused to shed tears this ti. "I was the dutiful daughter of the Conley family. I stayed quiet, respected you and Mom, never questioned your decisions... but what did that give ? Nothing but pain. You never saw . You never protected . You always thought I brought wrong into your family. Why didn’t you abandon right after my birth? Why did you raise up as your daughter when all you’ve to do is humiliate ?"
"I want to correct your present mistakes!" David raised his voice.
"Mistakes? I never made them. The only mistake I made was never standing for myself," she yelled.
David opened his mouth, but words didn’t co out of her mouth.
"Please leave," Alie said coldly. "Before I ask Gabriel to kick you out of my sight."
She hated using Gabriel’s na like that, as a threat. But right now, that was the only na that could made David leave her sight.
"The entire Conley Family disgusts . You, Mom and Flora all are sa. You all called a ’curse’. Then, I curse you all suffer the pain I’ve undergone all these years," Alie said while clenching her fists.
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