Juniper took another long sip of her wine. Across from her, Denzel watched her as a dozen different thoughts crossed his mind.
"He told he found a mate already. A second-chance mate," she whispered. "She’s quite nice to him. Unlike ."
"June," Denzel began, leaning back in his chair. He watched her for a mont before continuing. "You were also nice to him. Not every mory was bad. But the two of you weren’t fit for each other. That’s what I believe when relationships fall apart. It isn’t always about who is ’nice’ or ’an.’"
"Has it happened to yours?" Juniper asked, her voice quiet.
"Not to . But my parents," Denzel stated. "They still et because of , but they moved on with separate partners after their divorce when I was twelve. You can’t bla yourself for the rest of your life, June. Maybe it was destined to happen, a lesson you needed to learn for yourself."
He reached for his own glass. "Sotis things have to break so you can see what they were actually made of."
Juniper couldn’t agree more with his words, but she simply nodded and resud eating in silence. Denzel followed her lead, picking up his fork and finishing his al. Once the plates were empty, Juniper reached for them, but he gently blocked her hand.
"Go upstairs and rest," he told her firmly, already moving toward the sink.
Juniper lingered for a mont, watching his back as the water started running, before finally walking out of his sight. She headed to the bedroom upstairs and spent a few minutes in the washroom brushing her teeth.
When she returned to the room, she slumped onto the mattress, the soft sheets a welco relief.
’He is right, June. We weren’t fit for Dominick and Black,’ Kelly’s voice drifted through her mind, sounding more certain than before. ’That’s why he severed the bond completely, including the mories. If we keep lingering in them, we won’t find joy in anything.’
’I agree,’ Juniper answered back. ’I’ll throw the mories of him into a bin, then. From now on, I’ll do what gives joy. And I won’t repeat the mistakes I made in the past.’
She heard a knock on the door and jumped up to sit.
"Yes?"
"If you need a friend, you can always call . I know how it feels like to be alone," Denzel said from the doorway, his hands inside the pocket of his trousers.
"Sure," Juniper said and passed a smile to him.
~~~~~
Gabriel flipped through the pages of the project file, the one that had been on hiatus while he was away from San Ravendale. The details were dense, but seeing the progress felt like reclaiming his place in the city. He finally yawned, closing the folder and setting it on the bedside table.
He turned his gaze toward Alie and Noah. Seeing them sleeping peacefully, the tension he’d been carrying since his return finally began to dissipate.
Gabriel leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Noah’s head and then to Alie’s temple. He watched them for another brief mont before quietly sliding off the bed and slipping out of the room.
Downstairs in the kitchen, he was pouring himself a glass of water when he felt Carlos’ presence nearby.
"Why aren’t you asleep yet?" Gabriel asked, turning around and setting the glass on the counter.
"I was going to ask you the sa. I was busy reading a book on spells and other things," Carlos replied, leaning against the doorfra. "What’s bothering you?"
"Nothing. I’ve just been caught up in a work-related file," Gabriel answered.
Carlos watched him for a second, clearly unconvinced by the answer. "You don’t usually stay up this late for paperwork unless your mind is racing."
"It’s an important project for my people here. The results won’t be instant, but they should co into effect in four or five years," Gabriel explained, revealing about his long-term vision.
"Hmm. You’ll succeed in it. I’ll have to leave tomorrow," Carlos stated, leaning against the counter. "I contacted my cousin, Mona. She and my aunt were happy to hear I’d finally be returning ho."
Gabriel looked at him, the humor fading into sothing more sincere. "I’m going to miss you. I don’t know how it happened, but you beca an important part of my family. Sending you away... It makes feel emotional."
Carlos let out a genuine smile, his eyes brightening. "Gabriel is getting emotional? Now, that’s an achievent for ."
The two n laughed together, the sound echoing softly in the quiet kitchen.
"Thanks, Gabriel, for treating with such respect and honor," Carlos remarked, his voice steady. "We may not be brothers by blood, but we have the bond of two brothers."
"I agree." Gabriel walked over to him and gripped his shoulder. "By the ti you return, a lot will change here. And I want to see big changes in you, too. Dad is definitely interested in including witches and sorcerers in the country’s future, so I’m rooting for your proposal. Get settled, Carlos. Find a partner and build a life with them."
"I will, Gabriel. I’m finally ready for all of it," Carlos stated, his expression full of quiet assurance. "I used to be scared of everything happening around , but I’m not in that phase anymore."
He looked Gabriel in the eye, making it clear he intended to live a life that would make his friend proud.
"I feel sleepy now. I shall go first. Goodnight, Gabriel," Carlos said, heading toward his room with a tired but contented expression.
Gabriel lingered in the hall for a few minutes. He eventually made his way back to his own room, moving carefully so as not to wake the two people who mattered most.
As he slid under the heavy duvet, the warmth of the bed enveloped him. He reached out, placing his arm protectively over Noah’s small fra, his hand resting near Alie.
Holding them both in the quiet dark, Gabriel finally felt the pull of sleep. ’Just keep my people safe, Moon Goddess,’ he silently prayed in his head.
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