"Who gave you the authority to call Nick without informing me first?" Gabriel’s stern voice made Denzel stiffen. "If not me, you should have at least consulted Karmen. Do you have any idea the scale of the mess you’ve created?"
Denzel swallowed hard, making his pale face look even more gaunt. "Forgive me, Gabriel. I—I truly believed Prince Dominick would want to be here once he realized what Juniper was enduring."
"And why the hell do you care what she’s enduring?" Gabriel snapped, stepping into Denzel’s personal space.
"Do you have any conception of the fallout at the palace? Both Casaio and Nick are my elder brothers. When you accuse them, you trigger a chain reaction you can’t control. If their Betas or Gammas had provoked me like that, I would have reacted exactly as Nick did."
"It won’t happen again. Please, I am asking for your forgiveness," Denzel pleaded, his head bowed.
"You won’t stay as my Gamma," Gabriel pronounced. Denzel’s mouth opened to protest, but Gabriel cut him off with a pointed finger. "Don’t say another word."
"Please, Prince Gabriel, don’t do this," Denzel whispered, desperate now. "This is the first time I have ever failed you."
"You have no idea what you’ve done, Denzel," Gabriel said, his violet eyes flashing with anger and exhaustion. "Kate’s wedding is in two days. Because of your ’initiative,’ I was in a physical brawl with my brother in the palace hallways. My wife and my son had to witness that. The damage you caused is unforgivable. Hand over your badge of office to Karmen by tonight."
Gabriel turned to leave, but stopped, his back to Denzel. "If you thought I would forgive you for making such a rash decision, you were wrong, Denzel. Loyalty starts with transparency, and you bypassed me."
With that, he walked away before he vanished around the corner. Denzel stood alone in the open space.
After some time, Denzel composed himself and returned to the area. He saw Gabriel sitting on a lounge sofa with closed eyes. Realizing that Dominick and Juniper were still talking behind the closed curtains, Denzel quietly lowered himself into the seat across from the Prince.
Denzel’s fingers twisted together in his lap, his voice trembling as he made one last attempt. "Gabriel, please, don’t dismiss me like this. I admit I made a grave mistake in judgment, but I truly believed Prince Dominick would listen if he saw the truth for himself."
"Did you not hear me the first time, Denzel?" Gabriel opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through his Gamma with cold authority.
"I did. But..." Denzel trailed off, the realization hitting him that every word he spoke was only stoking the embers of Gabriel’s fury.
The sharp rattle of the curtain rings sliding back cut through the tension. Both Gabriel and Denzel stood abruptly as Dominick stepped out of the small enclosure.
"Your Highness, please forgive me for the trouble I’ve caused you," Denzel said, bowing deeply to Dominick. Behind him, Juniper watched from her bed with a confused expression.
Dominick glanced at the bowed man, his face a mask of indifference. "If Gabriel chooses to forgive you, then I will follow his lead."
"He is no longer my Gamma," Gabriel revealed, the finality in his voice sending a shockwave through both Dominick and Juniper. He didn’t wait for their reaction before turning to his brother. "Is the matter with her finished?"
"Yes," Dominick answered, his voice devoid of emotion. "I only need to pass the formal orders now, which will take some time to draft thoughtfully. I’ll have Evan handle the logistics of the investigation and the public statement."
"Alright. Then let’s go back," Gabriel said, already turning toward the exit without a second glance at Denzel or the woman in the bed.
Dominick stood at the edge of the curtain.
"You’ll get to live a normal life," he said. "And I hope you find your own peace, Juniper. Forgive me for not becoming the man you desired. Though I do pray to the Moon Goddess that she grants you the man you deserve."


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