Rejected and Pregnant: Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince-Chapter 692: Peace I’ve always yearned

As evening fell, Gabriel made his way to the Moon Temple to find Cynthia. He found her sitting on the porch, a solitary figure silhouetted against the rising moon as she stared up at the vast, darkening sky, devoid of clouds tonight.

"Why aren’t you staying in the house I arranged for you?" Gabriel’s voice broke the silence.

"Gabriel!" Cynthia breathed, rising to her feet as he strode toward her.

"Are you still sleeping in that cramped room provided by the temple?" Gabriel muttered, his jaw tightening with suppressed anger. "Why do you insist on staying here, in a place that reminds you of how the higher-ups punished you for a crime you never committed?"

"I like the peace here, Gabriel. I told you that," Cynthia replied softly. She watched him as he shrugged off his heavy, fur-lined long coat. Without a word, he draped it over her shoulders. He followed it by unwinding the thick muffler from his own neck and wrapping it carefully around hers.

"Can’t you dress warmly?" Gabriel scolded, his voice softening even as he worked. "You are no longer immortal; you can get sick so easily now. Please, start living in the house. If you move there, I can finally bring Amelie and Noah to see you."

He finished tying a knot in the muffler, ensuring she was shielded from the biting wind. "I could never take care of my mother in the past," he confessed, his gaze lingering on her face. "That is why I am doing all of this now. Let me do this for you."

"And I am so deeply grateful for that," Cynthia murmured, her palm resting gently against Gabriel’s cheek. "But I have something for you first. It is a talisman for Noah, a blessing to be worn on his wrist."

She asked him to wait a moment and disappeared into the shadows of the temple. Gabriel stood alone on the porch. She returned shortly, cradling a tiny silk pouch in her hands as if it were a precious treasure.

"This will protect Noah from the evil eye," Cynthia said, pressing the pouch into Gabriel’s palm.

"I will make sure he wears it," Gabriel stated, his fingers closing tightly over the silk. "But only if you promise to move into the house I arranged for you. This temple is deserted at night, and I cannot stand the thought of you living like this. You are not an ordinary woman. Without your guidance, I would have never defeated Ophelia."

He looked away, a flash of guilt crossing his features. "It brings me pain to say this, but I regret that I couldn’t save you from your fall. I made a selfish choice for my own happiness, and you paid the price for it."

"It’s alright, Gabriel," Cynthia explained, her voice as calm as the night air. "I don’t harbor any bitterness. If anything, I feel only blessed that I was allowed to see you, and the man you’ve become, in this lifetime. My position was a small price to pay for that."

"Then, shall we go?" Gabriel asked, his tone leaving little room for further debate.

Cynthia offered a small nod, realizing she could no longer refuse his earnest protection. Once they were settled in the car, the silence was comfortable as Gabriel drove through the winding roads toward the private estate he had prepared for her.

Upon arrival, he didn’t just drop her off; he walked her through every room, pointing out the stocked kitchen and the warm hearth, ensuring she felt at home before he finally prepared to take his leave.

Returning to the palace, Gabriel felt a profound sense of calm wash over him for the first time in weeks. For days, the image of Cynthia living in the harsh, drafty conditions of the temple had been a constant weight on his mind. Now, knowing she was safe and warm, he could finally focus on his own family.

~~~~~

"Your mother must be wanting you to celebrate Christmas with them. We can always reconsider the cruise," Aisha said, her voice soft as she cleared the dinner table and moved the plates toward the sink.

"I did celebrate with them last year. Before that, I wasn’t able to," Karmen stated, his tone final but gentle as he helped her transfer the remaining crockery. He reached out, took the rubber gloves from her hands, and gave her a steady look. "I’ll wash the dishes tonight."

"Karmen, your arm isn’t healed fully," Aisha protested, reaching for a plate.

"It has," Karmen insisted, shifting his stance to block her path to the sink with a playful grin. "I’m excited to go on this trip with you, Aisha. A few plates aren’t going to stop me."

He began the work, the sound of splashing water and clinking porcelain filling the kitchen while Aisha moved to clean the countertops. She finished soon and sat on the counter chair, watching Karmen work.

"Why didn’t you ever think of dating?" Aisha asked suddenly, the question hanging in the air alongside the steam from the sink.

"I was never interested," Karmen replied simply. "And to be honest, I felt hardly anyone would want to deal with the reality of my life. I’m Gabriel’s beta; my work means I sometimes disappear for days without warning. Come to think of it, I never asked if that would bother you. What if I’m buried in a task and can’t reach you? Would you mind?"

Aisha paused her cleaning, her gaze becoming thoughtful as she leaned against the countertop. "That depends. If it’s urgent and important, I won’t mind. But," she added, her eyes meeting his, "I would expect you to inform me beforehand whenever possible. I don’t like being left in the dark."

Karmen turned off the tap, the silence of the kitchen returning. He rinsed the gloves, squeezed out the excess water, and hung them neatly on the side of the sink.

"And what if I don’t have even a single moment to inform you?" Karmen questioned.

"Then, I’ll just have to wait," Aisha replied softly. "Are we already moving to that part of the conversation? I don’t even know if we’ll be able to make this last long-term. But I hope we do. Being with you... It brings me the peace I’ve always yearned for."