Chapter 665 Step an inch forward
“Kate, where had you disappeared to?” Amelie asked the moment she spotted her. She walked further into the chamber to find Katelyn sitting on the rug, distracted by Noah, while Gabriel was nowhere to be seen.
“Amelie!” Katelyn lifted her gaze, a radiant, slightly sheepish glow on her face. “I went to see Sage. I realized I could just teleport, so I thought… why stay away? I’m so in love with him that it’s becoming difficult to be apart for even a day.” Her cheeks turned a soft shade of crimson as she blushed at her own confession.
Amelie settled onto the floor across from her, pulling Noah into her lap. The pup immediately began reaching for his mother’s pendant on the chain, his restless energy finally settling. “That’s good. You and Sage should spend as much time together as you possibly can,” she affirmed, her voice full of genuine support.
“I heard Carlos went back. I thought he had no intention of going back,” Katelyn said, leaning back on her hands as she watched Noah try to mimic her posture.
“He got some urgent work,” Amelie replied, though her voice lacked its usual conviction.
“Oh.” Katelyn tilted her head, noticing the way Amelie’s gaze drifted toward the floor. The vibrant energy she usually carried seemed muted. “What happened? Are you worried for Carlos?” she inquired softly.
“A little.”
“You worry a lot, Amelie,” Katelyn remarked. “Be like Noah! Look at him! Worry-free all the time, just thinking about his next nap or his next snack.”
Amelie smiled at that, her heart lightening as she looked down at her son. Noah was currently preoccupied with the chain in Amelie’s neck.
“You’re right,” Amelie admitted, kissing the top of Noah’s head. “I should focus on the present.”
They both heard Gabriel’s deep voice before he even stepped into the drawing room, preceded by the stride of Karmen.
“Yeah, get everything ready in San Ravendale. Amelie and I will be arriving at the mansion right after Christmas. Also, make sure Noah’s room is well decorated with all the toys I asked for,” Gabriel instructed Albus over the phone. He and Karmen both came to a halt when they saw Amelie and Katelyn sitting on the sofa with the pup.
Karmen offered a respectful greeting to both ladies while Gabriel hung up the call, a playful glint appearing in his eyes as he looked at his sister.
“Kate, I see you are using your teleportation well,” Gabriel chuckled, though his tone held a note of brotherly caution. “Just don’t overuse it in a single month. You don’t want to burn through your strength as an Alpha before you’ve fully matured into the power.”
“I only used it thrice, Brother,” Katelyn countered, sticking her tongue out slightly. “Besides, I still use it far less than you do.”
“I’m different. I’ve been doing it for years, and my core is accustomed to the strain. You’ve gained this ability not too long ago,” Gabriel suggested. He walked closer to Amelie, his expression softening instantly as he reached down to ruffle Noah’s hair before resting a hand on Amelie’s shoulder.
“Go back to your chamber,” Gabriel told Katelyn, his tone firm but fond.
She waved a final goodbye to Amelie and Noah before disappearing.
“Karmen, the weather is worsening. You should have been home by now,” Amelie said, her brow furrowed with concern. “Don’t tell me Gabriel kept you late with more work.”
“No, he didn’t,” Karmen chuckled, laughing lightly as he shook his head. “I’ve been here for a few hours finishing up some of the Prince’s pending tasks before giving him the final reports. It was my choice to stay.”
“Still, you should head out before the roads are completely covered in snow,” Amelie insisted.
“I’m going now. By the way, I brought something for Noah.” Karmen hesitated for a moment, his hands locked behind his back in a rare moment of shyness. He brought a small bag forward. “It was a bit difficult for me to select clothes for a toddler, but I hope you like them.”
“Noah loves everything,” Gabriel interjected, already relaxing back into the velvet sofa, “especially if it’s something sparkling.”
Amelie smiled warmly and took the bag. “Noah, look what Uncle Karmen brought for you. Say thank you to him. Thank you.” She coached the boy gently.
Noah looked up at Karmen, his eyes bright with excitement as he mimicked his mother’s mouth movements.
“Han uo (Thank you)!” he chirped, the broken words followed by a wide, toothy grin.
“He’s lovely,” Karmen said softly, a genuine smile breaking across his usually stoic face.
Amelie opened the box and pulled out a soft, warm woolen set. “It’s truly lovely and soft,” she said, holding it up for the pup to see. Noah immediately caught the edge of the fabric, but his eyes quickly locked onto the sparkling, polished buttons.
“Gah! Gah!” Noah jumped excitedly in Amelie’s arms, his eyes shifting into a deep, vibrant shade of blue, a clear sign of his shifting wolf spirit reacting to his joy.
“See, I told you. He’s a lover of sparkling items,” Gabriel said with a grin. “Thanks for the gift, Karmen. Noah is going to wear it tomorrow, a special outfit from his favorite uncle. Am I right, boy?”
“Ha!” Noah chirped loudly this time, his enthusiasm bringing a bright smile to everyone’s faces.
“I’ll take my leave then,” Karmen said, his heart warmed by the child’s reaction. He reached out and gave Noah’s chubby cheek a gentle pinch before turning to head out into the cold.
By the time he reached his car and began the drive home, the heavy rain had abruptly transitioned into a thick, silent snowfall. The world was turning white in a matter of minutes.
As he stopped at a red light, Karmen leaned his head against the window, watching couples on the sidewalk huddled under umbrellas, laughing and catching flakes on their hands. A small, uncharacteristic sigh escaped him as he watched them, the quiet of the car suddenly feeling very vast.
Shaking his head to clear the sudden melancholy, Karmen focused on the road ahead. That was when his eyes fell upon Aisha. She was standing beneath a dark umbrella, her face tilted toward the winter sky with an expression of profound yearning that made her look fragile against the swirling snow.
A strange pull tugged at his heart, but he gritted his teeth and looked away, reminding himself that Aisha wasn’t a woman meant for him.
As he accelerated, a sharp, piercing scream sliced through the sound of the wind. Karmen slammed on the brakes instinctively. Through the blurred window, he saw a man gripping Aisha’s arm tightly. Without a second thought, Karmen swung the car to the curb and stepped out into the freezing air.
“Leave my hand! I never asked you to follow me. We are merely colleagues!” Aisha shouted, her voice trembling with rage and fear. A few onlookers paused, but no one dared to intervene; the aggressor was flanked by several men dressed in black suits, who screamed threat.
Karmen didn’t hesitate. He moved with the lethal grace of a trained soldier, grabbing the man’s wrist and shoving him away from Aisha with enough force to send him stumbling. Before the man could recover, Karmen stepped in and twisted his arm behind his back.
“Step an inch forward and I’ll snap his head off,” Karmen threatened, his voice dropping to a deadly, low growl as he glared at the men in black.