"I'll be there," Gabriel replied firmly. "Just send me the address."

"Sure. Thanks, Gabriel," Karmen said in relief.

"Don't mention it," Gabriel added with a small chuckle before hanging up.

A notification popped up on Amelie's phone as Karmen's message arrived. Gabriel glanced at the screen as she clicked it open. "Can you forward that to my phone?"

"Sure," Amelie agreed, her thumbs moving quickly over the screen.

Noah looked between his parents, his little face scrunching into a pout as he realized he was no longer the center of attention. Feeling ignored, he huffed and turned his back to them, picking up his toy and pointedly starting to play with it on his own.

Gabriel picked up his phone from the bedside table, tapping the screen only to find it dark. "Ah, it's dead," he murmured, setting it onto the wireless charging pad.

"What's happening, though? I heard a higher Alpha is needed to touch the pup?" Amelie asked, watching him closely.

"Yeah, it's the only way to help them shift back into human form," Gabriel stated, his expression turning serious.

"That's so strange! That doesn't usually happen to pups," Amelie replied, her brow furrowing with concern.

"It does if there's been abandonment or extreme stress," Gabriel explained. "The pup's parents left them in the forest. Their primal, protective instincts probably forced the wolf side out as a defense mechanism. The child is likely terrified."

"Oh, the poor thing." Amelie stepped off the bed and reached into the closet, pulling out his jacket. She held it out to him. "Then you should hurry. Go help them."

Gabriel took the jacket from her and slid it on. Amelie adjusted his collars, her touch soft, just before he leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Noah, sensing the shift in energy, looked up from his toys. Seeing his father preparing to leave, he let out an insistent, "Papa! Ba la wa!"

"Your father is going out for a moment, sweetheart," Amelie said, stroking the toddler's hair to keep him occupied.

"I'll return soon," Gabriel answered. He lowered himself to Noah's level and peppered playful, quick kisses across the boy's face, drawing out a bright giggle. "Don't disturb your mama while I'm gone."

He stood up and checked his phone; the battery icon was a thin red line at ten percent. Grabbing the charger from the side table, he pocketed it, grabbed his car keys, and hurried out of the room, driving toward the hospital to assist with the mysterious pup.

~~~~~

Upon arriving at the hospital, Gabriel spotted Karmen waiting in the lobby. "Is the pup okay?" he asked immediately.

"They're sleeping for now. The medical reports should be out in an hour," Karmen replied. The two hurried to the elevator and headed up to the seventh floor, entering the ward dedicated to pediatric care.

Gabriel walked into the room with Karmen, where a nurse was tending to the patient alongside Aisha. Upon seeing the Prince, both women bowed respectfully.

Gabriel didn't waste any time, stepping closer to the bed. He reached out and gently placed his hand on the pup's small head. A soft, violet light pulsed from his fingertips, enveloping the wolf. The fur began to recede as the wolf shape melted away, and within moments, the pup had shifted back into their original human form, curled up against the sheets.

"A girl," Gabriel gasped, his voice filled with surprise. The others in the room stared in stunned silence.

He pulled his hand back, steadying himself, and looked at the nurse, who quickly snapped out of her trance and rushed to summon the doctor.

"Did you ask the sentinels to search that area?" Gabriel asked, his gaze lingering on the now-human child who lay sleeping peacefully.

"Yes, they are on it," Karmen confirmed, his jaw tight. "It's shocking that someone could just abandon a pup in such a deep part of the forest."

Gabriel furrowed his brows. He took a step back from the bed.

"We will stay here," Aisha stated, offering a respectful nod. "Prince Gabriel, you should leave now. We've disturbed you enough."

"I will after talking to the doctor," Gabriel said. Ever since he became a father, he had this empathy toward the kids that made him protective of the girl.

The doctor returned with the nurse shortly and bowed.

Gabriel and others stepped back while the doctor examined the girl once again. Her pulse was stable and so was her heartbeats.

"I think the girl will sleep the entire night because her body is exhausted. Anything can be found out in the morning," the doctor said.

"I'll stay the night here," Karmen stated. The doctor and excused himself as he needed to check on the other patients.

~~~~~

Denzel dropped Juniper off at her home. She removed her seatbelt and grasped her purse, the lingering adrenaline of the day finally fading into pleasant fatigue. "It was truly fun today. I enjoyed it a lot." A soft, involuntary yawn escaped her mouth.

"Turns out you're going to get a good sleep tonight," Denzel stated with a knowing grin.

Juniper laughed, her eyes already growing heavy with the exhaustion of a day well spent. "I think you're right. I'm going to sleep like a log," she admitted. "Thank you, Denzel. For everything."

"Mention it not," Denzel said, his voice dropping to a warm, steady tone. "I truly hope you look forward to a bright future from now on. Explore all the things you've missed out on all this time."

"I will," Juniper agreed, opening the car door. She stepped out into the cool evening air and was about to pull the door shut when she paused, peeking back inside. "Denzel? If you ever need someone to keep you company, don't hesitate to ask."

Denzel's expression softened, a rare, genuine smile touching his eyes. "I'll remember that. Sleep well, Juniper."

She offered him one last nod before closing the door. As his car pulled away and the taillights faded into the distance, she stood for a moment in the quiet of the night before walking inside the building.