"A baby girl? How old is she? And who could have been heartless enough to abandon her in the forest like that?" Amelie showed her concern as soon as Gabriel finished explaining the evening's events.

"She appears to be around two years old," Gabriel replied, his shoulders slumping as the weight of the day finally settled in. "The Sentinel Department is already investigating how she reached such a remote part of the woods, but it is undeniably a case of abandonment." He lowered himself to the edge of the bed, his gaze softening as he looked toward the center, where Noah lay sound asleep.

"I truly hope they find her parents soon," Amelie said quietly. She took his jacket, carefully hung it in the cupboard, and then came to sit beside him, mirroring his posture.

"We will. Don't worry," Gabriel reassured her. He turned slightly, his eyes searching Amelie's face. "Noah was upset when I left for the hospital, wasn't he? He didn't cry, did he?"

"He didn't cry, no," Amelie explained, a small, reassuring smile forming. "He just pouted for a while because he wanted to stay with you. Then the drowsiness took over, and I made sure he settled down for the night."

She shifted slightly, her tone lightening as she moved on to family news.

"I spoke with Idris on a video call earlier today. Zilia was there, too. You wouldn't believe how much he's grown, he's already shooting up in height."

Gabriel nodded, a relief crossing his features. "That's wonderful to hear. But tell me, is everything still stable at the academy? Nothing happening there to cause him any discomfort?"

"Not anymore," Amelie said. "The other students have been significantly more understanding toward me ever since that incident. Things have really calmed down a long ago. Actually, Idris mentioned to Zilia that he wants to come stay with us for a while, so I invited him to spend his summer vacation here. Zilia is a bit more tied down, though; she mentioned she will likely have to return to the palace by next week."

"Maybe she's simply missing Casaio," Gabriel mused, his gaze drifting thoughtfully toward the window.

"I think you're right," Amelie agreed. "Besides, she mentioned that her main reason for coming was to speak with Juniper. They were close friends long before everything turned sour, and it sounds like they've finally managed to put that past behind them. Things are much better between them now."

Gabriel hummed in response, his expression contemplative as he processed the news.

Amelie watched him for a moment, a playful, teasing glint appearing in her eyes. "By the way, I noticed something at the restaurant earlier. When you told Juniper that if she needed anything, she could reach out to Denzel... that was quite a shift for you. You surprise me sometimes."

She looked at him with an amused smile, clearly enjoying his reaction to being called out on his own unexpected change in attitude.

"Didn't you want me to do that?" Gabriel countered, arching a single eyebrow. "Besides, Denzel and Juniper seem to be crossing paths with remarkable frequency lately."

Amelie's grin widened, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Don't tell me you've taken up matchmaking. Are you actually trying to set them up?"

"Not exactly," Gabriel replied, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely innocent. "It's just... I've noticed Denzel. He clearly has a soft spot for Juniper. I've never seen him go out of his way for any other woman like this. Perhaps I'm overthinking it, but if there is a real connection there, I believe he needs a nudge. Honestly, both he and Karmen are hopelessly inept when it comes to romance."

He let out a weary huff and rolled his eyes, genuinely exasperated by his Beta's and Gamma's lack of romantic initiative.

Amelie laughed softly at his blunt assessment. She pulled back, her eyes bright as she looked up at him.

"Well, I suppose you do have a romantic side, and you certainly don't hesitate to show it." She leaned in and caught him with a sudden, soft kiss on his lips.

"Time for bed, love," she murmured, moving to the left side of the bed and settling in beside Noah.

Gabriel wasn't ready to sleep. He followed her, closing the gap between them. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. As he buried his face in the curve of her neck, he began to plant slow kisses along her skin.

Amelie let out a quiet breath, leaning her head back against his shoulder. She didn't pull away, though she kept her voice low. "Gabriel," she whispered, a faint smile in her tone, "we have a sleeping toddler right here." Her fingers rested lightly over his hands, anchoring him.

"Then, let's move him to his room before we continue," Gabriel whispered, his nose brushing against the soft hair at her temple.

Amelie turned slightly in his arms, her voice a low murmur. "And if he wakes up? Then what?"

"Then I'll just have to put him back to sleep," he replied, though his hands relaxed, his desire tempered by the sight of their son. He pressed a final kiss to her neck and pulled back slightly. "Let's just sleep. You must be exhausted."

Amelie looked up at him, a tired but affectionate smile touching her lips. "More than me, you are. You've been dealing with a lot today."

Gabriel let out a slow, steady breath, acknowledging the truth in her words.

"Fair enough," he conceded. He climbed into the bed, carefully settling into the space beside Noah. He pulled the duvet up to their shoulders, closing his eyes as the room grew still. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day, too."

"How? Do you have more meetings?"

"No. Tomorrow, after finding about the girls' parents, it's generally going to be a long day. Amelie, I don't know why but I feel no matter what the kids shouldn't be abandoned. They don't deserve that."

"It's not proven though that the girl is abandoned," Amelie told him.

"Yeah. But I'm speaking in general," Gabriel answered. "It's hurtful to not find your parents while others are living well. I think I now understand what June felt and why she never told Nick about her origin. Because she feared she would get abandoned."

"You talk so deep sometimes," Amelie whispered.

"I learned from you." He passed her a smile, and saw her eyes getting shut. He reached out his hand and caressed her cheek for a while before he himself drifted off to sleep.