Chapter 64: Regrets
(Gabriel's POV)
The air in my den felt suffocating, the heaviness of it sinking into my skin. The faint scent of gabrielwort smoke mixed with the dim glow of the lamp on the desk. It was a room I typically found solace in, but not tonight. Tonight, everything grated against my already thinning patience.
Charles stood before me, shifting awkwardly on his feet. His cautious posture betrayed his reluctance to deliver whatever bad news he carried. He should have been nervous. I wasn’t in the mood for whatever he was about to say.
“Alpha,” Charles began, carefully measuring each word. His gray eyes flicked briefly to me before settling on the antique oak flooring. “The Alpha King has declined to meet regarding the Crescent Valley territory negotiations.”
I didn’t s
