Rejected and Pregnant: Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince-Chapter 165: The feelings you harbor

In the living room, Casaio was mid-conversation with Katelyn when he noticed Gabriel approaching. One look at his younger brother’s face, and a knot formed in his stomach.

Gabriel halted beside the couch. "How did Mom find out about the truth about Zilia?"

"Truth about Zilia?" Katelyn’s brows drew together. "What are you talking about?"

Casaio tried to answer in a relaxed posture. "Someone from the mansion must’ve informed her. She confronted me not long after. I was going to talk to you, Gabriel, but you didn’t exactly give me the chance."

Katelyn blinked, her mouth parting. "Wait... Zilia’s a spy?"

Gabriel remained silent, his eyes locked on Casaio.

"It’s a long story, Kate. I’ll explain later," Casaio muttered.

"Amelie is alone in the room. It would be nice if you stay with her," Gabriel requested Katelyn.

Katelyn was startled the way Gabriel humbly made a request. She nodded and left her seat before walking upstairs.

Gabriel leaned forward slightly after taking a seat on the couch. "Are you saying someone here is spying on me, for Mom?"

"That’s the only explanation," Casaio said. "She knew everything, all the details. She summoned me the moment she found out. It wasn’t Dominick who told her. Someone in this house did."

Gabriel exhaled through his nose, his eyes narrowing. "Mom must’ve thrown a fit."

Casaio gave a short, almost sarcastic laugh. "Are you... concerned for me now?"

Gabriel’s lips quirked, though there was no humor in his eyes. "You’re the golden boy of our parents, Casaio. Always doing everything right. First time you mess up, and it happens to be falling for a spy. Of course Mom would lose her mind."

Casaio looked away. "You don’t need to remind me what Zilia did," he murmured.

"Dad’s going to decide Zilia’s punishment," Gabriel informed him. "I told you before—this is a matter of royal safety. I didn’t mention it earlier, but I’ve found out about her brother—the one she’s protecting. I’ve given her until this evening to make a decision."

Casaio’s expression darkened. "How did you find out about her brother?"

"I sent someone to the Blood Dominion Pack," Gabriel replied. "They delivered the information a few days after I arrested her. With the wedding and the honeymoon, I didn’t get the chance to bring it up sooner." His eyes narrowed. "But I’ll be honest with you now. Casaio, you need to let go of whatever feelings you’re still holding for Zilia. This won’t end well. Father is likely to sentence her to death... and Mother will demand it."

"I’m well aware," Casaio muttered, his gaze dropping to the floor. His voice cracked with restrained anguish. "I asked her if she was protecting her brother... but she refused to say anything. She never loved me. And knowing all of this tears me apart more than I want to admit."

Gabriel’s expression softened, if only slightly. "I know it hurts. But protecting her now will only cost you more. You can see her before evening because I won’t allow you to talk to her after the evening."

Casaio’s jaw clenched as he struggled to contain the storm inside him. His fists trembled at his sides, and a sharp breath escaped him like a wound reopening.

"I don’t want her to be punished," he admitted in a low and rough voice. "I wish—" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I wish she had told us the truth. I would’ve done anything to protect her... if only she trusted me."

His eyes turned misty with tears as he clasped his hands tightly together, trying to will away the pain.

Gabriel, however, couldn’t sympathize with him. "Spies are trained to be loyal to their masters, not the people. Zilia was too close to you. You two were fated mates. But can you even imagine what kind of information she may have already passed to our enemies? She didn’t even care about the matebond you two had. You remember how our security was breached repeatedly, and we never found the source. Now it makes sense. Zilia was behind it. She didn’t even care for the love you carried for her."

He leaned forward, turning more serious. "Casaio, with the status of your mate, she had access to everything, our movements, our strategies and our vulnerabilities. She could’ve brought us to ruin if she had not been caught. And you can’t let her live even if you love her."

Gabriel paused for a moment before continuing, gentler this time. "I know this hurts more than you’ll ever admit. But this kingdom, this people, must come before the feelings you harbor for Zilia. That’s what it means to be born into this family. You’ve to let go of her and give the justice to those souls, who lost their lives near the borders of the Blood Dominion Pack."

Casaio didn’t respond immediately. He lowered his head while his facial expression shadowed by the weight of love, betrayal, and duty.

"Mom is going to force a marriage on you after this," Gabriel said, leaning back against the couch with a sigh. "I just hope you’ll be able to refuse her this time. You’ve always had a tendency to follow her wishes, no matter the cost."

Casaio let out a faint breath. "She actually... understood me this time. She said she’ll give me the space I need to process everything."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "Really?" he asked, though not with disbelief. "Of course she did," he added, his voice holding a hint of dry amusement. "She’s always had a softer spot for you and Nick."

It wasn’t bitterness, ut something he couldn’t say in mere words.

"If I were in your place, she wouldn’t have cared how I felt. She’d have arranged the wedding the same day and expected me to smile through it. Well, I wouldn’t have agreed to her either, but that’s how she had behaved with me."

Casaio didn’t reply immediately, but he knew what Gabriel meant by that.