"Then you come to me. I need to say a few words to you. It’s important."
Gabriel glances at his people with a frown, then gives them a brief, wary nod and starts walking toward us.
I’m surprised by how much he’s changed. Gabriel was always well built, but now he radiates a different kind of strength, almost authority, like he has grown into his alpha nature.
Before, he always seemed withdrawn, shy, keeping to himself among the other fighters, muted and unremarkable.
Where did this change come from? It’s genuinely fascinating.
He steps up beside us and studies me closely.
"Gabriel… meet my True Mate, Salt," I say calmly, tilting my chin toward Salt.
Gabriel lifts his eyebrows slightly, then nods with honest surprise. "Oh. Well then. Congratulations."
Another brief pause follows.
Then he suddenly adds, "And now maybe you can explain what someone from the Ferro family is doing here, the family that had a hand in the bombing attempt on my boss, Mr. Lowen?" His voice sharpens, edged with cynicism and something almost threatening.
I answer in the same sharp, sarcastic tone: "Aren’t you an eco-terrorist who attacked and burned down a Malden Pharmaceuticals lab? And you’re here too, Gabriel."
A short but intense silence follows my words.
So I decide to add, "By the way, I walked out on my family and cut all ties completely. What about you? Aren’t you an activist anymore?"
Gabriel makes a particular face. "Let’s just say I changed careers."
"Well. I didn’t even need to change my views. I was never an enemy of Mr. Lowen. My uncle was. And I escaped his fortress two months ago."
A flicker of surprise crosses his face. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I need something from you. I need a moment to speak with Blue Lowen."
Gabriel bursts out laughing, even leaning back slightly. "Do you honestly think I’d let you talk to him? No matter how ‘cut off’ you claim to be from your family, you’re still of the Ferros’ blood, Anzo’s nephew!"
I clench my jaw. "Anzo murdered my parents, Gabriel! I don’t owe him a shred of loyalty. Or this psycho, Rocco, for thatmatter." I close my eyes for a second. "I just want to talk with Blue!"
"I still think…"
"Oh for fuck’s sake!" Salt suddenly snaps. "When Eliano says something, he keeps his word!"
Silence crashes down. Gabriel glances at Salt’s flushed face and then studies me for a long moment.
"What do you want to talk about with Mr. Lowen?" he finally asks.
"I want to ask for his help getting into the Beta Activation Follow-Up program. He has that kind of influence. I don’t have enough money to buy one of those houses outright. I need his approval for participation and for a loan."
Gabriel straightens, lifting his chin. "Mr. Lowen does not manage that project directly. Even if he can approve participation, loans and housing purchases are not handled at his level."
The way he says it does not sound like a simple employee relaying information. There is something else there, something close to respect, almost reverence toward Lowen.
It makes me weirdly irritated. "What, is he too high and mighty to speak to the people in his own program?"
Something flashes over Gabriel’s face.
"Mr. Lowen is deeply devoted to the cause and sacrifices his own private time to tend to matters here. He does much more than you can see on the surface!"
I narrow my eyes. The passionate defense seems strange, considering Gabriel is someone who once wanted to wipe every branch of Lowen’s pharmaceutical empire off the map.
