Two weeks after , Maeve began to suspect that maybe it wasn't only Gabriel , But her too who was targeted . Every time , they first focused on her , which was rather ... Strange . They didn't even tried to get him half of the time . This night , like a lots of other nights since she became Gabriel' s bodyguard , she had a horrible nightmare :
*The family quarter was silent , so silent . The little Maeve felt shivers down her spine , while the older Maeve screams to the little girl to not leave her bed , that she doesn't want to see it . But nonetheless , The little panther leave her bed and approach her parents' room . She push the door : they're not here . Maybe they're at uncle Roge' s room , she thinks . So she goes wandering into the base she known her whole life . Suddenly , she's hit by a smell that makes her shivers deepen : tears , and blood , and Dad ? Mom ? The older screams , begs her younger version to not go there , but the young girl follow the scent and push . the . door .*
Maeve woke up screaming , tears rolling down her cheeks , sweat dripping from her forehead and down her back . A small knock reverberate on the small and silent walls , followed by Gabriel' s voice :
- Kitty ? Maeve ? Is everything alright ? Can I enter ?
Not feeling strong enough to push him away , she whispered :
- Yes , come .
She didn't even had the time to brush the tears off her cheeks that he was there , half naked , his hair disheveled , his blue green eyes lighted with worry . He slides in her bed ,, and before she realized it , he was hugging her . Again , she knew she should push him away , set a distance between them , but didn't had the strenght to do so . Instead , she just leaned her head against his bare chest and smelled his reassuring scent of musk and woods . Breaking the silence , his voice rose in the dark :
- Do you want to tell me what made you feels like this , or do you want to stay like this ?
Chewing on her lips , she muttered against him :
- I' d like to stay like that . Please .
He nodded and didn't said anything else , satisfied by just holding her in his arm , listening to the sound of her respiration becoming lighter and calmer . He hated seeing her that way . in two weeks , he had the time to observe her : she was strong , sassy , fierce , kind , and horribly , completely , absolutely proud . And he loved that . What he hated though , was to see her that way , so little , so fragile . As she felt asleep again , he promised himself to find whatever made her like this and destroy it , no matter if it was a memory , a fear , a thing , or a person .
Maeve woke up feeling strangely warm and Cosy . She was feeling soooo good tucked that way in his arm , surrounded by his scent . So good she was practically purring . But ... Wait a damn minute ... And suddenly , everything came back to her : the nightmare , Gabriel reassuring her , how she fell asleep in his arms ... Red as a tomato , she , as quietly as possible , slidded off his arms , not daring to look at him . But as she was about to leave , she let her eyes wonder on him . He was absolutely gorgeous : golden skin on a muscled body , shimmering golden hair , and a face with perfect features . Even asleep to the point of drooling , his face was still annoyingly stunning . Frowning her brows , she left the room , trying to ignore the spark of desire he had ignite in her lower belly .
When Gabriel woke up , he was alone . Frowning his brows , he scanned the room , to find a clue of where she could be , but nothing . SO annoyed to have woken up alone , he started to follow her scent - Dhalias and cherries - through the whole palace . He finally found her in the shared gym hall . And what he saw left him stunned : She was training , and he knew that every and each one of her movements could kill a man , but he couldn't help but being fascinated by her grace , by how easy it seems for her .
- Gabriel ?
He needed a moment to get out of his trance , haven't even realized she stopped to look at him .
- Y - yeah ?
She gave him a strange look .
- What are you doing here , Princeling ?
he shrugged his shoulders :
- I was looking for you , why ?
She seemed to be about to say something , but at this precise moment , Callum erupted into the room , out of breath - and visibly out of shape - and let out , in a hoarse voice :
- I - I was searching for you two guys everywhere . E . V . E . R. Y . W. H. E . R . E .
The young women raised a brow :
- Well visibly not everywhere , since he was in his room and I've been here for two hours .
Callum stuttered :
- Well , euh ...
And Gabriel interrupted the young men :
- what is it you want to tell us so badly , Callum ?
- The king is dead , Gabe . Your father is the new king .