Rejected and Pregnant: Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince-Chapter 579: Belongs to the stars

Chapter 579: Belongs to the stars
Gabriel guided Katelyn onto the bed, his heart sinking as he saw the extent of her injuries. Her wrists were bleeding from where she had clearly been bound, and a jagged, sharp cut marred her cheek. A maidservant quickly moved to drape a silk sheet over her, preserving her dignity just as the royal physician hurried into the chamber.
The heavy doors swung open again as Mabel and Raidan rushed in, their faces pale with terror after hearing the news of their daughter’s return.
"Kate!" Mabel cried out, her voice breaking. Gabriel instinctively stepped back to give them space, his jaw tight with a mixture of relief and simmering rage.
"Oh my god! Wha—what happened to my daughter?" Mabel sobbed, her fingers hovering tremulously over the cut on Katelyn’s face. She looked up at the doctor with pleading, frantic eyes. "How could this happen?"
Raidan turned his gaze toward the physician. "Harriet, stop the bleeding. Do whatever you must to make my daughter right again."
"Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’m on it," Harriet stated firmly, her eyes already scanning the severity of the wounds. She glanced at her assistant, who was efficiently setting up the IV drip to stabilize the princess. "You all need to wait outside the chamber; I need space to work," she asserted, her professional authority leaving no room for argument.
Gabriel placed a steadying hand on his mother’s arm, gently guiding the distraught Mabel toward the hallway, with Raidan following close behind, his face a mask of suppressed fury.
They had barely cleared the threshold when Amelie rushed into the wing, her breath coming in short gasps, with Ashna trailing just behind her. She looked at Gabriel’s blood-stained sleeves and then at the closed doors.
"What happened to Kate?" Amelie demanded, her eyes wide with alarm. "Is she... Is she going to be fine?"
"Her treatment is underway. Doctor Harriet is with her now," Gabriel replied. He looked past her, his protective instincts flaring for the rest of the family. "Mom, where’s Noah?"
"He’s safe in the inner chamber with my personal attendant," Mabel replied, wiping her eyes with a silk handkerchief.
Gabriel hummed in acknowledgment, his mind already moving several steps ahead. Without wasting another second, he vanished, teleporting straight to his mother’s manor. He found Noah resting quietly in his crib; the infant looked so peaceful compared to the chaos erupting throughout the palace.
After informing the personal attendant that he would be taking his son, Gabriel carefully gathered Noah into his arms. He was mindful of his strength, placing a large, warm hand on the back of the baby’s head to support him securely. He stepped out of the chamber and, in the blink of an eye, returned to the hallway outside Katelyn’s room.
Seeing him reappear with the child, Amelie immediately stood up from her chair. She reached out and took the sleeping boy from Gabriel’s arms, her touch gentle and maternal.
"I’ll take him to the room. You should stay here," she whispered, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. She knew Gabriel wouldn’t be able to rest until the physician stepped out of that room with good news.
Gabriel nodded silently.
Carlos caught Gabriel’s eye, giving a quick, silent gesture to indicate he would stay with Amelie and the baby. He followed them out of the wing.
Gabriel pulled his phone from his trouser pocket. His fingers were steady as he dialed Sage. The call was answered almost instantly.
"Sage, I have found Kate. Fly here," Gabriel informed him.
"I am already at the airport," Sage answered, his voice trembling with a raw, frantic energy. "How is she? Gabriel, tell me, how is she?"
"The doctor is examining her now. But she is fine," Gabriel stated. It was a half-truth, a necessary lie to ensure Sage could actually make it through the flight without spiraling, but the image of her bloodied wrists flashed vividly in Gabriel’s mind as he said it.
"Thank God. I will be there soon," Sage whispered, the sound of a terminal announcement echoing in the background before the line went dead.
Gabriel slid the phone back into his pocket and looked up to find Raidan watching him. His father’s eyes were sharp, scanning Gabriel’s face for the truth he had just withheld from Sage.
~~~~~
Amelie stepped out of the bedroom, the rhythmic creak of Noah’s crib fading behind her. The soft glow of the hallway lamps illuminated Carlos, who stood like a silent sentinel.
"I—I just heard from Ashna that Katelyn was abducted by Ophelia," Amelie whispered, her voice trembling with fear and fury. "How could that witch do it? She’s systematically coming after our family."
"Katelyn has lost her ring," Carlos affirmed, his expression grim. "I checked her hands when Gabriel brought her in; her fingers are bare. As for Ophelia, she’s been hunting for any link that could lead her directly to you or Gabriel. Without the protection of the heirloom, Katelyn was an easy target."
Amelie’s hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white. "She needs to die. Soon." She looked down at the band on her own middle finger. "Is there any other way to stop her? Aside from these rings, Grandma made for us? There has to be a way to shield the rest of the family."
Carlos took a step closer. "It’s worse than just the ring, Amelie. Ophelia didn’t just want to scare her. She has taken blood from Katelyn."
Amelie’s breath hitched. "What could she possibly want with it? A blood spell? Do you think she’ll use it as a conduit to strike at the rest of us?"
"I’m certain of it," Carlos replied, his expression hardening. "That is why Gabriel is desperate to find a specific metal, one rare enough to end a witch of Ophelia’s caliber. He says it is an eternal kind, one that never rusts."
Amelie frowned, her mind racing instantly. "Gold? Pure gold doesn’t rust," she noted.
"No," Carlos said. "I don’t think it’s gold. Gold is a metal of the sun, but what Gabriel is hunting for belongs to the stars. And witches can’t be hurt with gold, Amelie."