"Mama! Mama! Ma!!!"
Noah’s cries echoed through the room as both Gabriel and Casaio tried in vain to quiet him.
"You said he never threw tantrums! What’s this? He’s only screaming for your wife. Gosh, my ears hurt," Casaio complained, leaning back on the couch and squeezing his eyes shut.
"That’s because of you! I gave you a simple task, feeding him milk while I was checking a few work things, but look what you did. You broke his favorite milk bottle," Gabriel snapped at his brother.
Gabriel glared at Casaio, who was currently covering his face with a decorative cushion to muffled the sound of Noah’s high-pitched wails.
"Mama! Maaa!!!" Noah shrieked again, his face turning a bright shade of pink as Gabriel kept patting his back.
"I didn’t mean to break it!" Casaio defended himself, his voice muffled by the pillow. "It was slippery! How was I supposed to know he had such an emotional attachment to a piece of plastic? It’s just a bottle!"
"It was the bottle he picked himself," Gabriel snapped, his frustration boiling over. "You can’t handle a single thing. Is this how you’re going to handle your pups?"
Casaio lowered the cushion and sat up straight, looking offended. "They will be girls. They are much quieter than boys. I am sure of it. They won’t trouble me like this. Noah, Uncle Cas is saying sorry. So, just calm down, huh? Your mother can’t come tonight. She and Zi are on a night out," he muttered, though the toddler only wailed louder at the mention of his mother.
"I’m taking him to the garden. Ashna, give me the bottle you brought," Gabriel stated, standing up and taking the new bottle from her.
He stepped out onto the mansion’s veranda, hoping the cool air would distract the boy. Noah’s cries finally dwindled into jagged hiccups as he stared at the moon, though he still gripped Gabriel’s shirt tightly.
"See? It’s just us tonight, buddy," Gabriel whispered before walking ahead. "And we can’t trouble your mother. She hardly takes a day off for herself. Don’t you want your mama to enjoy the night?"
Noah had turned calmer when Gabriel pushed the yellow bottle with cartoon figures on it to his mouth. "Here, drink your milk. Mama will be upset if you don’t have your superfood. How will you grow to a strong boy then?"
As if Noah understood his father’s words, he allowed himself to drink from the bottle, bringing relief to Gabriel.
Back inside, Casaio let out a long breath and slumped into the sofa.
"Your Highness, turns out you’re exhausted," Albus remarked as he walked into the living room, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"Anyone would be. His cries were like an ambulance siren. My ears still hurt. Gosh... I need quiet pups. I can’t handle noises," Casaio remarked, rubbing his temples.
"Cas mentioned he ended up breaking Noah’s favorite bottle last night," Zilia said, stifling a giggle as she set the table. "Apparently, Noah threw quite a fit about it. Now, he refuses to go into Casaio’s arms at all." She laughed and shook her head. "Cas said he had no idea pups could be this scary."
"What? Gabriel didn’t tell me a thing," Amelie murmured, pausing as she poured the orange juice.
"Maybe he didn’t want to bother you with any of it while you were finally relaxing," Zilia pronounced warmly. "I must say, Gabriel loves you so much that he truly wants you to enjoy your life to the fullest, even if it means dealing with a screaming toddler on his own."
Amelie smiled softly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Gabriel has honestly changed my life. His love has nourished me in such a way that all I feel is joy and comfort. And accepting Noah... that was the biggest thing anyone could do in this world," Amelie said, her voice choking with emotion. "I mean, these days even blood relatives don’t care for you. But Gabriel..."
Zilia reached out and patted her back gently. "I agree that Gabriel is a wonderful man. But your love also shaped him like this. He grew into the man he is because he wanted to be worthy of you and Noah."
Juniper stood in the doorway, listening to them with a soft expression. "Noah is lucky to have a father as wonderful as Gabriel."
Hearing her voice, both Zilia and Amelie turned their gazes toward her.
"Good morning!" she greeted them warmly. "Wow! You two already prepared breakfast. Thank you. Let’s dig in then," Juniper pronounced with a bright smile, pulling out a chair and joining them at the small table.

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