The Alpha’s Nanny (Lori and Gabriel) novel Chapter 9

**The Ocean Remembers Everything**
**By Julia Allan**

**Chapter 9**

With a deliberate motion, he slid an iPhone across the table towards her. Lori’s fingers brushed against the smooth surface as she picked it up, her breath catching in her throat.

This phone was a marvel, a stark contrast to the clunky devices she had struggled with in the past. In fact, she realized with a rush of excitement that she had never even held an iPhone before.

“Do you understand?” Gabriel inquired, his gaze steady on her. Lori responded with a quick nod, her heart racing at the unexpected gift.

“Good. Goodbye,” he said, his tone final as he turned and walked away.

Lori turned the phone over in her hands, her eyes widening as she spotted the infamous trio of cameras, a clear indication that this was an 11 Pro Max model. It was sleek, modern, and, by her estimation, relatively new.

With a gentle motion, she placed the phone back on the counter, her mind swirling with thoughts. She was struck by an overwhelming sense of nostalgia as she waited for the maid to bring her breakfast. It dawned on her that it had been ages since anyone had cooked for her—perhaps even back to her childhood, a time that felt like a distant memory.

People had long ceased to cater to her needs, as if they were mere shadows in her life, indifferent to her existence.

As the minutes ticked by, her breakfast finally arrived, and she devoured it quickly, a sense of urgency gnawing at her. She feared Emilia would wake up any moment, and the thought of not finishing her meal left her feeling anxious.

Just as she was rinsing her dirty plates in the sink, the baby monitor crackled to life, announcing the unmistakable sounds of Emilia stirring awake.

She turned to the maid, who beamed at her, radiating warmth. “I’ll take care of this. Why don’t you go get the baby?”

Lori nodded appreciatively, her heart racing as she dashed up the stairs, cradling her new phone and the baby monitor like precious treasures.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was already on his way to work, a journey of at least ten miles that he took with purpose. He prided himself on punctuality, arriving at the office before most of his employees. There was something invigorating about starting the day early—it allowed him to map out his goals and strategize for the challenges ahead.

His industry was fiercely competitive, after all, and he understood the importance of taking his responsibilities seriously.

As the elevator doors slid open, he spotted Draco waiting for him on his floor. Gabriel offered a brief nod of acknowledgment. Draco had been his right-hand man for eight years, a friendship that had weathered countless storms. But since taking on the role of his second-in-command, things had shifted. Draco had become more reserved, more formal, as if the dynamics of their relationship had changed irrevocably.

As they stepped into his office, Gabriel couldn’t help but notice how different it felt. Just days ago, he had remodeled the space, a decision driven by the thought of Emilia. He anticipated that there would be days when she would need to be with him at work, and he had removed anything sharp or dangerous that could pose a risk.

The delicate glass figurines that once adorned his shelves were beautiful but far too fragile for a crawling baby. He couldn’t imagine the horror of Emilia reaching for one and it shattering into a thousand pieces.

The glass table had been another choice he questioned; its sleek, modern design seemed more suited for a high-tech sci-fi film rather than a nurturing environment.

“A couple of wolves have come forward, claiming to be part of our pack,” Draco reported, shifting the focus back to business. “They say they were displaced by Sabine’s wolves and have lost everything. They’re pleading for refuge.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into his thoughts. “How do we know they’re truly ours?”

Draco extended his arm, revealing the symbol etched into his forearm—the unmistakable mark of the Moon Fang pack, three red talons that represented their unity. “They bear our symbol. But we can’t be too certain; we have no records of them.”

Gabriel sighed heavily, the burden of leadership weighing on him. “Bring them in. Arrange transportation to get them to Colorado. In the meantime, check the records and do another count. We need to verify their claims.”

As he spoke, he felt the stirrings of a complex emotional landscape—the slow unfolding of Lori and Gabriel’s story, a narrative rich with the struggles of new parenthood and the quest for a semblance of normalcy. It was a compassionate tale that resonated deeply within him.