Denzel decided to shift the topic of their conversation, sensing the heaviness Dominick's name had placed on Juniper's shoulders. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"How's your heat? I suppose you handled it well," he asked, his voice softening with concern.

"It's gone. You bought suppressants for me, remember? I took them," Juniper replied as an anxiety stirred in her chest.

Deep down, she was worried. She knew that suppressing a heat often meant the next one would return with a vengeance, the intensity potentially becoming unbearable. Without a mate to help balance her system, she had to face this grueling cycle for a long time. It was a silent burden she wasn't quite ready to share.

Denzel side-eyed her, noting the way her gaze lingered on the distant trees. He could see the gears turning behind her eyes, wondering what thoughts she was keeping tucked away.

"I think the table must be empty now," Juniper said, turning her head to meet his gaze.

He checked the time on his watch. "Actually, there are still twenty minutes left."

"Oh. Come, let's sit over there," Denzel suggested, pointing toward a wooden bench with a shielded roof. They moved quickly to claim the spot before another group could take it.

"Did you grow up here?" Juniper asked, smoothing her skirt as she sat.

"Hmm. But my parents were mostly away for business," Denzel replied, looking out at the park's central fountain.

"Oh. That must have been lonely," Juniper murmured, her voice filled with an empathy.

"It was," he admitted, his expression softening as he looked back at her. "I spent most of my time with my grandmother. I should say my entire childhood into adulthood was spent there," Denzel added.

"What? Why? And what about your sister?" Juniper asked, genuinely confused. She had assumed that even with the business trips, there would have been a more traditional family structure.

"River used to travel with Mom," Denzel replied. "She had her own struggle trying to adjust to that kind of life– constantly moving, different cities every month and no stable friends. My parents thought I'd be better off with the stability of our grandmother's house and my training."

He looked away for a moment.

Juniper realized then that whether parents were present or not, everyone seemed to carry some form of childhood scar. Whether it was the chaos of constant travel or the quiet loneliness of a grandmother's house, no one emerged completely unscathed.

It made her own history with the Vittileos feel slightly less like an isolated tragedy and more like a different chapter in a very common book of struggles.

"At least you had each other eventually," Juniper said softly.

Denzel gazed at her, his expression hardening slightly. "No. My parents didn't even attend my grandmother's funeral. They were never present whenever I needed them," he affirmed.

Juniper's eyes widened. She hadn't expected a man as composed as Denzel to have had that kind of childhood. Though he only shared fragments, she could sense the deep-seated anger simmering beneath his calm exterior.

"How did you become Gabriel's gamma?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Denzel leaned back against the wooden slats of the bench, a smile carving on his lips.

"I actually begged him to take me as his gamma. I ended up capturing a wolf that Gabriel had been tracking for weeks; he liked my agility and the way I handled the hunt. Because I was so young at the time, he initially told me I should focus on my studies rather than working for him. But I was persistent, and I somehow convinced him."

As he spoke, a guilt filled Juniper. She remembered because of her he almost lost that position.

"I wanted to say sorry to you," Juniper began, her eyes lowering to her lap. "Because of me, Gabriel almost dismissed you from your position as Gamma."

"I was at fault. I didn't inform Gabriel or Karmen before taking the action. You even advised me not to call Prince Dominick. Anyways, it's all in the past now."

Denzel stood up, checking the time. "Let's hurry back. It's almost time for our table."

Juniper hummed in agreement, and the two made their way back to the bamboo-structured restaurant.

They enjoyed a hearty meal. When they finished, Denzel insisted on driving her home. Juniper opened her mouth to refuse, but seeing the quiet determination in his eyes, she simply nodded and climbed into the passenger seat.

As she was fastening her seatbelt, her phone began to vibrate incessantly inside her purse. She pulled it out and saw a string of missed calls, all from Cillian.

"Gosh, I missed his calls!" she muttered, quickly dialing him back. She glanced at Denzel, gesturing for him to start driving.

Cillian answered almost instantly. His face didn't appear; instead, his voice came through sharp and urgent. "Just switch to the video call, Juniper."

Juniper frowned but complied, tapping the video icon and holding the phone up in front of her. The screen flickered before settling on a sight that made her heart skip a beat.

She wasn't looking at Cillian. The camera was pointed at a bed in a dimly lit room. There, looking frail and smaller than she ever remembered, was the man who had once been the pillar of the Vittileo household.

Her father's eyes were closed, his breathing labored, and for a moment, she realized why Cillian desparately wanted her to meet their father.

"Dad, Juniper is on the call." As Cillian said those words, Edward opened his eyes and raised his hand to wave at Juniper.

She flinched slightly even when the distance between them was huge.

Denzel slowed the car as he watched her expressions but didn't applied brakes.

"June, your mother left something for you before her passing. Come home and collect it," Edward stated.

She shook her head. "You severed ties with me. I don't wish to come there." Tears brimmed in her eyes but she held them back.

"I'll leave this body soon. Let's talk face-to-face for one last time. Do it for the woman who brought you into the Vittileo's family," he murmured before he started coughing severely.

The call immediately cut after Cillian shouted for the doctor and nurse.