Claiming Gabriel

by Tessa Stone

In a world of danger and destiny, Gabriel must rescue orphaned shifters while grappling with an irresistible bond to Olivia, the waitress who unwittingly becomes his fated mate.
GabrielI’m the last of my pack to find a mate, and it’s agonizing. I crave the family life I’ve watched my brothers enjoy for years. So, I’ve chosen to assist Kade in rescuing baby shifters who are victims of an underground trafficking ring run by radical humans. It’s a heartbreaking mission, saving orphaned shifter children, but it’s necessary. I’m tired of seeing innocent supernaturals suffer at the hands of these extremists.

I suspected I might meet my fated mate on this journey, but I was still caught off guard by her sweet strawberry scent, one I’ll never forget. Her name is Olivia, a young waitress from Downtown Detroit. She’s unwittingly entangled with some radicals while trying to help two escaped shifter babies. She thinks she’s doing a good deed by bringing the children to me, but how do I tell her she’s destined to be mine forever?



OliviaAfter finishing my night shift at the diner, I never expected to find two little orphaned shifter children who had escaped an underground trafficking ring while taking out the trash in the back alley. I quickly brought them to my apartment for safety, but then took them to the only place I knew could help—Thirst Trap, a nightclub run by supernaturals. That's when I meet Gabriel, a stunning wolf shifter with the most captivating blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

What I thought would be a simple good deed—returning the children to their people—turned my world upside down. Gabriel claims I’m his fated mate, the woman chosen for him by the goddess Fate. He’s determined to keep me. I find myself traveling to Wintermoon, where I’m supposedly meant to spend the rest of my days with this enigmatic shifter. But I’m not ready to give in. He took me against my will, and the harder I try to resist him, the stronger this inexplicable connection grows. How can I escape this mysterious creature when he has already captured my body—and soon, my heart?

This book explores dark themes. Please refer to the content warnings at the beginning.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Audiobook, African American Romance, African American

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2024

About the author

Hello, readers! I rarely visit this space, but if you’d like to connect, you can find me on my blog or social media, where I’m most active. Thank you for your support, and happy reading!

Socials: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram: @authortessastone

Reviews

[Latazia · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆.5
——-
I really enjoyed the plot and storyline of the second book. It kept me intrigued to see what was going to happen!

I love Gabriel down!!! He might have been a little bit extra on the possessiveness but all he wanted to do was find his mate and devote his life to her and I felt for him so much with all he been through. I loved how strong and independent Olivia was but sometimes I wanted to break my screen with some of the things she did. She irritated my soul in some scenes literally but I did love her character development throughout.

Just like in the first book, I love the found family vibes I get from this book and I love Leah and Kade so much. I wish I could get an origin story on those two because they are the heart of Wintermoon to me!
——-
☞ Fated Mates
☞ Shifter/Werewolf Romance
☞ Possessive MMC
☞ Found Family

[Melanin Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced

This was a good follow up book. I am enjoying the fated mates series so far. This book picks up where book 1 left off and while the love story is different it does give you an update on Wintermoon business so I would recommend reading book 1 before this book. There were a couple twists and turns in this book that has me eager to get to the last two books in the series. I would have loved a little more on Olivia’s connection with the orphaned shifters it seems they took so well to her in the beginning that I thought we would see more of that connection throughout the book. I like how Olivia has redeemed herself from a reformed bully. I also like how we get to see more of the packs connection in this book than in book 1. Overall this is a fast paced read that leaves you ready for the next love story in Wimtermoon.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

She save the kids but her Luna is still salty

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Claiming Gabriel by Tessa Stone
Winter Moon Series #2

Tropes I’m living for:
- Fated mates 💫
- Found family 🐾
- Second chance (but make it messy) 😤
- Shifter drama with emotional bite 🐺
- Strong female lead who doesn’t play nice 👍🏾

Olivia storms into Winter Moon like she owns the place and honestly? She should. Her rescue of the shifter kids was bold, brave, and beautifully written. But the real tea? Her Luna is a petty high school frenemy still clinging to ancient grudges. Tessa Stone didn’t just sprinkle drama she marinated in it, and I was eating it up.

Meka’s intro? Perfection. Hes got that “watch this space” energy and I’m already obsessed. The worldbuilding keeps expanding in ways that feel rich and intentional, and I can feel the series arc building toward something epic.

This book is low angst but high impact, with emotional depth, layered relationships, and just enough spice to keep things interesting. This world keeps getting better!

[Brittni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh, the fated mates trope. I love how protective the FMC was over the children in this story. And her parents were absolute trash. She had nothing to lose or go back to when she was sent to Wintermoon. The MMC was cool, doting, clingy, possessive-- the usual toward his mate. The story had some good action scenes, violence (revenge), and spice too. Didn't give me that subjective 5-star feeling, but it was still a good story.

[perfectlyamberb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet fate!

I continue to be enthralled by the world Tessa Stone has created with this series. Gabriel was such a tortured hero just looking for his sliver of peace and Olivia was a former mean girl trying to redeem herself. Their worlds collide one night and it was fate. Getting to see the love form between them as they try to fight through the politics around them was sweet. The thing I love most about the men of this series is the way they treat the women. It’s precious to read about. I can wait for King Amir’s story.

[Jerricka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now these shifters….on something to me. Hot and heavy. Loved it

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Gabriel and Olivia—like, absolutely adored them. And Olivia? That woman’s heart is everything! The way she cared for those kids had me in my feelings. I was lowkey hoping she and Gabriel would adopt Nala and Torin—the little supernaturals she saved and brought her to Gabriel. They were the cutest side characters, hands down.

Watching their love grow as fated mates felt so real. Olivia had her doubts, but Gabriel never wavered—he stayed locked in from jump. And okay… I was secretly hoping he’d say “I love you” first (even though she technically claimed him first), but when he finally said it? Whew. Beautiful 🥹

Oh—and let’s be clear: Gabriel is a freak freak, and I love that for my girl! This is hands down my favorite book in the Fated Mates series. Tessa, these books got crack in them, I swear!

[Qadira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light 2⭐️, DNF @ 74%. This writing is so repetitive. Why spend all that narration stating what the situation/characters thoughts are just to restate it nearly verbatim in subsequent dialogue? I tried to push through because I liked the dynamic Olivia had with the kid shifters, but this book was just draggggging so much. I think I’m good off this series. ✌🏽

[Shalana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

I really enjoyed the 1st book in the series and also liked this one.

Olivia is an ex rich mean girl who's estranged from her family and just trying to make it in this world that's quite frankly tipping too close to what I feel the current administration wants 🙃.

Gabriel is a born warrior and honestly Oliva is a perfect match for him. He's as obsessed with her as you expect him to be and it was fun watching their romance.

I also liked that Olivia had conflict with her sister in law Nia and they werent all happy go lucky at the end. Like Olivia apologized and Nia was still trying to play in her face and Olivia was comfortable with them never being close and just being cordial. It was such a realistic way of handling the conflict.

With each book we get more world building and I fall more in love with what Tessa Stone has created.

[Goddess’ Smut Library 🩷 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was way more in depth and had more substance than the first book. I felt like the author really gave you a chance to feel the chemistry between the 2 MCs. I sometimes get annoyed with fated mates in that. They are always instant love by either partner . I would like to have gotten a little bit more in the epilogue in regards to their babies and the rest of the town, but it did give an introduction into the next book and the two characters because it’s all integrated together.

[Yasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the paranormal universe Tessa Stone is building with her Fated Mates series. I liked the first book and I've enjoyed this one as well. Gabriel was just as OTT in his book as he was in the previous one but Olivia matched him well. This story was longer than the first and there was a lot more drama and angst.

It's still fuck Nia over here. I don't care that she apologized. I still don't like her. If anybody deserves a better mate it's Levi. We only got snippets but I'm looking forward to reading King Amir's book. I'd also like for Hazel to have a story eventually. As a lover of paranormal romance. I love that more and more black authors are branching out and writing in genres they've never have before. We need more black paranormal romances. The audience for it is there. I can't wait to see what more Tessa has in store for us.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. However, I will say that for me the first is still my favorite.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why is Gabriel losing track of two child shifters? Says that they know how to mask their scent. OK, survival, it was said parents would have taught them to how to hide their scent before they got snatched; however, Gabriel’s a wolf, they also should be able to respond to a shifter’s call. One of them is a wolf pup. I’d think the call would be recognized. Gabriel wants to find his mate, believes she’s somewhere in the city, so why do we need two missing shifter children that are hard to be found by a skilled tracker who should have been able to find them? Not entirely out of pocket, they are part of events that otherwise is sensible that they weren’t immediately found. And where was it previously established the shifter children are not able to shift fully into their human form? Because in the prior book, they were not indicated to not be in human form. Human or shifted, not both unless intentional partial or half shift. And the curse has only been lifted for 10 years and not all have found their mates yet so how are there so many shifter children even available to having been kidnapped? There can’t be that many. The math isn’t mathing, as the saying goes. Are shifter parents that careless with their children’s safety? And why would they need an orphanage? Why would each shifter group not take in the orphaned children who should be becoming part of their pride, or clan, or pack, placing them with mated couples that are on the island, or other family members?
The man Olivia’s parents are trying to marry her off to is said to come from wealth, it’s why they’re trying to marry her off to him, his family lineage, not that he’s a made man, but later written where he’s then talking how he went into debt attending the best schools and having to survive off canned food and free meals at shelter?
And here we are again with a man wanting a woman they never had. Talking about taking what they want, can’t accept rejection and find another who has wanted to be with them.
This misogynistic world that’s the storyline isn’t it. The supernatural will only get with their fated mates, plenty more of the population that aren’t fated mates. It’s eye rolling cringe. Humans against shifters is one thing, does have a makes sense to it, but this within human community involving the government fall does not. It reads as ridiculousness. I won’t be continuing with the series but I don’t like not finishing a book so I forge on.
I’m so tired of ridiculous set ups. And I’m tired of people denying what they’re being told, when they have already been given information about Fated mates, and how they are recognized. Two shifters and a vampire all tell her she is Fated. The two children, why would they say that and why would they lie? But we had the cliché, dumb woman denial. Especially for someone who was wanting it to be that she is Fated. And then the scenario that she finds Gabriel in, really? Why?
Why is a whole army of men at Olivia’s apartment over two shifter children? Why do the radicals have free rein to threaten anyone? Laws are still in place, murder is still against the law so why is Olivia being threatened to be killed? Why are they storming her building, it’s ridiculous super overkill written. And they walk out into the middle of armed men that just let bullets fly? No regard for others living in the building? Seriously?
Story increasingly becomes incredulous. Fated scent recreated? How? It’s UNIQUE to the individual but recognizable to other supernaturals ONLY.
How is Olivia knowing what type of shifter people are? They’re in human form and she isn’t capable of scenting them, she’s human, yet she’s written identifying them by their animal. It’s later described the man she immediately identifying having animal features, including a swishing tail. Really? Why are they walking around partially shifted? None from the first book are doing so. Kane, Gabriel, Levi, Micah don’t.
And this same shifter male grabs and throws Olivia down? Contrary to established storyline that the males all treat the females with reverence? And it’s written that the male says how he didn’t know Olivia was Gabriel’s mate? All the supernaturals immediately can scent the Fated, and this one fails to? Against previously established storyline?
Gabriel is a warrior, was informed of infiltration and manufactured scent for Fated, but doesn’t immediately investigate a suspicious woman coming into the orphanage where the children are? Where his mate is? Really? He just unlock the door so she can walk on in and then proceeded to go upstairs. Though he felt that something was off?! And hears every other thing but doesn’t hear gas being sloshed around? WHY would that be written? Just makes the character look a straight idiot having zero intelligence and sense! And gasoline has a STRONG odor so why would acting like it’s not smelled even be capable of being pulled off? Bunch of foolishness, what it is. Not the least bit believable. How is Gabriel not able to get to the radical before she lights matches, who had to pull them out of her pocket strike them across something to be able to light them and he doesn’t get to her first, but they’re supposed to be super fast? I’m done at this point.
I did like that the there was no later pursuit of Olivia by the man she rejected, her parents were a non-factor and that she didn’t get pregnant immediately, though I still don’t like the push to be pregnant immediately.

[Bri Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot was soooo good. The spice felt the same as in book one which isn’t a bad thing just was wishing for something new. I loved the aspects of family in this book and how we learn more about the history. Can’t wait to see what she does in the third book.

[charlita allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story with shifters of color.

[Rhina M. Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supernatural Goodness!

Claiming Gabriel will have you in a supernatural bliss! Tessa Stone has created a paranormal world full of unforgettable love and characters!

[Acacia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummmm I really do love the spice in these! So good lol. The plot be plotting too! I’m ready to see what unravels next 👀 are we going to war with the humans? Or will they heed to the rules.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute little bonus chapter.

[Tonee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2

My review of book 1 was brief; I’ll try to be a little more detailed without spoilers. This series is about supernaturals who have been revealed to humans. It is a new world where the origins of shifters, vampires, and witches differ from the usual supernatural lore. Each book is about a supernatural finding their fated mate. There is an on-going plot line from book to book about the tension between supernaturals and humans.

This book focuses on a brother of the MMC in book 1 - Gabriel, and his fated mate. As each fated mate is found, the through plot of the series gets more and more detailed. The writing is good, world building and revealing thorough. The sex scenes are medium hot in my opinion. I do not agree that this is a “dark” paranormal romance (because I’ve read some really dark stuff”), but there are possible triggers for some readers.

[KB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. Gabriel and Olivia's chemistry just didn't come across the pages for me. Gabriel's first few chapters were SUPER repetitive- I'm looking for my mate, I'm hoping for my mate, I've been waiting thousands of years for my mate... We get it. It just got tedious and exhausting & only morphed into much of the same once he found her. Olivia was repetitive too - I was a mean girl in my past, I'm not good enough for Gabriel, he's better off without me...the back & forth with the both of them took me out of the story & I ended up doing light skimming just to be done.

While I like & appreciate what Tessa has created - the world building is interesting- Idk if I'll check out more of the series. We'll see.

[Trifina Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

Not a bad read. Very predictable. This is NOT a dark paranormal by any means. There are no surprises, I find the MCs terribly undeveloped. I can't picture the characters- no ages for the MFMs. There were a few editing errors but not terrible. The theme this series is unique and refreshing and has soon much potential but alas, I feel let down. If you're looking for real feels - where you're angry or cry or laugh, this isn't it. I feel let down. So much potential.

[Roxy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow but still good

Although I enjoyed the read it was a tad bit slower than the first book the FMC Olivia worked my nerves she went from being indecisive to strong then doubting herself and was all over the place Gabriel was over protective and it was as never addressed if Nia made up with Tami and forgave Olivia for bringing her bully in high school

[Bianca · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 🌟

I was fearful that this book was going to follow along the lines of the first in the series, but thankfully, that isn't the case. I may give this series a break and think about coming back because I'm looking for strong, kickass female leads, and this series leans more towards women being protected by their men and being left in the dark.

[Mandy Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not as good as the others in the Wintermoon series. I almost DFN’d because I got bored but I want to read the rest of the books, so I powered through.

Olivia was kind of annoying and that disappointed me a little because I had high hopes for this book. I loved the others so much, but this one didn’t hit the same.

[Kyra Lumpkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The character development and world building has definitely improved from the first installment. The syntax could be better. There are a lot of spots where it felt like I was reading a book, if that makes sense. It felt uncreative a bit and made the scene fall stale.

Still a good time though. I am going to keep reading the series. I even purchased the physical copies which is saying a lot.

[NeiNey.ThaReadinDoula · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment Gabriel stepped onto the page in book one, I knew he was dangerous—in the best way. That quiet storm energy? Yeah, it had “main character” written all over it. So when he finally got his moment in the spotlight? He devoured it.

Gabriel and Olivia weren’t just a good match—they were explosive. Their chemistry wasn’t some slow-burn flirtation. It was instant. Animalistic. Charged like a live wire. Their connection? Primal. Their bond? I could feel it in my chest. The tension wasn’t cute—it was predatory.

Let’s be real: this series isn’t here to give you modern gender dynamics or soft-safe energy. This is a love letter to obsessive, dominant, no-nonsense men who love out loud and protect without question. And I ate every bit of that up. These men aren’t afraid to claim what’s theirs—and they don’t care who’s watching.

Gabriel didn’t just fall—he crashed into love. No backup plan. No exit strategy. Just full-throttle obsession and a single-minded devotion to Olivia that felt almost dangerous. And when they finally crossed that line? The spice was giving grown. It wasn’t tender. It wasn’t slow. It was mine, now, and again. The kind of scene that makes you lean back, blink twice, and fan yourself with your Kindle.

Tropes on fye:
• Black wolf shifter
• Soul-bonded, destiny-tied mates
• Breeding kink + possessive heat
• Alpha falls first—and hard
• Found family + ride-or-die loyalty

But even with all the fire, there were a few places that had me squinting:
• Nia’s issue with Tami and Olivia? I needed something there—reconciliation, confrontation, anything. Nia still a bit much!
• Christopher? My boy just… vanished.
• And the ending? It hit the brakes too fast. We were in high gear and suddenly—cut to credits.

Still, that didn’t stop me from loving the ride. The world is rich. The characters go hard. And the men? Whew. Protective, passionate, borderline feral—and I’m not mad at it. I’m already back in Wintermoon with Forgiving Levi on deck and Chasing Ebony calling my name.

This series doesn’t ask for your attention—it demands it. And I’m locked in.

[Yvonne Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Enjoyable to Read

What a great story and one that I definitely enjoyed. There is so much excitement and action with these awesome characters. Gabriel has been searching for Olivia for a thousands years but when Olivia is born into a rich family where she became a mean girl but all changed after she left her parents home. When they first met their mate bond was strong. I enjoyed this story because it's full of suspense with lots of action that will have you on the edge of your seat with the drama element, Also I enjoyed romance that will fuel your romance with a smile. Plus all of the characters are so captivating and the clan is so amazing and Gabriel and Olivia bond is like their love it's great. This story is awesome with a beautiful vibe and then you add in their clan drama, along with their emotions that their love creates and the intriguing twists they go through you have a awesome tale that gives you a truly pleasurable and delightful experience." Plus the packs are is amazing how they work together because they have different kinds of shifters. Of course there's violence but if you enjoy paranormal stories that's the norm but I enjoy it all because it works so well together. This story is absolutely fantastic and I couldn't help but enjoyed the time spent with Gabriel and Olivia because their bond was so amazing. But even with the villains it's still a awesome Paranormal romance which l greatly enjoyed. I also want Y'all to know that this author knows how to grab your attention and all I will say is grab a copy get comfortable and dive into this marvelous story that's Highly Recommend Which means I'm excited about the continuing of this series.

[Randi Gulledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often times we wonder what it would be like if we ran into those who we hurt or have hurt us. In Claiming Gabriel by Tessa Stone, our FMC Olivia finds herself constantly trying to make up for her mean girl ways. Even if it meant living paycheck to paycheck and turning down wealthy but controlling suitors. So when she meets Gabriel after saving two baby shifters, she finds herself with what she believes is a new start. I love how Stone does not let Olivia shy away from her past but also gives the readers a chance to empathize with her current situation. In most novels that I read it feels like once the main characters get a new life, all of their past issues are just forgotten. But when Olivia arrives to a new life, she discovers that one of the people that she had hurt the most, can determine her place in the pack. Instead of using this moment as a reason for Olivia to revert to her old ways, Stone took this as a challenge and has Olivia integrate herself even more into pack life. Meanwhile her mate Gabriel is fighting to hold on to the love he has been waiting for. Stone unpacks Gabriel's trauma through his constant struggle between upholding his responsibilities to the pack and his responsibility to his mate. While Gabriel has always loved his pack, seeing everyone find their happily ever after made him feel alone. Which the narrator Myles Washington, manages to capture his feelings to the point where I could hear the emotional changes in his voice. I appreciate how Stone managed to delve into Wintermoon’s lore without giving too much away. I am not going to spoil it but Stone knows how to connect the pieces of each of her works so smoothly. I look forward to continuing the Wintermoon series.
4.5/5 stars

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Gabriel and Olivia. I liked how headstrong Olivia was and that she wanted to serve a purpose in life. She was also pretty selfless. And Gabriel was a very determined, humble, and sexy character/book boyfriend. Dare I say I might like him more than Kane? 🫣

It was mentioned repeatedly throughout the book that the size of Gabriel’s and Olivia’s claim marks showed that they had a strong bond and other characters were envious of it. While we don’t get to see the claim marks, Tessa Stone did a great job at laying out just how strong their bond is. I really felt their love and care for another…in the bedroom and out.

I definitely recommend reading this book. You don’t necessarily have to read “Taming Kane” before this BUT I recommend that you do. Kane and Tami make appearances in “Claiming Gabriel” and the updates are cute. Also if you’re like me and wondering how some of the background stuff was solved, downloading the bonus scene will answer those questions.

Here are a few notes I had that doesn’t really have anything to do with my review. I just felt like sharing them just in case someone else had the same thoughts:

• Torin and Nala won over my heart *immediately*.
• Olivia, girl. You can’t be a [former] mean girl and not know how to fight. Why is Tiana whooping your ass right now??
• I wish we could’ve seen Olivia bond with Gabriel’s wolf. We first see them interact about 83% of the way into the book and then again in the epilogue.
• Why couldn’t Olivia just hop on Gabriel’s wolf’s back while he was rescuing the baby shifter? Like I understand why for storytelling reasons but logistically, he could’ve saved both of them 🤷🏾‍♀️

[DeAnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
“She’s the most beautiful creature in my eyes.” ❤️
“Olivia, Don’t ever doubt my love for you. I’ve loved you since before you were born, doing everything I could to imprint your sweet strawberry scent. Then I met you, this beautiful, strong willed, courageous, loving, intelligent woman.” ❤️
“My Olivia, my love.” ❤️

Tropes
Black wolf shifter romance
Fated mates
Breeding / pregnancy
He falls first and hard
Protective / Possessive / Obsessed MMC
Found family

After meeting Gabriel in the first book, I was looking forward to getting his story. I enjoyed this and I’m so happy he finally found his mate. Gabriel and Olivia were perfect together and perfect for each other.
I’ve only read the first two books now, but it’s seeming like this series focuses less on strong fierce female characters and more on strong, protective men who cater to their women and love to take care of them. I’m not mad at it though, it’s nice to see that.
I loved how intense their bond was, and their spice was spicing. The only things that are keeping me from giving this a higher rating is
- we didn’t see/find out if Nia repaired her relationship with Tami and Olivia
- we didn’t get a conclusion on what happened with Christopher
- the ending wrapped up kind of fast

[Ju Berrymore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5⭐️ Read!

Claiming Gabriel, book 2 of the Fated Mates series by Tessa Stone, is another awesome read! Gabriel, a war hero and warrior, has been waiting a thousand years for his mate, and he finds her in Olivia Hampton. The former superificial, mean girl who is humbled by life when she walks away from her family and wealth after being given an ultimatum. They find each other and work together to rescue orphaned baby shifters from being trafficked by extremists looking to rid the world of supernaturals.

Just like with the first book, there is intense chemistry between the main characters and several swoon worthy moments. Even Gabriel and Olivia's commitment to the orphange and the children is swoon worthy. Olivia finds a new family with Gabriel in Winter Moon and redemption from the person she used to be. Gabriel finally gets what the rest of his brothers have, his fated mate and a family of his own. The events in this book foreshadow more chaos for Winter Moon and the radicals, and I'm very much invested and looking forward to what's going to happen next.