Chapter 20

LEO’S POV

I had received an unexpected phone call from Doctor Rachel a few days ago.

"Good day, Doctor Rachel," I greeted over the line.

"Good day, Your Highness," she replied smoothly.

"I hope there is no problem?"

"Of course not. I just wanted to let you know that Ivy is... how do I put it... anxious."

I paused what I was doing, leaning back in my executive leather chair and raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you invited her to be your plus-one to a party filled with high-ranking wolves, and it's made her anxious... but she’s also excited."

"Hmm. Do you think it's moving too fast?" I asked, my brow furrowing with concern.

"No, in fact, this will help her...help her step out of her comfort zone," she said with ecstatic vigor over the speaker.

I nodded, realizing she couldn't see me through the phone, and quickly added, "Okay. As long as she is safe."

"Ivy might be scared, but she is willing to try," Rachel explained, her voice bright with optimism. "Ivy wants to close the distance between you two, so she is going to be running little 'experiments' to test her boundaries and get comfortable around you. Cooperate with her. Let her set the pace."

I had been surprised, but overwhelmingly relieved. Hearing that she actually wanted to mend the space between us brought a ray of genuine hope into my chest.

For the past three days, I had essentially turned into her personal errand boy and I loved every second of it. Some of her tasks were completely silly, like reaching high shelves or moving furniture that didn't really need to be moved, while others were just plain cute. But without fail, at the end of every task, she would flush pink and ask me to release my pheromones.

That part was torture.

It was agonizingly hard because every time our eyes locked while my scent filled the air, the soft, hazy look in her eyes made it feel like she was begging me to touch her, to take her right then and there. But I forced my wolf to stay down. I knew it was just her body reacting to my royal aura. She hadn't given me her permission or her heart yet, and I refused to cross that line until she was ready.

I shook my head, trying to clear the vivid memories from my mind so I could focus on the stack of high-court letters sitting on my desk.

A soft, hesitant knock sounded at the door.

My wolf perked up instantly. I knew the sweet, delicate trail of her scent long before the wood creaked open.

I looked up as the heavy oak door opened, revealing Ivy standing in the entryway. I kept completely still, holding my breath as I watched her pause for a second in hesitation, clutching the hem of her lavender dress before stepping inside and quietly shutting the door behind her.

Without saying a word, she walked over to the long leather sofa on the far side of the room and sat down.

My heart hammered against my ribs, but I kept my posture relaxed and welcoming. I didn't want to say or do anything sudden that might startle her or ruin her progress. So, I offered her a soft, warm smile, picked up my pen, and pretended to return to my paperwork.

Every few minutes, I stole quiet glances across the warm, dimly lit room. After a while, she kicked off her slippers, curled her slender legs up, and lay down on the couch. Her dark, curious eyes stayed fixed on me, silently watching every move I made as I signed documents and reviewed border reports.

I lost track of time, signing decrees and going through official pack files while her gentle presence grounded my restless wolf better than anything else in the world. Every quiet breath she took filled the study, soothing the volatile Varian blood in my veins. When I finally finished my last file an hour later, I looked back over at the sofa.

She was fast asleep. Her breathing was deep and even, and her long dark lashes rested peacefully against her flushed cheeks.

A quiet, overwhelming warmth blossomed in my chest. I stood up as quietly as possible, stepped out of the study for a brief moment, and returned with a soft, thick throw blanket. I walked over to the couch, holding my breath so I wouldn't wake her, and gently draped it over her sleeping body, tucking it loosely around her shoulders.

She shifted softly in her sleep, burying her face slightly into the warm fabric with a quiet sigh.

Unable to help myself, I bent down, leaning over her defenseless form to press a soft, lingering kiss onto her smooth forehead. I closed my eyes, breathing in her sweet scent, fighting the instinctual roar of my wolf that begged me to gather her up and pull her into my arms.

Instead of going back to my desk or leaving for my own bedroom, I sat down on the soft rug right beside the couch, leaning my back against the leather frame near her feet. I leaned my head back, watching her peaceful, sleeping face in the quiet moonlight until my own eyes grew heavy, and I finally drifted off to sleep right beside her.