Chapter Seventeen

LEO’S POV

"The eastern border guards stopped another hidden shipment of Blood Rage near the river, Your Highness," Sam said over the phone, his voice rough and tired. "The potion was hidden deep inside large sacks of grain. Whoever is making this stuff is getting bolder."

I leaned against my heavy wooden desk in the study, a dark frown settling on my face. "Hold the driver in a secret cell and question him quietly. Do not let anyone—"

A frantic knock at my door cut me off.

I held up a hand toward the phone. "Hold on, Sam." I raised my voice. "Come in."

Lucy, Ivy’s personal maid, burst into the room. Her face was pale, her hands were shaking, and her eyes were wide with panic. "Your Highness! It’s Lady Ivy... she’s having a terrible nightmare! She’s thrashing in her sleep and crying out, but every time I try to step close to her bed, her breathing gets worse!"

My heart slammed against my ribs. Without saying another word, I tossed my phone onto the desk and sprinted out of the study. My heavy boots made loud thuds against the carpeted hallway as I ran toward her room.

I reached her door in seconds. I grabbed the brass handle, ready to push the heavy door wide open, but Doctor Rachel’s strict warning echoed in my mind. If you scare her while she is vulnerable, you will ruin all the progress we have made.

I stopped right at the doorway, keeping the door open just an inch.

I peeked inside, and my heart broke at the sight. Ivy was tossing violently under her white sheets, her long blonde hair tangled around her sweaty forehead. Small, helpless cries came from her throat as her hands clutched tight at her chest. She was trapped in a terrible memory, fighting something in her sleep.

Because I couldn't go in and hold her, I closed my eyes and took a long, quiet breath. I focused on my chest, slowly relaxing the tight grip I kept on my inner wolf. Slowly, carefully, I let my soothing Alpha scent leak through the small crack in the door…warm cedar, pine needles, and the fresh scent of rainfall.

The heavy aroma drifted across the dark room, wrapping gently around her trembling body.

Within a few moments, her thrashing began to slow down. Her sharp gasps turned into slow, deep breaths. Her hands uncurled from the bedsheets, falling soft against her stomach as the fear drained out of her frame. Her face relaxed, and she settled back into a deep, peaceful sleep.

I let out a long breath I didn't realize I was holding, pulling my scent back inside.

"Stay right outside her door," I whispered softly to Lucy, keeping my voice very low. "If her breathing changes or if she wakes up, come get me right away."

"Yes, Your Highness," Lucy whispered, bowing her head low.

I turned around and walked back down the quiet hallway to my study, closing the door behind me. I picked up my phone, told Sam we would talk more in the morning, and ended the call.

Sleep was impossible now. My mind was racing, and my wolf was restless and protective after seeing Ivy in pain.

I sat down at my dark mahogany desk and opened my laptop. A single new message sat at the top of my private inbox…an email sent from an unknown sender using a hidden server.

My eyebrows pulled together as I clicked it open.

The email had a single attachment: a scanned picture of an old high-court record page from twenty years ago. The names were crossed out in dark ink, but at the bottom of the page, a faint message was written by hand.

“Ivy’s mother’s bloodline is the key.”

I stared at the screen, my jaw clenching tight. A cold feeling washed down my back. Someone was sending me clues about Ivy, but why now? And who was sending them?

Because I couldn't sleep, I spent the rest of the night searching through old royal records on my computer. I checked names, read ancient history books, and searched through old intelligence reports until the dark sky outside my window slowly turned light grey.

By six in the morning, I closed my laptop, rubbed my tired eyes, and went to my room to shower. I put on a dark suit, combed my hair, and tried to look fresh for the day.

When I walked down into the dining room for breakfast, Ivy was already sitting at her usual place. She wore a soft lavender dress, and her dark hair was neatly brushed over her shoulders, though the light shadows under her eyes showed that she had a hard night.

"Good morning, Ivy," I said gently, taking my seat at the end of the long table.

She looked up, giving me a small, quiet smile. "Good morning, Leo."

We ate our breakfast in calm silence. The gentle sound of silver spoons hitting plates filled the warm room. The servants brought out fresh toasted bread, sweet jams, scrambled eggs, and warm fruit teas.

I watched her quietly as she ate. Every small movement she made was soft and delicate. Even after everything she had been through, she carried a gentle grace that pulled me toward her. I wanted to protect her from every danger in this world.

After a few minutes, I set my fork down and wiped my mouth with a white napkin. I took a slow breath before speaking.

"Ivy," I started, keeping my voice soft and calm.

She paused, setting her warm teacup back down on its saucer. "Yes?"

"The Apex Gathering is happening at the end of this month," I said, watching her eyes carefully to see how she would react. "It is the biggest royal event of the year. The leaders of every single pack and territory will be there in one big room. I would like you to come with me as my plus-one."

Ivy blinked in surprise, her dark eyes widening. A look of worry crossed her face, and her small fingers tightened around her teacup. "An event with... all those powerful Alphas and pack leaders? Leo, I... I don't think I can do that. What if there are too many people? What if I panic and get scared?"

"I promise you, you will not have to speak to anyone you do not want to," I told her firmly, letting her hear the strong conviction in my voice. "You will stay right by my side the entire night. I will not let anyone come near you or make you feel unsafe. I do not care about the politicians or the greedy nobles in that room, Ivy. I simply want to show the entire world that you are my mate."

She bit her lower lip, looking down at her hands in her lap as she thought about my words. The fear in her eyes was easy to see, but underneath that fear, I could also see the quiet trust she had been building with me over the past few weeks. She knew I would never let anyone hurt her again.

"You do not have to give me an answer right now," I added gently, giving her a reassuring smile. "Please just think about it."

Ivy looked back up at me, her dark eyes meeting mine for a long moment. Finally, she gave me a single, soft nod. "Okay. I will think about it."