Chapter Twenty-One

IVY’S POV

A soft, luminous light filled the endless white void around me. In the middle of the misty clearing stood a woman with pale, shimmering silver hair that seemed to bleed subtle golden light. Her smile was impossibly soft, yet her eyes held an ancient, deep sadness.

"My sweet Ivy," she whispered, her voice echoing like a gentle melody in a quiet room. She reached out, her cool, delicate hand resting tenderly against my cheek. "You carry the sacred light within you... never let them extinguish it. Trust your Alpha, my darling. He is your shield."

I reached out to grab her hand, my heart aching with an overwhelming sense of love and longing. "Mother... wait! Don't leave me!"

I jolted upright, blinking against the bright morning light streaming through the sheer curtains of Leo’s private study. My breath came out shallow and uneven as I looked around, trying to recall where I was.

Then I remembered, I had walked into Leo’s private office last night, sat on his leather sofa while he worked, and completely fallen asleep.

I rubbed my temples, trying to catch the fleeting remnants of the dream that had made my chest ache just seconds ago. But the moment I reached for the memory, it dissolved like mist through my fingers. A strange, heavy hollow lingered in my chest, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember what I had been dreaming about.

My eyes drifted to the small polished marble side table beside me, catching sight of a folded piece of paper resting near a lamp. I reached out and picked it up. Written in his strong, elegant handwriting was a short message:

Good morning, my love. I hope you slept well. I’ve already left for the office, but please enjoy your morning. Have a nice day.

My cheeks flushed hot at the endearment. My love. I pressed the note against my chest, a foolish, unstoppable smile spreading across my lips as the lingering heaviness from my sleep completely melted away. I finally stood up.

As I smoothed down my dress, Lucy, my personal maid, hurried into the study with a gentle knock. "Lady Ivy! Good morning. Doctor Rachel is already waiting for you downstairs in your room."

"Oh! I'm coming right now," I said, my eyes widening as I quickly made my way back down the hall to my private quarters.

Doctor Rachel was sitting comfortably in an armchair, sipping tea when I stepped inside. "Good morning, Ivy," she greeted with a warm smile. "You look radiant today."

I sat down across from her, flushing slightly as I confessed how my first experiment had gone, from asking for his help to falling asleep on his sofa.

Doctor Rachel listened intently, nodding enthusiastically as I finished. "That is fantastic progress, Ivy! You see? You are stepping out of your comfort zone, and he is respecting every boundary you set. And those pheromone showers you've been asking for? Keep doing them. His royal Alpha aura isn't just helping your wolf adapt..it's actively strengthening the baby and keeping your body calm."

She set her book down, her tone turning gentler. "As for your memory, just give yourself time. Don't force the pieces to fit before they're ready. Physically, you are in good health now." Rachel paused, offering me a tender, bitter-sweet look. "In fact, you've healed so remarkably well that by the end of this month, my official visits will come to an end. There won't be any medical need for me to come twice a week anymore."

A sudden pang of sadness hit my chest. "You won't be coming anymore?" I asked softly, realizing how much I had relied on her guidance.

Doctor Rachel smiled warmly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "Not as your physician, no. But I promise I will still visit you as a friend. You won't be getting rid of me that easily."

Relief washed over me, and after we said our goodbyes, I headed into the bathroom to take a warm bath. As the steaming water enveloped me, I recalled the past few days. The idea Doctor Rachel gave me was really working. Leo was cooperative and most importantly, I was becoming genuinely comfortable in his presence.

And last night was complete evidence of that. I smiled, feeling accomplished.

I needed to up my game.

After having breakfast downstairs, I headed back to my room to do some browsing online. Months ago, Leo had bought me a sleek silver laptop in case I wanted to use it, but I had never really opened it. I turned it on, waited for the screen to light up, and typed into the search bar:

“Activities to do in order to get closer to your mate”

A lot of suggestions appeared, but I wrote down a few in my notebook. Some were far too embarrassing for me to even think about trying just yet.

Today when he comes home, we are going to watch a movie together, I thought excitedly.

I spent the rest of my morning browsing. Out of curiosity, I typed in Eric and my stepsister's names. An online article popped up almost immediately, stating that their wedding date had officially been set. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel anything as I read the headline. Not angry, not sad, not betrayed. I was just completely indifferent. They felt like distant strangers from a life I no longer belonged to.

Next, I searched about Leo, and dozens of articles featuring his recent press interviews popped up. I curiously clicked on the top video clip and hit play.

"Which brings me to the next burning question on everyone's mind—what about Lady Celeste? Photos of you two at the winter gala last year still circulate everywhere. Is there a romance brewing there?" the interviewer asked on screen.

"Celeste is a dear family friend," Leo answered without a second of hesitation, keeping his tone light, smooth, and clear. "Nothing more, nothing less."

I stared at the paused frame for a second, wondering who Celeste was and what she was like.

"Alright, I'll let that slide for now," the interviewer laughed in the clip. "Last question, Your Highness. The Apex Gathering is at the end of the month, and everyone is dying to know who will be on your arm. Who is your plus-one?"

"That’s a top-secret classified matter, Kim." Then, Leo leaned closer to the microphone, a faint, playful smirk touching his lips. "To be completely honest... I haven't even asked her yet because I'm nervous. But I really hope she agrees."

He was talking about me.

I felt my face redden instantly and my heart skip a wild beat as I replayed his words over and over in my head. Needing to clear my head and calm my wildly racing pulse, I closed the laptop, stood up, and headed for the quiet air of the garden