Chapter Twenty-Three

IVY’S POV

"One, two, three. One, two, three," Doctor Rachel counted, clapping her hands to the slow sound of the metronome on the table. "Keep your back straight, Ivy! Keep your head up and relax your shoulders!"

Sweat was wet on the back of my neck as I tried not to trip over my long dress. My maid, Lucy, was playing the role of my dance partner, holding her hands out to pretend she was a big Alpha man. Every time I stepped forward, I accidentally stepped on Lucy’s toe.

"I am so sorry, Lucy!" I squeaked, stopping immediately and hiding my face in my hands.

"Oh, please do not worry, Lady Ivy!" Lucy laughed, smoothing down her apron. "My feet have seen much worse than your soft shoes, I promise."

Doctor Rachel put down her paper board and walked over, handing me a cool, wet towel. "Take a deep breath, Ivy. Your whole body is stiff as a board. Royal dancing is not supposed to be a hard march. It should look easy, like you are floating across the floor on a cloud."

"It does not feel like floating," I muttered, wiping my forehead with a heavy sigh. "It feels like walking on sharp rocks in silk shoes. If I mess this up at the Apex Gathering in front of all those scary Alpha leaders..."

"You will not mess it up," Rachel said kindly, taking the towel back. "You have been practicing for two hours straight. Your body knows what to do, but your mind is stiff because you are afraid. Let us take a short break."

Glad for the rest, I followed Doctor Rachel out the glass doors onto the quiet, warm patio. A cool breeze blew through the garden, smelling sweet like fresh mint and flowers. We sat down at a small iron table with cold lemon water.

I leaned back, resting my hands over my lower belly, feeling the tiny tightness that reminded me of the small baby growing inside me.

"Doctor Rachel?" I asked softly, watching the light shine on my glass. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course, my dear."

"What is it really like... to be a mother? I mean, I know what books say, but... were you scared when you had your babies?"

Doctor Rachel’s eyes grew soft and kind. She put her glass down and rested her elbows on the table. "Scared? Ivy, I was terrified. When I had my first son, Noah, I was still studying to be a doctor. I remember sitting on the nursery floor at two in the morning, holding a crying baby, covered in mess, with heavy doctor books all around me, crying right along with him."

I blinked in surprise. "Really? You always seem so calm and smart."

"It took a long time to learn," she laughed softly. "Being a mother and a doctor means life is always messy. There are days when you feel like you are failing at everything, you miss a bedtime story because of a sick patient, or you walk into work with baby milk on your coat. My husband, Thomas, had to wake up in the night to feed the baby more times than I can count."

"Your husband?" I asked, leaning closer, realizing I knew very little about her home life.

"Yes, Thomas is a Lead Patrol Commander in Prince Leo's border guard," Rachel smiled warmly, her tone rich with pride. Noah, who is eight now and loves training with his father's wooden swords, and little Clara, who just turned four and bosses the whole house around. It is tiring and hard, especially when Thomas is called out on night shifts... but the second Noah hugs my neck after a long hospital shift, or Clara sleeps on my chest, all the stress vanishes."

She reached across the table and placed her warm, steady hand over mine.

"You do not have to be a perfect, flawless mother right away, Ivy. You just have to love your baby. And seeing how much you already care for this child, I know you are going to be wonderful."

A thick lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed it down, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you... I really needed to hear that."

"Now," Rachel said, looking at her wrist watch, "about the big Apex Gathering. Your father’s warning letter is only meant to scare you into hiding. He wants you to look weak. Walking into that ballroom, holding Prince Leo's arm with your head held high, is how you show him he cannot control you anymore."

"I know," I murmured, looking down at my lap. "I do not want to hide anymore. I just hope my feet work when the music plays."

Rachel laughed, standing up and grabbing her medical bag. "They will. Just trust your instincts and trust Leo. He will not let you fall."

Later that evening, a small table had been set up inside Leo’s office with cooked chicken, vegetables, and sweet fruit. I had skipped eating in the big dining room, wanting to eat quietly with him instead.  Leo sat across from me, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing his strong arms. His dark shirt was unbuttoned at the top, showing his neck. He put his fork down, his rich dark eyes looking at me with gentle care.

"Lucy told me you spent two hours in the grand room this afternoon," Leo said, a tiny smile on his face. "Are you moving my chairs around, or should I be worried?"

My face went red, and I poked at a piece of food on my plate. "I... I was practicing."

"Practicing what?"

"Dancing," I whispered softly, keeping my eyes down. "The royal dance for the big party."

Leo stopped, his face growing soft. "Ivy... you do not have to force yourself to learn hard royal dances if it makes you worried. If you just want to stand by my side, or skip the dance completely, I will cancel it right away."

"No," I said, looking up to meet his eyes. "I want to. I want to stand beside you, Leo. I do not want people whispering that the Crown Prince's mate is not good enough to stand with him."

Leo stared at me, his eyes dark and full of deep feeling. The strong love in his gaze made my breath stop.

"How did the practice go?" he asked gently.

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head. "Terrible. I stepped on poor Lucy’s toes five times. I keep counting in my head, my feet feel heavy, and I freeze up like a piece of wood."

Now I’m Jealous” he said watching me intensely

“Of what?” I asked innocently as I put a piece of chicken into my mouth

Leo did not reply, instead he pushed his plate away and slowly stood up. He walked over to his desk, picked up a small brass music box, and turned the key on the back.

A slow, beautiful music began to play in the warm room.

He walked over to the thick curtains, pulling them shut and dimming the wall lights until the room was soft and golden from the firelight. Then, he turned to face me, standing right in the middle of the soft rug.

He held out his right hand, palm open, waiting.

"May I have this dance, my love?" he asked, his voice low and deep.

My hands shook a little in my lap. I waited for a second, looking at how patient he was. He was not rushing me. He was letting me choose.

Gathering my courage, I stood up.

I walked across the soft rug, reached out, and placed my small hand into his big, warm palm.

The moment my skin touched his, a soft gasp came out of my mouth. A warm, tiny spark passed through my hand, running straight up my arm and deep into my belly. Leo’s fingers closed gently around mine, firm and safe, but very careful.

"First rule," Leo whispered, pulling me one small step closer until his body heat washed over me like a warm wave. "Forget the counting. Stop thinking about the steps. Look at me."

I swallowed hard, forcing my eyes up to look right into his.

Slowly, Leo took my left hand and placed it gently against his chest, right over his heart. Under his shirt, I could feel his heart beating fast and strong, matching the quick beat of my own heart.

Then, his broad right hand slid around my waist.

My breath hitched in my throat. The space between us completely disappeared. His warm palm rested against my back, pulling my body close to his. My chest touched his, and feeling how big and strong he was made my head spin.

"Leo..." I whispered, the sound tiny in the quiet room.

"I have got you," he said softly, his voice deep and warm. "Just follow me."

He began to move, swaying us gently to the soft music. His steps were smooth and easy. Because his hand on my back was so steady, I did not have to think. My feet followed his movements naturally, sliding across the rug like I was floating.

His warm scent, smelling like rich dark chocolate and sweet wood filled the air around us, thick and comforting. 

My body felt warm and alive. My heart beat fast in my throat, not from fear, not from bad memories, and not from pain. It was a strong, warm feeling of love and desire for the man holding me.

I looked up at his face. His jaw was set tight as he tried to stay calm, his dark amber eyes burning down into mine with pure love that made my knees feel soft. He was holding himself back, trying so hard not to squeeze me too tight.

"You are not stiff anymore," he said softly, his eyes dropping to my lips for a fast second before looking back into my eyes.

"Really?" I whispered, my fingers holding onto his shirt, pressing against his strong chest.

Leo let out a long, quiet breath, his hand pulling me just a little closer, so there was no space left between us at all. The music box slowly stopped, the last note fading into the quiet room, but neither of us moved.