Chapter 107

KENNETH POV

I’d always been of the belief that if one is persistent enough and puts in the hard work to achieve something, good things would surely come.

I used to think I knew what that meant.

Not becoming alpha until I turned thirty had certainly tested my patience well enough. As did my daughter’s mission to catch the eye of Alpha Prince Henry.

But this…?

I’d waited twenty years for these dominos to fall, watching as each piece began to topple, one by one. Some took their time, and some landed askew… but in the end, they all landed exactly where they were supposed to. And now, I’m closer than ever to finally realizing what would soon be my greatest legacy to date.

I’m done with hiding and waiting. You have no idea of what’s to come, but soon, you’ll be mine.

Maeve.

MAEVE POV

I lifted my head, unable to hide my smile. “Yes?”

“So, you are aware, then?” Xaden murmured with a smirk as he towered over my seated body, tracing his thumb along my jaw. “Just how adorable you look right now?”

It was just after one o’clock, and my second obstetrician appointment would begin any minute. We hadn’t been waiting long and, thankfully, hadn’t encountered anyone who seemed to recognize him yet.

Because of the nature of today’s outing, Xaden opted to wear a plain gray, long-sleeve shirt with a pair of nice black trousers. And his hair, which was normally combed back and picture-perfect for the public view, hung loosely in his perfectly handsome face.

A sight that made my heart skip a beat every time I saw it.

At first glance… well, he still looked like a wealthy and important alpha, but at least now, he could blend in with the “common people” more seamlessly. And he did so, knowing it would help me feel more at ease.

The gesture, although simple, made me fall for him for the thousandth time. Such was part of the reason why I almost gave in to his teasing.

However—

—the examination room at Dr. Meadows’s clinic was definitely not the place for it!

“You really are something else,” I giggled, flustered with the onslaught of his doting attention. “We’re supposed to be waiting for the doctor, and you’re busy ogling at my less-than-impressive outfit.” I gestured to the outfit in question: a loose, white V-neck shirt and blue leggings.

“What can I say?” he asked innocently as he leaned in close, his lips brushing over my forehead, slowly skirting down my face. “You’re tantalizing, no matter what you wear.”

Oh… he was good. It was impossible to deny him when he talked like this.

When the tender touch of his lips against mine, I found myself unable to fight him any longer. I melted into his kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck—

And then a knock on the door quickly jolted my muddled mind awake.

I gasped, pushing him away with an embarrassed blush. “Come in!” I quickly stammered, wiping my hands over my reddened cheeks.

Xaden grinned, but didn’t try again, and moved to grab the nearest chair.

The examination room door pushed open to reveal the familiar face of Dr. Meadows, bright-eyed and ready for today’s appointment. “Hello Maeve, and welcome back!” she greeted kindly. “Did you have a nice—”

Her gaze flitted to the back of Xaden's figure.

“Oh—!” she exclaimed, looking slightly startled before turning back to me. “I see you’re with someone this time.”

“Ah, yes… this is—” I quickly cut myself off before I could reveal his name, although I knew I only had moments before she undoubtedly figured out who he truly was. In the end, I ended up saying: “He’s my fiancé.”

Xaden was already facing the two of us, having pulled the chair closer to where I was seated. If he was uncomfortable with the sudden attention, he didn’t show it. Instead, he leaned against the backrest, casual and confident, as if he owned the room without even saying a word.

And yet, the second the word ‘fiancé’ left my mouth, the air around him seemed to soften.

“How wonderful!” Dr. Meadows beamed as she stepped closer to shake hands with Xaden. “And what’s your—”

The rest of her question died in her throat, filling the room with an unexpected silence as she fully took him in for the first time. It must have only taken two seconds at most, but to me, it felt like an eternity.

“Is there something on your mind, Doctor?” he asked pointedly. The handshake he shared with her was short, formal—completely different from the way he touched me mere seconds ago.

Dr. Meadows, however, didn’t seem fazed, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to stare. It’s just… you look very familiar.”

Oh.

There was no denying it. She definitely knew who he was.

Anyone could see who he was if they looked at him longer than two seconds.

Given his… tendency to be confrontational with others, I quickly assumed he would’ve given her that signature warning glare of his I’d become all too familiar with, and told her to mind her own business. And, for a moment, he seemed to consider it.

I was ready to grab onto his hand—to silently tell him to please not cause a scene with a doctor I happened to like.

To my pleasant surprise, however, he instead plastered a polite smile.

“I suppose I just have one of those faces,” he said, ever the gentleman. “So, you’re the doctor taking care of her?”

“Indeed, I am,” she answered promptly, switching to the computer as she began to pull up my chart, and it was almost like the interaction never happened. “We’ve only met once so far, but I assure you, these two are in good hands.”

Xaden hummed at that, clearly pensive.

Silently, I gave him a look that told him to ‘be nice—please…’

And, to that, he let out a quiet sigh, nodding in agreement.

“I know we brought up Baby Boy’s growth last time, which is a little larger than we’d expect at this stage of the pregnancy,” she said, busily scanning over her notes, and my breath caught in my throat, eager to hear what she had to say.

“However,” she continued with a bright smile, “I’m thrilled to report that both his and your lab results came back clean. No issues in sight.”

I felt air slowly seep back into my lungs. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

My heart was becoming light, my soul breezy. Her sure-sounding words were music to my ears, but I needed just a little more.

“But—” I pressed, pulling my hands into my lap, “the book I’m reading doesn’t mention any of this.”

“Pregnancy books normally won’t—they’re more general guidelines than actual medical advice. Every baby and every pregnancy are different, so what I like to say is… yes, read the books, and yes, ask all of your questions, but an answer for one mom won’t necessarily be the same for you, because she might have different needs than you do. Does that make sense?”

It was almost funny. Xaden said nearly the same thing to me not too long ago.

I nodded after a moment. “Yes,” I murmured, my body starting to sink with calm. “It does.”

“What exactly do those reports say?” Xaden spoke up, leaning forward with his elbows over his thighs, intrigued.

Dr. Meadows rotated the computer screen so we could see better. “If you look here,” she said, pointing at the center of the screen, “these are his…”

Her voice faded into nothingness, lost in the noise of my numbing mind.

I only half-listened while she engaged with Xaden, answering whatever questions he had. To be honest, I wasn’t paying much attention, even though I’d tried as hard as I could. All I knew and felt was relief—warm and wonderful and pure, because I finally got the proven confirmation I needed.

My baby was healthy. Thriving under my care, and that was all that mattered.

I’d all but zoned out, until I heard Doctor Meadows say something that rocked my world.

“You’ve certainly got a big boy on your hands, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up wanting to come out earlier than expected.”

Before I could even fully comprehend her words, my body froze.

Wait. What?!

It took some time, but after twenty minutes of questions and reassurances, we were back in the car, returning home from the appointment. Xaden was quiet, distracted by the freshly printed sonogram in his hand, but I was flooded with several conflicting emotions.

I was barely able to mull over the fact that she hadn’t said a word about Xaden’s presence.

How could I, when the thought that my baby could be born earlier than expected hung over my head like a heavy cloud?

Dr. Meadows was careful to explain that every pregnancy carried the possibility of early labor to some extent, but ours was a special case, considering how big he already was. That being said, she hadn’t seemed concerned in the slightest.

I hummed quietly, staring out the window as I rubbed my belly with my free hand—the other entangled with my mate’s.

What were we supposed to do?

“Xaden,” I whispered.

“Hmm?”

“What do we do if… if he does come early?”

The ensuing silence lasted for what felt like forever but must have only been a few seconds.

“Yeah…” Xaden eventually murmured with a sigh. He leaned back against the leather car seat, absentmindedly stroking my hand with the pad of his thumb. Meanwhile, his gaze was firmly locked on the sonogram. “What to do…”

“I mean—there isn’t even a room that’s ready for him,” I said, and now that the revelation was back out in the open, panic began to sink in. “I know Maggie suggested we wait since it’s still early, but what if we have less time than we think—”

“Sweetheart.”

Despite my growing panic, the nickname warmed me up inside.

“Everything will be alright,” he said, pulling my hand to his lips. “We’ll make it alright, you’ll see.”

He seemed so calm. Maybe too calm.

“This is your first baby, right?” I asked, only partially teasing.

Xaden laughed at that, the sound hearty and light. “Unless you consider ordering Lucas and Charlotte around when I was young,” he replied, apparently amused by my question, “then, yes, this would be my first time having and caring for a child.”

“You could’ve fooled me,” I said, trying to distract myself by fidgeting with his fingers. “You… always seem to know what to do and how to act, and I… I can’t help but be in awe.”

“… Then I suppose it seems I’ve managed to fool you, after all.”

“… Huh?”

His green gaze, illuminated by the sunlight beaming through the car windows, flickered to meet mine. “Shall I be honest with you?”

I pulled his hand onto my lap and held on tightly. “Please.”

Moments passed before one of the corners of his mouth quirked upward, not with mischief, but something more vulnerable.

“I haven’t the faintest idea what I’m doing,” he admitted, loosely looping his fingers between mine. “Anything I might’ve learned from watching my mother and Maggie happened many, many years ago—and, truthfully, I was a tad too focused on being a troublemaker to really pay attention to anything else.”

“But there’s nothing,” he added, sounding serious, “that’ll stop me from doing this with you. I swear it.”

My heart swelling, I leaned into him, just enjoying the warmth of his body against mine. There was so much I wanted to say, so much I wanted to convey.

But, in the end, the thought of a small, rambunctious Xaden running around the palace halls was what brought a smile to my face. Once upon a time, I’d asked Maggie about his childhood, only to get shot down, and I hadn’t thought to bring it up again.

How sweet it was, that he was the one to bring it up first, after all.

“You—” I pressed, “a troublemaker?”

He huffed another laugh. “I’m not sure what I’ve done to make you believe otherwise.”

My smile widened. “I wouldn’t say that,” I teased. “I just… like learning about you.”

The inside of the car thrummed with something that was both electrifying and calming at the same time. Something that I only ever felt when I was with him, when I could be without worry.

“You’re welcome to learn whatever you want,” he said. “As long as I can one day learn more about you, too.”

That… was a tall order. I knew my stories wouldn’t be as lighthearted as his… but how could I deny such a request?

“If that’s what you want,” I replied, still holding onto him.

The rest of the car ride was filled with whatever stories Xaden had time to tell—all from his childhood, and all involving the mischief he’d gotten into, whether it involved sneaking into his father’s council meetings or messing with Lucas.

And I loved every second. I pictured every memory, every detail, and I could imagine our baby doing all of it.

What a future that might be.

When we arrived home, Maggie was a short distance away from the door, faced away, as if she’d been speaking with someone else.

“Oh—welcome back, Your Highnesses,” she greeted with a curtsy. “You have a—”

But it was too late.

Before Maggie could finish her sentence, an ominous darkness manifested beyond my line of sight, prickling my spine. My breath hitching, I quickly snapped my gaze towards this unwanted presence, only to land on a tall figure standing off to the side, just waiting to be noticed.

And the world shattered around me as we locked eyes.

“Father?”