Chapter 37
thirty-seven
“Are you really a princess?”
It’s the question I’ve dreaded all day, delivered in the most adorable way possible.
The little boy squinting up at me can’t be more than four years old. Or perhaps a bit older, since he’s missing his front teeth. It’s hard to tell, up on this floor of the hospital—most of these poor kids aren’t as hardy as they should be because they’re battling chronic illnesses.
Though pale and partially toothless, this kid is undeniably precious. With messy brown hair, round glasses, and a dubious expression that reminds me of Asher when he was young. Always a scientist at heart.
The boy looks at me the same way the prince used to. Like I’m a riddle of some sort.
I can’t help but smile down at him, casting my gaze around the sixth-floor’s nurses’ station to make sure no one is watching me. Our tour ended moments ago and the guys were instantly swept into a conversation with a few board members, as well as the mayor.
I’ve already met everyone and posed for the photos we needed. As nervous as I was, that part wound up being fairly easy. A smile, a well-placed nod. Some handshakes.
It’s this sort of thing that daunts me—being left to my own devices and having to act… royal . Whatever that means.
When I see that even Dair is frowning in concentration, absorbed in their conversation, I lower myself into a crouch to put the boy and me at eye level.
“No,” I confess, taking in his earnest surprise and biting back a chuckle. “I’m not a princess. I’m just Ivy.”
It feels good to say it out loud. Offering him my hand, I’m overjoyed when he shakes it, looking relieved. “I knew you weren’t really a princess. That’s just crazy .”
He isn’t wrong. All this media attention. The security. My overpriced clothes and the three royals who have kept an eye on me the whole time they’ve worked…the fact that I’m somehow doing okay? I think?
I have to giggle, nodding my agreement. “It would be crazy, right?”
“Mmhmm,” he agrees. “My name is Piper, and my sister is Gemma. She’s in the playroom—do you want to see the tower we’re making?”
“I—” My heart lurches at the hope shining all over his pasty face. When’s the last time this little guy got to go outside? Or just… run?
Chest aching, I glance over to the princes again. Surely, no one will notice if I play with building blocks for two minutes…
“I’d love to,” I finally finish. “Lead the way.”
Piper practically jumps, whirling into motion. I follow with another quiet laugh, pleasantly surprised when the floor’s playroom is only a few steps from the central hub.
Inside, rainbow colors reflect the midday sun from a large picture window. A couple of nurses hover over various patients, checking vitals and adjusting IVs while the children play like this is any other day. For them, I suppose it is.
The pain in my chest carves deeper. I do my best to smile around it as Piper tugs at my hem, paying no mind to the skirt’s price tag… which I’ve been doing my best to forget.
Oh well. If he didn’t mess it up, I’m sure I would have eventually.
“Gemma, look!”
Piper pulls me over to a low table surrounded by pint-sized chairs. There’s a blonde curly-haired toddler in one and a woman a bit older than me in another. She must be a parent—her clothes seem rumpled, and her face looks drawn with exhaustion.
When she looks up from the papers clutched in her left hand, her mouth immediately falls open.
Oops .
I forgot people know my face now.
“Gemma,” Piper starts again, ignoring his mom to focus on his sister. “This is Ivy. She wants to see our tower.”
The little girl blinks up at me, then over to her stack of magnetic tiles. With utter solemnity, she points and repeats, “Tow-a.”
I laugh some more. “It’s lovely!”
My voice seems to snap the woman out of her stupor. She immediately straightens, her face horrified as she hisses, “Piper! What are you doing? This is?—”
Nervous that others will overhear and look up from their own playtime, I offer my hand without thought. “Just Ivy, please,” I beg. “And I hope you don’t mind; Piper and I met in the hallway. He wanted me to see his tower.”
Embarrassment stains her cheeks, but Piper whispers loudly at her, “ Mama —she was all alone . She needed a friend . You told me to invite new friends to play when they’re all alone!”
“Well, yes,” his mother answers, “but, Piper?—”
I call upon years of experience with being a mere mortal surrounded by royalty, remembering how much more at ease I felt when Bast would put himself on my level. I point to an empty chair. “May I, ma’am?”
She jerks upright again, nodding fervently. “Oh dear! Yes! Of course! I—I’m sorry, Your?—”
“Ivy,” I repeat, smiling as I lower myself into the seat. The woman starts frantically gathering the pages spread out in front of her, adding them to those in her hand. In her haste, she accidentally flashes the document my way. I wince when I see the lines of itemized charges, amounting to one grand total.
I have visceral memories of receiving statements like these. The phantom sensation gores into my stomach while I watch her hide them in her purse.
It takes more effort than I expect to find a new smile, but I manage for Piper and Gemma’s sake. Within minutes, they have me stacking tiles with them, building a new tower. Showing me, in Piper’s words, “where a real princess would live.”
I’m giggling, listening to his confused version of the Princess and the Frog, when the woman sitting much too still across from me suddenly leaps to her feet. “Your Highness!”
Uh-oh .
I repress a guilty cringe, knowing I’ll find Asher behind me when I turn around.
It’s worse than that, though.
The doorway clearly frames all three of my alphas. And the board. And two photographers.
Figs .
I stand automatically, barely stopping myself from launching into a bow of my own. My Omega squirms, searching the room for any trace of their disapproval or anger.
But they seem… happy?
Bast grins widely, leaning against the doorjamb like he could hang out and watch all day long. Asher stands beside him with a softer smile and a certain glow in his gaze. And Dair…
He’s there, right behind them both. Staring so intensely, tingles shiver down my back.
The prince reaches a hand out to me. “There you are, darling. Making some new friends?”
Relieved and grateful for his lifeline, I step toward him and place my fingers in his. “Yes! This is Piper and his sister Gemma. Piper, Gemma, this is Prince Asher Everhart.”
Piper peers up at Ash with the same narrow-eyed wariness he gave me. “Are you really a prince?”
Asher’s brows bounce high, but Bast and I can’t contain our laughter. The baron moves to stand at my other side, sliding his arm around my waist. “I’m afraid he is, little guy. Makes things dreadfully dull for the rest of us.”
To my delight, Asher chuckles. “That’s true, I suppose.”
Never one to leave a stone unturned, Bast soon knows the name of every person in the room. While he puts Piper’s mother at ease with a few well-placed jokes, I turn to Asher and Dair, looking back and forth between them.
“I… think I have a question.”
Ash brings my hand to his lips, kissing the back of it reverently. A camera flashes, but I barely notice with his eyes so soft on mine. “Anything.”
I lower my voice so no one will hear. “That account you gave me… can I use it to help other people? Do I have to spend it on myself?”
Dair’s brows snap together. “Why? What do you want to do?”
I touch the lump sitting low in my throat, toying with the strand of pearls Bast clasped there this morning. “I’d like to help some of these families with their bills if I can. I used to worry about Mama’s medical expenses endlessly. I can’t imagine if I had to worry about a sick child, too. Or children .”
Anxiety swarms my chest and flips my stomach. My scent burns. Asher’s expression gets even more tender. He opens his mouth to console me?—
But Dair answers, “I’ll take care of it.”
We both swivel to him, gaping. “W-what?”
Dair stares back at me, his gaze so unfathomably sincere, I have no choice but to believe every word he says. “These kids. Their bills. I’ll make sure they’re paid in full.”
I blink. “Y-you will?”
Asher seems even more surprised. “Seriously?” he echoes. “I mean, we can do it, but we have a few other philanthropies on our docket this week, and I need to?—”
Dair shakes his head. “No. I said I’ll do it. You don’t have to worry, Asher. I’ve got this one.”
My dark-eyed alpha squeezes my free hand, tossing me a wink. “Excuse me, baby.”
Asher and I watch him storm over to the board members, already barking a low string of orders. My prince looks absolutely stunned—and so does Bast when he ambles back over.
“Holy shit,” he smirks. “It’s a miracle.”