Practice, Practice

Ivy's POV

It's now the day before the mating ball. I've been here at the palace for almost a week. Nathaniel and I have spent a lot of time together regardless of his duties here, and it's the most content I've felt in years. He treats me kindly, respectfully and like an actual person. We've gone for walks around the palace, eating dinners together in his wing and watching movies before retiring to bed.

I don't want to leave. This has been the escape I've been looking for all along.

I'm nervous for when the entire pack arrives tomorrow, but it's like some of my sense of self has returned this week. Mentally, I feel stronger, more like myself again. I know that without Seles I won't be whole, but at least I'm feeling better than I had when I had decided to leave and become a rogue.

Something about Nathaniel just draws me to him. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm not complaining.

I keep thinking to myself as I walk into the ballroom, now complete for the mating ball and head to the stage. It's late at night, but I had asked to get some practice in for the ball and Nathaniel and his mother has said it was fine. I walk up the steps and to middle stage to the taped "x" that marks my place.

I pull out a piece of paper that has my song list, a grand total of four songs, the last one being my favourite. One I picked that sort of describes my inner turmoil and how I feel, but strangely relating to how Nathaniel has made me feel. I decide to practice that one first.

"I'm not afraid of the monster in you

I heard the stories and I hope they are true

Adrenaline is calling my name

No hesitation darling, I'm still waiting

And for the first time I will feel alive, alive."

"Offer me a world of shadows and eternity

We are animals

Hunting for another supper, for another prey

Losing our soul

The love for danger is rushing through my veins

Offer me your world, your thirst for immortality

We are animals."

I continue, feeling the emotions to their fullest extent and allowing it to flow through my voice, echoing now only slightly now that the room is finished.

Time passes as I go through each song, feeling confident that my performance will be great at the ball tomorrow, if all goes well. I finish with the last song, the final note slowly fading. I fold my paper back up and head off stage and towards the door, hoping that everything goes as planned.

Nathaniel's POV

Well of course, I couldn't avoid my mother catching onto the fact that Ivy was my mate. She called it right away and asked why I hadn't told her and after some explaining, she understood my reasoning, but I remember her advice before we had gone into the meeting.

"She only makes you as strong as you let her."

Hard truth coming from her, but it is the truth, and not just from an Alpha/Luna type dynamic. I have to let her in, allow her to support me just as I would support her in every aspect of our lives together. There's so much I don't know about her, but I can't keep her in the dark forever just because there's secrets in her past that I want to uncover.

I went out for a run with Kiba this morning to let off some steam before the mating ball, and to get out of the palace for a few moments since it's a complete madhouse. Catering, cleaning and last-minute decoration fixes or changes with the sheer number of staff required to pull this off smoothly makes for a very busy, crowded area. I don't know how my mother does it all, but it always works out in the end. Ivy was just getting up as I was leaving, saying she had practice with the live band for her performances, and I had told her that I would see her later.

As I walk through the busy people in the main foyer, I see Ivy cross in front of me, coming from the ballroom and heading back to where my wing is. I decide to head back in that direction myself, considering its mere hours before guests are due to arrive and I need to get ready. My mother had told me earlier that she talked with Ivy about having her hair and makeup professionally done and apparently it took some convincing, but she eventually agreed, which doesn't surprise me.

I quicken my pace to catch up with her. "Ivy." I say her name and she turn and locks eyes with me and smiles, stopping for me to come up beside her. We start walking together towards my wing and she asks me, "How was your run?"

"It was good, I appreciate you asking. How was practice?" I ask and she smiles brighter. "It went great! The live band is amazing! I hope all turns out well later."

"I'm sure it will." I reply as we walk into the wing and are greeted by a team of people, clearly those hired to get us ready.

"Well guess it's time to get all done up." Ivy says, her tone of voice giving away her discomfort. I lean in and whisper in her ear, smiling at the slight shiver response I get from her. "It'll be fine. You'll look stunning, I guarantee it. See you later songbird." She turns and blushes slightly before heading towards her room.

"I sure hope so. See you later." She says before disappearing behind her bedroom door. I sigh and walk with my own team to my room.