Chapter 171
Rebecca's POV
I sat in the Sterling estate's study, Ella sleeping peacefully in her portable bassinet beside my chair as I filled out the application forms for City Arts Academy. The scratch of my pen on paper was the only sound in the room, a counterpoint to Ella's soft breathing.
The door opened quietly, and Dominic entered. He crossed to the bassinet first, peering down at our daughter with naked adoration on his face before turning his attention to me.
"How's it coming?" he asked, leaning against the desk beside me.
"Almost done," I replied, signing my name at the bottom of the final page. "Just need to compile my portfolio."
Dominic nodded toward a leather portfolio case on the opposite side of the desk. "I took the liberty of gathering some of your work."
I stared at him, surprised. "You did that? When?"
"Over the past few days," he said with a small shrug. "Marcus helped with the photography."
I opened the portfolio, flipping through the carefully arranged pages. Each design was beautifully presented, with fabric swatches attached where available, and professional-quality photographs of the completed garments. It was far more impressive than anything I could have put together on my own.
"Dominic, this is... this is amazing," I said, looking up at him.
His lips quirked in that half-smile I loved so much. "I have some experience presenting business proposals. The principle seemed similar—show your best work in the best possible light."
Just then, Marcus knocked lightly at the open door. "Alpha, Luna," he greeted us with a slight bow of his head. "The courier is here whenever you're ready to send your application."
I took a deep breath, giving the forms and portfolio one final check before placing everything in the large envelope provided by the academy. "I guess this is it," I said, sealing the envelope.
I exhaled slowly, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. "Now we wait," I murmured.
Dominic placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "They'll see your talent, Rebecca. I have no doubt."
---
Several days later, I was in the garden with Lucas, watching him chase butterflies while Ella napped in her stroller under the shade of a large oak tree. The waiting had been harder than I expected—every day that passed without word from the academy left me more convinced I'd been rejected.
"Luna," called Diana's voice from the terrace. "There's an envelope for you from City Arts Academy."
My heart leaped into my throat as I quickly called Lucas back to me. "Stay with your sister for just a moment," I told him, hurrying toward the house.
Diana handed me a thick cream envelope bearing the academy's embossed seal. My fingers trembled slightly as I took it.
"Should I call the Alpha?" Diana asked, noting my expression.
"Yes, please," I replied, not taking my eyes off the envelope.
I carried it to the garden table, sitting down and staring at it for several moments before finding the courage to break the seal. Just as I pulled out the contents—a formal letter on heavy stationery—Dominic appeared, striding purposefully across the lawn.
"It came," I said unnecessarily as he reached me.
He nodded, his expression carefully neutral, but I could sense his tension through our bond. "What does it say?"
My eyes scanned the first paragraph, and I couldn't suppress the small gasp that escaped me.
"I got in," I whispered, looking up at Dominic with wide eyes. "They're offering me a place in the advanced program based on my portfolio submission."
Dominic's face broke into a rare full smile, the kind that transformed his usually serious features and made him look years younger. "Of course they are," he said, his voice warm with pride. "They'd be fools not to recognize your talent."
I read further, my excitement dimming slightly. "Classes start next Monday," I said, glancing at Ella's sleeping form. "That's so soon. I need to work out a feeding schedule, and make sure Marianne is still available, and Lucas needs to understand why I'll be gone three mornings a week—"
"Rebecca," Dominic interrupted gently, taking the letter from my hands and setting it aside. "Breathe. We've discussed this. We have a plan."
I nodded, trying to calm my racing thoughts. "I know, it's just—now that it's real, I'm a little overwhelmed."
"Understandable," Dominic said, his voice practical but kind. "So let's break it down. First, the feeding schedule."
I pulled out the notebook where I'd been tracking Ella's patterns. "She nurses every three hours during the day. If I feed her right before I leave and as soon as I get back, Marianne would only need to give her one bottle of expressed milk while I'm gone."
Dominic nodded, scanning the meticulous notes I'd made. "And you've already started getting her used to taking a bottle occasionally."
"Yes, though she prefers nursing," I said with a small smile. "She's stubborn that way."
"Like her mother," Dominic observed dryly. "What about Lucas?"
"Diana says he's thriving in the preschool program in the mornings. He'll barely notice I'm gone an extra few hours three days a week." I chewed my lip. "But I should talk to him, explain what's happening."
"We'll both talk to him," Dominic corrected gently. "Tonight, before his bedtime story."
I looked up at him, feeling a rush of gratitude for his steady support. "Thank you," I said simply.
Dominic reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "For what?"
"For encouraging me to do this. For supporting me. For..." I gestured to the portfolio he'd assembled. "For believing in me enough to put this together before I'd even decided for sure."
His expression turned serious. "Rebecca, you've transformed my life. You've given me a son and a daughter. You've united our pack in ways I never thought possible." His fingers traced the line of my jaw. "Supporting your dreams is the least I can do in return."
---
The night before my first day of classes, I found myself in Lucas and Ella's shared nursery, reading a bedtime story to my son while Ella slept peacefully in the crook of my arm. Lucas had insisted on "Goodnight Moon," his current favorite, and I read it for what felt like the hundredth time, making sure to point out each item as we said goodnight to it.
"Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere," I finished softly, closing the book.
Lucas looked up at me with solemn eyes. "Again?" he asked hopefully.
I smiled, setting the book aside. "Not tonight, little wolf. It's getting late, and you need your sleep." I hesitated, then added, "And Mama needs to talk to you about something important."
Lucas sat up a little straighter, his expression turning serious in that way that always reminded me so much of Dominic. "Important?" he repeated.
"Yes," I said, shifting Ella slightly as I tried to find the right words. "Do you remember how Daddy goes to his office to work sometimes?"
Lucas nodded. "Daddy's the Alpha," he said with the pride of a child who'd been told many times of his father's importance.
"That's right. And I'm the Luna," I continued. "But before I was Luna, before I was even your mama, I was something else too. I was a designer—someone who creates beautiful clothes."
"Like your pretty dresses?" Lucas asked, reaching out to touch the sleeve of my blouse.
"Yes, exactly," I said, encouraged by his understanding. "And starting tomorrow, I'm going to go learn more about making beautiful clothes. I'll go to school in the mornings, just like you go to preschool."
Lucas's brow furrowed. "You're leaving?" he asked, a note of worry entering his voice.
"Only for a little while each day," I assured him quickly. "I'll be gone when you're at preschool, and I'll be back in time for lunch and our afternoon together. And it's only three days a week."
"Will you take Ella?" he asked, looking at his sleeping sister.
"No, Ella will stay with Grandma Marianne while I'm at school," I explained. "And you'll still go to preschool with your friends."
"But you'll come back?" Lucas pressed, his small hand clutching at my arm.
"Always," I promised, feeling a lump form in my throat at the concern in his eyes. "Every single day, I'll come back to you and Ella and Daddy."
"Why do you have to go?" he asked, the question I'd been dreading.
I took a deep breath, considering how to explain such a complex concept to a child. "Because learning to make beautiful clothes makes Mama happy," I said finally. "Just like playing with your blocks and your toy cars makes you happy. And when Mama's happy, I can be an even better mama to you and Ella."