Gabriel held Noah tight against his chest, his eyes narrowed as he tracked the doctor’s every movent. The toddler’s small arm was bare, and the boy looked up at his father with wide, curious eyes, entirely unaware of the impending sting.
"Doctor, you need to be careful with that needle," Gabriel warned.
"Gabriel, Noah has gotten injections before. The doctor is experienced," Alie hissed, her hand resting on Gabriel’s shoulder as if to physically pull back his hovering intensity.
"I know... but that needle looks far too big for him," Gabriel insisted, his protective Alpha instincts clearly clashing with the reality of a pediatrician’s office.
"Gabriel, seriously? If you can’t handle this, go out and give Noah to . Other patients are waiting," Alie scolded him. She then turned and offered a quick, apologetic smile to the doctor, silently pleading with him not to take her husband’s overbearing nature to heart.
Noah let out a series of babbling sounds in his own little language, reaching out his free hand toward his mother as if sensing the tension and deciding her arms were the safer bet.
"Alright! Alright! Just... be gentle," Gabriel conceded, finally shifting to allow the doctor access, though he didn’t look away for even a second as the needle drew closer.
The nurse leaned in close to Alie, her voice a conspiratorial thread. "It seems the Alpha Prince is getting the injection, not the young prince," she whispered.
"True," Alie agreed with a suppressed giggle, watching her husband’s face go pale.
The doctor was incredibly efficient, sliding the needle into Noah’s vein with a steady hand. Gabriel instantly squeezed his eyes shut, his entire body tensing as if he were the one being poked, acting more like a nervous child than the dangerous Alpha Prince.
"It’s done, Your Highness," the doctor announced, already pressing a small cotton ball over the site.
"What? Really?" Gabriel’s eyes snapped open, his voice filled with genuine shock. He looked down at his son, who had only given a tiny, curious flinch before returning to his babbling. "Why didn’t Noah cry? I was certain he’d be in pain."
"Because Noah is a strong boy," Alie replied, reaching over to ruffle her son’s hair. She caught the doctor’s eye and offered a grateful nod.
"Thank you, doctor. And forgive my husband for his tantrums," she muttered.
Gabriel cleared his throat, trying to reclaim his regal composure as he adjusted his hold on the toddler. "I wasn’t throwing tantrums. I was... being vigilant."
The doctor couldn’t help but chuckle as he marked a neat circle on the dical card. "You need to co back in two months for the next dose," he asserted. Gabriel didn’t wait a second longer; he swiftly yet gently guided Noah’s small arm back into the sleeve of his soft baby clothes, acting as if he were shielding him from further battle.
Alie settled Noah into her arms and led the way out of the cabin, Gabriel following close behind.
"You aren’t coming with and Noah for the next appointnt," Alie said firmly as they stepped into the hallway.
"Ya!" Noah chirped from her shoulder, sounding suspiciously like he was taking his mother’s side.
"Why?" Gabriel asked, sounding genuinely offended.
"Because you are more terrified of the needles than Noah is," Alie stated, her pace brisk as they moved through the hospital lobby.
"I wasn’t scared of the needle!" Gabriel argued, throwing a defensive glance back toward the treatnt rooms. "I was just affected by the screams of the other babies. It creates a very tense atmosphere for an Alpha."
Alie just shook her head, a playful smile dancing on her lips as they reached the car waiting outside.
Karn held the rear door open as Alie and Gabriel climbed in with Noah. Once they were settled, he slid into the front passenger seat and buckled his belt.
"How did the checkup go? Are Alie’s reports clear?" Karn asked, glancing at them through the rearview mirror.
"Everything looks good," Alie answered, shifting Noah into a more comfortable position on her lap. "But Gabriel was nearly in tears over the needles. I think he felt the sting more than the baby did."
Karn let out a short, knowing laugh. "He’s always been like that. Ever since he was a boy, he’d bolt the second he saw a syringe. The servants once spent an hour chasing him through the palace corridors just for a flu shot."
"What!?" Alie and Noah turned their heads in perfect sync to stare at Gabriel.
Even the toddler seed to sense the shift in the power dynamic, his wide eyes fixed on his father. Gabriel felt his face heat up and quickly looked out the window, clearing his throat to try and salvage so dignity.
"Karn, that was years ago," Gabriel muttered. "There’s no need to bring up old stories in front of my son."
"Old or not," Alie teased, "it explains why you were gripping the armrest like your life depended on it."
Karn’s smile widened into a full laugh, the sound echoing in the quiet car. "Who would ever believe that the Alpha Prince’s biggest fear is a simple, sharp needle?"
"Stay quiet," Gabriel muttered, shooting a sharp glare at the front seat.
Alie shook her head, her expression softening from teasing to concern. "You really should have told before we entered that room. So fears shouldn’t be taken lightly, Gabriel. I wouldn’t have forced you to stay if I’d known."
"I’m not scared of them anymore," Gabriel insisted, trying to regain his composure. "I used to get suppressant shots all the ti. I’ve had plenty of practice."
"Gabriel, don’t lie to her," Karn interjected, glancing back through the rearview mirror. "You always had to distract yourself with sothing else just to get through it. That fear hasn’t gone anywhere; you just learned how to hide it."
Gabriel shifted in his seat, his jaw tightening. "You’re making look weak in front of my family," he muttered, his pride clearly wounded.
"You’re not weak," Alie said gently, reaching over to rest her hand on his arm. "Don’t get so worked up. Everyone has sothing that gets under their skin."
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