1. Freesia #2
He approached the door with measured steps, weapon still drawn but lowered slightly, his free hand reaching for the deadbolt they'd reinforced during their first week in this safehouse.
The lock disengaged with a metallic click that seemed unnaturally loud in the tense silence.
Then he opened the door slowly to reveal a petite woman who radiated confidence despite being faced with an armed jaguar shifter.
She wore an impeccably tailored emerald green pantsuit, her snow-white bob styled to perfection, and her eyes held a knowing glint that made Freesia's tigress pace restlessly.
Without hesitation, the woman raised both hands in a gesture of peaceful surrender, though her expression remained more amused than alarmed.
"I'm not here for any trouble," she announced with a calm authority that suggested she'd faced down scarier things than weapons. "Aldric Rosen sent me."
The name hit Freesia like a blow, stealing her breath and sending her heart hammering against her ribs.
Aldric Rosen. Her father's most trusted advisor, her childhood mentor, the man who'd taught her the importance of the Waverly legacy and the meaning behind every tradition.
She'd hoped he'd survived the attack, but three months without word had carved a hollow ache in her chest she'd refused to acknowledge.
"Put the gun away," she commanded Luka, holstering her own weapon as she stepped forward, her royal bearing reasserting itself despite months of hiding. "Please, come inside."
Luka's eyebrows rose at her sudden transformation from fugitive to hostess, but he obeyed without question, securing the door behind their unexpected guest with the same thoroughness that had kept them alive for three months.
"Aldric Rosen is alive?" Freesia's voice carried a tremor she couldn't quite suppress, hope and fear warring simultaneously.
The woman's expression softened with genuine compassion. "Yes, he is. And he's worried sick about you, dear. He's been trying to find you for weeks, but you've done such a thorough job of disappearing that even his considerable resources couldn't track you down."
She moved further into the safehouse with the confident stride of someone accustomed to being welcome everywhere, her heels clicking against the worn wood in a rhythm that somehow managed to be both authoritative and reassuring.
"I'm Gerri Wilder, and your mother and I had a lovely connection," she continued, and Freesia felt the familiar stab of grief that always accompanied mentions of her parents.
"Years ago, I told her that if there was ever any trouble—real trouble—I should be contacted immediately.
She must've passed word to Aldric before...
" The woman's voice gentled. "Before she died. "
Freesia pressed her lips together, fighting the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her carefully maintained composure.
Her mother had been a planner, someone who'd prepared for contingencies Freesia had never imagined needing.
Even in death, Queen Elara was still trying to protect her daughter.
"I'm truly sorry to hear of your family's deaths," Gerri continued, her tone carrying the weight of genuine sympathy. "But I'm fortunate your mother had the foresight to establish this connection, because it seems the time has indeed come for me to help."
"How can you possibly help?" Freesia managed, though her tigress was responding to something about this woman with an awareness that felt almost mystical.
"Well, I run a specialized service that helps people find exactly what they need, exactly when they need it most," she replied with a smile that held secrets and starlight.
Gerri's presence filled the cramped safehouse with an energy that made the air itself feel lighter. As if possibilities existed now that hadn't existed moments before.
"And Aldric wanted me to find you," Gerri continued, settling into the worn armchair as if she'd been invited for tea rather than discovered a fugitive's hideout. "So I have. But I cannot stay long, which is why I've already arranged for additional protection."
Freesia's spine stiffened. "Luka has been protecting me perfectly well. We've survived three months together."
"And I'm glad to hear that," Gerri said, glancing at Luka with obvious approval. "But the threats against you are escalating, dear. You need someone with resources that match the scale of what you're facing."
She reached into her designer purse and withdrew a small leather notebook, its pages filled with handwriting that seemed to shimmer.
"I've requested the services of Izei Callel," Gerri announced. "He'll be here tomorrow to discuss expanding your protection detail."
The name resonated through Freesia's bones like a tuning fork, setting every nerve ending alight with recognition she couldn't explain.
Izei Callel. Alpha of the Callel panther pride, founder of the most respected security firm in Southeast Asia, and according to reputation, a man whose word was better than most people's contracts.
She'd never met him, but her tigress was reacting as if his name carried some deeper significance.
"I appreciate the offer," Freesia said carefully, "but Luka and I have managed to stay ahead of our enemies so far. Adding another person to our group could complicate things."
Gerri's eyes flashed gold and her smile took on a knowing quality. "Trust me, darling," she said with the confidence of someone who'd orchestrated miracles before. "Izei Callel isn't a complication. He's exactly what you need, whether you realize it yet or not."
Freesia found herself nodding before she'd consciously decided to agree. "When exactly will he arrive?" she asked.
"Tomorrow morning at eight sharp," Gerri replied. "Which is why I'd like to stay the night, if you don't mind. I want to facilitate the introduction and make sure everything goes smoothly."
Freesia looked at Luka, who shrugged with the easy acceptance that had made their partnership work. If he wasn't threatened by the prospect of sharing their sanctuary with this mysterious woman, she could manage her own reservations.
"Of course," Freesia said. "Though we'll need to leave soon after he arrives. This location isn't safe for much longer."
"Understood completely," Gerri assured her, tucking her notebook away with satisfaction. "And thank you for agreeing to this additional protection. Peace in this region depends on keeping you safe, and Izei understands that better than most."
The familiar weight of the Waverly Compact pressed against Freesia's hip, a reminder of the four-hundred-year-old promise she carried and the countless lives that depended on her survival.
If this Izei Callel could help her safeguard that promise, she owed it to her ancestors—and her people—to at least hear what he had to offer.
"Do you have any luggage?" Luka asked Gerri, ever practical. "And how exactly did you get here?"
"Dropped off by a trusted connection," she replied airily. "And no luggage. I'll be perfectly fine with the clothes on my back for one night. I've traveled under worse conditions."
Something about the way she said it suggested adventures Freesia couldn't begin to imagine, but before she could ask follow-up questions, Gerri was already rising from her chair.
"If you don't mind, I'd love to rest for a while. The journey was quite long."
Luka gestured toward the small spare room. "It's not luxury accommodations, but the bed's decent."
"Perfect," Gerri said, heading toward the offered room with the same confidence she'd shown arriving unannounced at their door. "Thank you both. This is going to work out beautifully."
Freesia found herself staring at the spot where Gerri had been standing, her mind racing with questions and possibilities she wasn't sure she was ready to examine. Tomorrow, everything would change again. She only hoped this time, it would change for the better.