4. Izei #2
Freesia straightened as though preparing to command the conversation, her royal training evident in the way she naturally assumed responsibility. But Luka spoke first, his easy confidence cutting through the tension.
"Well, first off, yes—I am an exiled member of the Vael jaguar pride.
" His green eyes held steady contact with Izei's, no shame or defensiveness coloring his admission.
"Was exiled two years ago when Cassian and I had a bit of a disagreement on his increasingly aggressive ways of leading the pride. "
Cassian Vael.
Izei's strategic mind immediately began cataloging everything he knew about the jaguar Alpha's recent activities, political maneuvering, and public statements.
"So I left," Luka continued, his tone matter-of-fact rather than bitter. "Decided to devote my life to helping other displaced people—not only from my pride, but any pride. Loyalty and protection shouldn't just be based on what species you are."
Izei found himself genuinely impressed by the younger man's principled stance. Most exiled shifters became mercenaries or rogues, using their skills for personal gain rather than service to others. Luka had chosen a harder path, one that spoke to character forged under pressure.
"And one day three months ago, I was foraging in the wilderness and found Freesia bloody and scared.
" Luka's voice softened as he glanced toward her with obvious affection.
"Brought her to the safehouse I was staying at, found out who she was and what happened, and well—the rest has turned into an unlikely alliance, yes, but the most honest one I've ever had. "
Freesia smiled at Luka with genuine warmth, her expression transforming from royal composure into something beautifully unguarded. Luka grinned back with the easy camaraderie of someone who'd earned the right to see past her careful defenses.
The exchange hit Izei like a gut punch. His panther roared with territorial fury at witnessing the intimate understanding between them. Every rational part of his mind understood their bond was forged through survival rather than romance, but his primal instincts didn't care about logic.
She's mine, his panther snarled. Mine to protect. Mine to comfort.
"Well, I'm glad you found Freesia and offered her your protection and loyalty," Izei managed. "That means a lot. Means you understand the importance of the Keeper and the Waverly Compact."
Luka's expression shifted, becoming more serious as he leaned forward slightly.
"Of course I do. But that's not the only reason I chose to protect Freesia.
" His green eyes flicked toward her with unmistakable fondness.
"I chose to protect her because she chose to protect me back.
We chose to have each other's back no matter what, and that means more than any ancient treaty in my book. "
Freesia nodded, her earlier warmth fading into something more guarded as the conversation touched on deeper truths. The weight of responsibility she carried seemed to settle across her shoulders like armor, transforming her from the woman who'd smiled at Luka into the last royal of her bloodline.
"Would you mind sharing what happened that night of the attack on your pride territory?" Izei asked gently, recognizing her shift but needing to understand the scope of what they were facing.
"Not right now." Her response was immediate and final. "I just want to focus on the present and what we need to do to protect the Waverly Compact and myself."
The pain beneath her professional composure was almost tangible, grief held in check through sheer force of will.
Izei's protective instincts flared with the need to comfort her, to shoulder some of the burden she carried alone.
But she wasn't ready for his support yet, wasn't ready to trust him with the wounds still too raw to examine closely.
"Understood," he replied, filing away his questions for a future conversation when she felt safer. "For now, you and Luka will stay here at the estate indefinitely while we start digging deeper into who was behind the attack and why."
"I would like to help with that investigation.
" Her voice carried the authority of someone accustomed to being included in strategic decisions.
"And I would also like to bring my head councilor Aldric Rosen here, if that's possible.
He's the one that sent Gerri to find me, and I owe him my protection. "
Aldric Rosen.
Izei knew the name by reputation—the longest-serving advisor to the Waverly royal family, a man whose integrity was legendary throughout Singapore's shifter community.
If Aldric had survived the attack and was actively working to locate Freesia, he would be an invaluable ally in understanding the political landscape surrounding the Compact.
"Of course," Izei said without hesitation. "We will track him down and bring him here. We will also provide protection services for any remaining members of your pride at your request."
Freesia's eyes lit up with the first genuine joy he'd seen from her since they met, transforming her entire face with radiant hope. The sight hit him like a physical force, making his chest tight.
This is how I earn her trust, he realized with sudden clarity. Not through grand gestures, but by proving that my protection extends to everyone she cares about.
If he could reunite her with her people, keep her safe while she reclaimed her birthright, maybe that would be enough to win her trust. And eventually, when she was ready, perhaps her heart would follow.
Reth might not approve of expanding their protection services to include an entire displaced pride, but Izei needed to do this for his mate.
The woman who carried four centuries of peace in a small satchel across her body, who smiled at jaguar exiles with genuine warmth, and who refused to let grief break her spirit.
Luka stretched and yawned, the comfortable meal and secure surroundings finally allowing exhaustion to catch up with him.
"I think I'm going to head upstairs," he announced, rising from the couch with obvious reluctance to leave the warmth of the living area.
"That bed looked too good to resist much longer. "
He paused beside Freesia, his hand briefly touching her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance that made Izei's panther growl silently.
Freesia looked up at him and gave him a slight nod. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Have a good night, Izei," Luka said with a respectful nod. "Thank you again for everything."
"Sleep well," Izei replied, meaning it despite his panther's territorial protests.
As Luka's footsteps faded, silence settled between Izei and Freesia like a living thing.
Suddenly the spacious living room felt intimate, charged with the awareness they'd both been fighting since the moment they met.
She remained on the couch, but her posture had shifted subtly—more alert, more guarded, as though Luka's presence had been a buffer against the magnetic pull of the mate bond.
Izei found himself studying her profile as she gazed toward the darkening windows. His fated mate. The woman his panther recognized with absolute certainty, even as his rational mind cataloged all the reasons they couldn't act on that recognition yet.
But soon, perhaps, if he proved himself worthy.