10. Izei
TEN
IZEI
Izei stirred as the morning light filtered through the guest room curtains, his consciousness returning slowly like surfacing from deep water.
His arm tightened instinctively around the warm, soft body pressed against his chest, and for a moment he allowed himself the luxury of simply breathing Freesia in.
Mine.
The thought sent a surge of primal satisfaction through him that his panther echoed with a rumbling purr.
Last night had changed everything between them—not just the physical claiming, though that had been earth-shattering, but the emotional barriers that had finally crumbled.
He'd held her while she grieved, seen her vulnerability beneath all that royal strength, and she'd trusted him enough to let him comfort her in the most intimate way possible.
Freesia moved slightly in her sleep, her hand unconsciously seeking the small satchel that rested near her head.
Even in sleep, she maintained that protective instinct over the Waverly Compact.
The sight stirred both admiration and concern in him—she'd slept with the ancient treaty under her pillow, never truly allowing herself to be completely at rest.
His fingers traced the line of her spine, her skin warm and impossibly soft, and he could feel the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against his chest. Through their strengthened bond, he sensed her dreams—not nightmares but something peaceful for once, and he didn't want to wake her from that rare respite.
This is what I want every morning, he thought, his chest tightening with an emotion so fierce it almost overwhelmed him. To wake up with her in my arms, knowing she's safe, knowing she chose to trust me with her heart.
Maybe next time it would be in his own bed instead of the guest room, but the location mattered far less than the woman beside him.
His panther stirred restlessly, wanting more than this quiet contentment.
The beast craved the completed mate bond—the marking that would announce to every shifter in Singapore that Freesia Waverly belonged to him and he to her.
But Izei forced that primitive urge down.
She wasn't ready for that level of commitment yet, not with danger still stalking her and the weight of her responsibilities pressing down on her shoulders.
Soon, he promised his panther. When the threat is eliminated, she can breathe freely again.
Through the bond, he felt her consciousness beginning to stir, her emotions shifting from peaceful sleep to gradual awareness.
There was a moment of disorientation—she was clearly remembering where she was and who she was with—followed by a complex mixture of contentment, desire, and that ever-present thread of worry that seemed woven into her very essence.
But beneath it all, he sensed something new.
Trust. Real, deep trust that hadn't been there before last night.
Her eyes fluttered open, those striking sapphire depths immediately focusing on his face. For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke, simply taking in the reality of waking up together, of having crossed a line there was no going back from.
Then she smiled. It wasn't the polite, diplomatic smile she wore for others, or even the genuine but guarded expression she'd shown him before.
This was something entirely different—soft, intimate, and so beautiful it made his chest ache.
This smile was meant only for him, the kind a woman gave her mate in the quiet sanctuary of their bed.
"Good morning," she said, her voice husky with sleep.
"Good morning," he replied, unable to keep the satisfaction from his tone as he tightened his arms around her. "Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in months." She stretched against him like a contented cat, and his body responded immediately to the feel of her curves pressing against him. "No nightmares. No waking up every hour to check the locks. Just..." She paused, seeming to search for words. "Peace."
The simple honesty in that admission made something fierce and protective flare in his chest. "Good. You needed that."
Her hand moved to rest over his heart. "I can feel you so strongly now through the bond."
"Does that bother you?"
She considered the question seriously. "No. It's... grounding, actually. Like having an anchor when everything else feels uncertain."
He caught her hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. "You're not alone anymore, Freesia."
Something flickered in her eyes—hope warring with old fears—but before she could respond, he felt her attention shift. Her focus was moving away from their intimate bubble toward the responsibilities waiting beyond the bedroom door.
And there it is, he thought with a mixture of fondness and frustration. Duty calling her back.
"So what's our next move?" she asked, unconsciously echoing his thoughts as she reached for the satchel, checking that the Compact was still secure.
"Well, Luka is going to put us in contact with his brother Angus, who's still Gamma in the Vael pride. We need to arrange a meeting with him—see what insider knowledge he can provide about Cassian's behavior and the pride's dynamics. Any information could be crucial right now."
She sat up immediately, the sheet pooling around her waist. "Yes, we need to contact him immediately. If Angus is willing to meet with us—"
The guest room door swung open without warning.
"Freesia, I thought you might want to know that Reth is—oh." Kenia stopped dead in the doorway, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her.
Freesia yanked the sheet up to cover herself, her cheeks flushing pink, while Izei sat up more slowly, entirely unbothered by his sister's sudden appearance but protective of his mate's modesty.
"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," Kenia said, though her tone suggested she was anything but sorry. In fact, there was a distinctly pleased note in her voice.
She's been waiting for this, Izei realized. Waiting for me to find someone who could make me happy.
"Well, I guess you should know that Freesia is my fated mate," he said simply, deciding there was no point in trying to hide what was already obvious.
Kenia's face broke into a brilliant smile.
"Well, that certainly explains a lot." Her gaze moved between them with obvious approval.
"The way you two have been circling each other, trying so hard not to touch...
I was wondering how long you were going to keep pretending there wasn't something between you. "
"Kenia," Izei warned, though there was no real heat in it.
"What? I'm just saying it's wonderful." She grinned at Freesia, who was still clutching the sheet and looking mortified. "When you two are decent, I made breakfast for everyone. Luka, Aldric, and Reth are already in the dining room."
"How is Reth feeling?" Izei asked, guilt hitting him as he realized he'd been so consumed with his mate that he'd forgotten to check on his injured Beta.
"Much better. He's already complaining about being confined, which means he's definitely on the mend."
"We'll be down shortly," Izei said.
Kenia nodded and backed toward the door. "Take your time."
She disappeared into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her with a soft click.
Izei turned back to Freesia, who was shaking her head with a rueful smile. "Well, so much for keeping this private."
"Were you planning to keep it private?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"I... honestly, I hadn't thought that far ahead." She looked down at her hands. "Everything's happening so fast."
He reached for her, tilting her chin up. "Hey. We don't have to figure everything out right now. We take it one day at a time, remember?"
She nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "One day at a time."
He stood and moved toward the bathroom, grabbing a towel from the rack and wrapping it around his waist. When he returned, Freesia was watching him with an appreciative gleam in her eyes that made his blood heat.
"Like what you see?" he asked with a slow smile.
"Very much." Her gaze traveled over his chest and shoulders with a burning intensity. "But we should probably get dressed."
He moved to the bed and leaned down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "I'll meet you downstairs. Take your time."
"Izei?" she called as he reached the door.
"Thank you. For last night. For everything."
No thanks are necessary. We're partners now, remember?"
Her smile was radiant. "Partners."
He left her there, wrapped in sheets and morning light, and headed toward his private chambers with a lightness in his step he hadn't felt in years.
For once, he felt truly hopeful about their chances—not just of surviving the threats against them, but of building something real and lasting together.
Fifteen minutes later, Izei pushed open the dining room's heavy oak doors, the familiar scent of Kenia's cooking wrapping around him like a warm embrace.
His sister had outdone herself—the mahogany table groaned under the weight of fresh bread, scrambled eggs with herbs from their garden, thick-cut bacon, seasonal fruit, and what appeared to be her legendary blueberry pancakes.
Steam rose from ceramic dishes arranged with the kind of care that transformed breakfast into communion.
She's trying to make everyone feel like family, he realized, warmth spreading through his chest. Just like she always does.
His gaze swept the room, automatically cataloging each person's position and demeanor—a habit so ingrained he barely noticed doing it anymore.
Reth sat to the right of Izei's usual seat at the head of the table, still pale but sitting upright with the stubborn determination of a man who refused to acknowledge weakness.