13. Freesia
THIRTEEN
FREESIA
Freesia's gaze swept across the living room that had transformed into something she barely recognized.
Maps of Southeast Asia covered every available surface, marked with red pins and careful notations in multiple handwritings.
Housing blueprints lay scattered across the mahogany coffee table, annotated with Kenia's precise measurements and logistics notes.
And Luka's intelligence reports that could only have come from his brother Angus.
They did all this while I was hiding, she realized, her chest tightening with gratitude. While I was drowning in grief and betrayal, they were building me a future.
Her fingers unconsciously pressed against the small satchel—the familiar weight of the Waverly Compact that had become both her greatest responsibility and her heaviest burden.
For three months, she'd carried it alone, protecting it with nothing but determination and Luka's unwavering loyalty.
Now, looking at the evidence of coordinated effort spread throughout the room, she understood that the burden no longer rested solely on her shoulders.
"First off, thank you for being so patient with me these past twenty-four hours." Her voice carried the hoarseness of someone who had spent a day crying. She gestured toward Izei, who stood near the fireplace with a controlled stillness. "Izei, come sit beside me."
He moved across the room, settling onto the leather couch with careful precision. When she reached for his hand, his fingers intertwined with hers immediately, and the mate bond thrummed with quiet satisfaction at the connection.
"Thank you for giving me space to process," she continued, meeting his deep brown eyes that held flecks of gold. "I'm sorry I shut you out, and I promise I won't do that anymore."
His thumb traced across her knuckles with a tenderness that made her throat tighten. "You don't have to apologize for needing space. I'm just glad you're feeling better."
The simple acceptance in his voice—no demands, no accusations, just patient understanding—reminded her why her tigress had recognized him as mate from the moment they'd met. She managed a smile, then looked around at the faces surrounding her.
Luka sat beside her with the confidence of someone who never doubted she would emerge stronger.
Kenia stood near the coffee table, her dark eyes warm with the kind of sisterly affection that made Freesia's chest ache with memories of Sasha.
Reth had moved closer from his position by the windows, his expression carrying quiet intensity.
And Aldric occupied the armchair across from her, his weathered features holding patient wisdom.
This is what family looks like, she thought, the realization settling into her bones with startling clarity. Not just blood, but choice. Not just loyalty, but love.
"I haven't shared the full details of that night because I thought if I said it all out loud, it would finally mean it was all real and not just some horrible nightmare.
" Her voice gained strength with each word, the weight of suppressed truth finally demanding release.
"But I know that by keeping my story inside and not sharing the details will not only hurt me more, but hurt others if there's information we could use to stop Cassian and Mareth. "
She felt Izei's grip tighten on her hand, his support flowing through their bond like a steady current.
"I know we may not have proof yet that they did it, but I know they did. I just don't know why." Her eyes hardened with cold determination. "And now that Mareth is involved, at least I know the how."
Freesia drew a deep breath, centering herself the way Aldric had taught her years ago when preparing for difficult royal duties. The familiar ritual of straightening her spine and finding her inner strength helped steady her voice for what came next.
"That night three months ago, my family had all just settled into bed, and I was sitting up in the study reading—something I enjoyed doing when the house was quiet and the day's activities were done.
" The memory felt sharp-edged, cutting through the protective numbness she'd wrapped around it for months.
"But something strange happened that night, something that shouldn't have happened. "
Her free hand moved unconsciously to the satchel strap, seeking comfort in the weight she'd carried for so long.
"Mareth stopped over after being away for years.
Said she wanted to rekindle our relationship and wanted to join court life again.
" The words tasted bitter, poisoned by hindsight.
"So I invited her inside because she was family—yes, a distant cousin who the council had ruled wasn't able to be in the line of succession to become Keeper—but still family.
And I wanted to restore that relationship that had ended bitterly years before. "
Aldric's expression grew troubled, his blue eyes reflecting the weight of decisions made that led to catastrophic consequences.
"I thought I could be the one to help her see reason and restore our family bond.
" Freesia's laugh held no humor. "But then, shortly after our conversation started, our castle was breached.
Jaguars and panthers came rushing in, setting the castle on fire and going through the house to kill my family. "
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Through their bond, Freesia felt Izei's fury building, his panther responding to the threat against his mate even months after the fact.
"Mareth seemed helpful—got me to my parents' room—but now I see she was trying to trap us all there and steal the Compact after my mother retrieved it from the safe.
" Her voice cracked slightly, but she pushed forward.
"Sasha had run into my parents' room, and we were all there, cornered, as my mother worked to get the Compact out of the safe and my father guarded the door. "
Izei's eyes blazed with golden fire, his control slipping as his panther recognized the betrayal for what it was. "So panthers were there?"
The question carried deadly quiet, and Freesia felt the mate bond vibrate with barely contained violence. She squeezed his hand, grounding them both.
"Yes, but I didn't know who or why, or if they were from your pride." Her admission came in a rush, words she'd been terrified to speak finally finding a voice. "I didn't want to say anything because I was worried about how you would react. Worried I would lose your trust somehow."
"You will never lose my trust." His deep voice carried the absolute authority of an Alpha making a vow. "But please, continue your story. We'll handle the panther issue later."
She nodded, drawing strength from his unwavering certainty.
"So, when two panthers and three jaguars breached the room and my father shifted to fight them off, my mother pressed the Compact into my hand before she shifted and told me to run and don't look back.
" The words came faster now, as if speed could somehow lessen their impact.
"Then Sasha tried to shift, but they killed her, and Mareth just stood there frozen—but they weren't attacking her.
" Her voice broke completely. "Everything happened so fast."
Through the mate bond, she knew Izei felt the devastating guilt that had been eating at her for months because his breathing grew more labored.
"I managed to get out of the room while my father and mother were battling the five beasts, so I don't know much after that.
I just ran out of my burning castle as fast as I could toward the wilderness.
My whole territory was ablaze, and all I could hear was screams and roars, but I just kept running, even though all I wanted to do was stay and fight. "
Tears finally spilled over, and immediately her unlikely family moved closer.
Luka's hand found her back, rubbing gentle circles the way he'd done countless times over the past three months.
Izei squeezed her hand tighter, his thumb never stopping its comforting rhythm across her knuckles.
Kenia moved from the coffee table to kneel before her, pressing a tissue into her free hand and squeezing her knee with sisterly affection.
Reth and Aldric stepped closer, their presence a wall of support and protection.
"Although you may feel like you abandoned your family and your people, you did what the Keeper was trained to do," Aldric said, his deep voice carrying the weight of absolute conviction. "For that, I owe you my service and gratitude forever."
"We commend you for doing what you had to do to protect the peace of Singapore," Reth added, his usually reserved demeanor softened by genuine respect.
"But we're so sorry for the sacrifice you made—for running when all you wanted to do was protect, and for still protecting the Compact when it cost you so much. "
The overwhelming support threatened to shatter what remained of her composure.
Every instinct screamed at her to retreat, to find somewhere private where she could fall apart again without witnesses.
Through their bond, Izei must have sensed her emotional overwhelm because he looked around at the others with quiet authority.
"Could you give us a moment?"
They nodded without question, filing out of the living room with the understanding that spoke to genuine care. When the last footstep faded, Izei turned on the couch to face her fully, taking both her hands in his larger ones.
"Freesia, thank you for sharing your story with us and for reliving that pain.
" His voice held the gentle strength she'd come to depend on.
"No one is upset with you for what you had to do.
And I'm not upset with you for not being able to tell me until now about the panthers.
But right now, I think we just need to take a moment to focus on you. "
She felt something loosen in her chest—a knot of guilt and fear she'd been carrying since that terrible night.