Page 3 of Accidentally on Purr-pose

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.

TWO

IZEI

The armored SUV cut through Singapore's pre-dawn darkness with the efficiency Izei demanded from everything in his life. The tinted windows transformed the vehicle into a moving fortress, shielding its occupants from the world while revealing nothing of their intentions to anyone watching. Behind the wheel, his Beta Reth navigated the winding roads toward the coordinates Gerri Wilder had provided over the phone last night.

Izei settled deeper into the passenger seat, his fingers drumming a persistent rhythm against his thigh as his panther paced restlessly beneath his skin. For thirteen years, he'd operated Callel Security International on the foundation of controlled responses and calculated risks. He didn't accept contracts based on emotion or impulse, and every decision was evaluated through cold logic and strategic benefit. But last night felt different.

Last night, something primitive and instinctual drove him toward this meeting that could reshape everything.

"You're wound tighter than a surveillance wire," Reth observed, his dark eyes flicking toward Izei before returning to the road. "Want to talk about what's got your panther so restless?"

Izei's jaw tightened as he considered the question. Since Gerri's call last night, his panther had been prowling with an urgency that bordered on desperation. Not the focused intensity that preceded a dangerous mission, but something deeper. Something that felt suspiciously like recognition.

"Queen Freesia Waverly," Izei said finally, testing the name aloud and feeling his panther's immediate response—a surge of protective instinct so fierce it nearly stole his breath. "The last Waverly royal. The final Keeper of the Waverly Compact."