Page 34 of Accidentally on Purr-pose

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.

"Let's pack a lunch and head somewhere where you can just breathe for a moment," he continued, his thumb tracing across her knuckles.

She nodded, grateful beyond words for his understanding. Her hand moved automatically to the satchel strap, adjusting its weight across her body.

Someday, she thought, maybe I won't have to carry the weight of the world everywhere I go. Someday, maybe I can have some peace myself.

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the Callel estate grounds as Freesia walked hand in hand with Izei along a winding path that led away from the fortress-like estate and into the rolling hills beyond. Her fingers intertwined with his felt natural now, the mate bond humming contentedly between them after the emotional weight of her confession had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

Izei carried a wicker picnic basket in his free hand, his movements fluid and purposeful as he guided them along a trail that he seemed to know by heart, occasionally glancing at her with those deep brown eyes that caused her tigress to purr softly.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" she asked, adjusting the satchel across her body with her free hand. Even during this moment of peace, she couldn't quite bring herself to leave the Waverly Compact behind.