Page 44 of Accidentally on Purr-pose

"Yes," Angus said firmly. "I renounce my position as Gamma of the Vael Pride. I stand with you now."

"Then we need to move," Freesia said urgently, already pulling on her tattered clothing. "Before more of Cassian's people come."

As they hastily dressed and prepared to flee through three miles of dangerous jungle, Izei felt the weight of everything they'd learned tonight. Cassian wasn't just planning to eliminate Freesia or the Waverly Compact—he was preparing for total war.

And now they had proof.

The real fight was just beginning.

SEVENTEEN

FREESIA

The hot water had washed away the grime, blood, and tension from their reconnaissance mission, but nothing could cleanse the images burned into Freesia's mind. Mareth standing beside Cassian. Maps of Izei's territory spread across that table. The calculated way they'd pointed at different sections like generals planning a siege.

They're going to do to his people what they did to mine.

The thought made her tigress prowl restlessly beneath her skin as she toweled off and pulled on fresh clothes—dark cargo pants, a fitted black shirt, and boots that had become as familiar as her own heartbeat. The mirror reflected a woman who looked nothing like the sheltered royal she'd been three months ago. Her sapphire eyes held harder edges now, and the faint lines around them spoke of sleepless nights and impossible choices. But tonight felt different. Tonight, hope blazed alongside the fierce determination.

She finally left her guest room and soon descended the grand staircase of what had become her home, her hand trailing along the polished mahogany banister as voices drifted up from the main level. Not the hushed, strategic tones of their makeshift war room, but something warmer. As her boots touched the marble floor of the grand foyer, Freesia paused. The familiar scents of her new family—Izei's sandalwood and rain, Luka's earthy cedar, and Reth's subtle spice—mingled with something unexpected.

Tigers.

Kenia appeared near the front entrance, her dark hair swept into an elegant twist and her face glowing with satisfaction. She was greeting a steady stream of people carrying covered dishes, their movements coordinated like dancers who'd rehearsed this routine countless times. Some were clearly Callel pride members—panthers with that distinctive midnight elegance—but the others…

Freesia's breath caught as she recognized the broader shoulders and confident bearing that marked her own species.

Her tigers.

A small child with unmistakable Waverly blue eyes darted past, chasing another child toward the dining room, their giggles echoing off the vaulted ceiling. The sound hit Freesia like a hurricane. She hadn't heard children's laughter in three months.

"What's going on?" Freesia asked, approaching Kenia with careful steps.

Kenia's face lit up with joy. "Well, I thought we should have an official welcoming party for you and the twenty pride members who arrived today." Her voice carried the satisfaction of someone who'd orchestrated something special. "You've all been through enough hardship. Tonight, we celebrate that you're all finally home."

The words settled over Freesia like a warm embrace.

Home.

Not a safehouse or temporary refuge, but home. Somewhere they could finally exhale.

"That was very thoughtful of you," Freesia managed, her throat tight with emotion.

Kenia waved a dismissive hand, but her smile revealed how much the gesture meant to her. "Go on. Go enjoy the celebration. Your people have been asking about you."

Before Freesia could respond, she felt Izei. The familiar tingle along her spine that announced his presence even before his scent wrapped around her. She turned to find him emerging from the dining room, and the sight of him made her pulse skip.

He'd changed from his tactical gear into dark slacks and a navy sweater that emphasized the breadth of his shoulders. His thick black hair was still slightly damp from his own shower, and those deep brown eyes with their flecks of gold were focused entirely on her.

"Did you know about this?" she asked as he approached.

His mouth curved into that smile that transformed his entire face. "I may have given Kenia the go-ahead to throw the party tonight." He reached for her, his large hands settling at her waist with possessive certainty. "After everything that happened today, I thought we could all use a reminder of what we're fighting for."

He pulled her closer, and she didn't resist as his head dipped toward hers. The kiss was brief but thorough, a claim and a promise wrapped in the simple press of lips. When they separated, she felt steadier.

"Let's go reunite you with your people," he said softly.

Nerves fluttered in her stomach as they walked toward the dining room. Three months of believing she was the last Waverly, the sole survivor of a massacre that had shattered everything she'd ever known. Finding Aldric had been a miracle. Learning that fifty of her pride members had survived felt impossible.