Page 6 of Once You Go Pack
But his wolf was practically vibrating with anticipation, recognition sparking through every nerve.
“A human though, Gerri.” He forced his voice to remain steady and controlled. “Can she survive my world? The council politics, the dangers?—“
“Oh, you sweet, worried Alpha.” Gerri’s laugh was bright and teasing. “This woman has been surviving just fine for thirty-two years, thank you very much. She’s been managing an entire law firm for the past eight years while being completely undervalued and overlooked. Sound familiar?”
The barb hit home. Cade had spent years feeling invisible in his father’s shadow, capable but unrecognized, strong but constrained by expectations.
“She’s extraordinary, Cade. The kind of extraordinary that changes kingdoms.” Gerri’s tone grew serious. “Your wolf knows. I can see it in your face even through this transmission.”
Damn her supernatural intuition.His beast was practically clawing at his control, demanding they go to Earth immediately, and demanding they claim this mysterious human who’d somehow captured their attention without ever meeting them.
“When can I meet her?” The question escaped before he could stop it, his alpha need overriding careful planning.
“That’s my boy.” Gerri’s smile turned predatory. “Pack a bag, handsome. You’re going to Earth tonight.”
“I should bring Lyra.” The diplomatic part of his brain finally engaged. “A human might be more comfortable with a female wolf shifter present.”
“Smart thinking. Though honestly, if Mila is half as resilient as I think she is, she’ll handle you just fine on her own.”
We’ll see about that.
“Gerri.” His voice dropped to the tone that made his pack warriors snap to attention. “If this doesn’t work?—“
“It will work.” Her certainty was absolute and unshakeable. “Trust me, Prince. Fate doesn’t make mistakes.”
The transmission ended, leaving Cade staring at empty air while his wolf howled with anticipation inside him.Mila Eldridge.The name rolled through his mind like a promise, like destiny calling from across the stars.
Well, shit. This is happening fast.
The familiar weight of duty pressed against Cade’s shoulders again as he strode through the castle corridors with newfound urgency toward Lyra’s chambers. The conversation with Gerri replayed in his mind, each word sparking electricity through his veins.
Mila.
His wolf prowled restlessly under his skin, anticipating something momentous.
He didn’t bother knocking on Lyra’s door—royal siblings had long since abandoned such formalities. The heavy wooden barrier swung open to reveal his sister lounging on her bed, still wearing her training clothes from the afternoon’s sparring session.
“We’re leaving for Earth. Now.” The words tumbled out before he could temper them with explanation.
Lyra’s emerald eyes snapped to his face, her book forgotten as it slipped from her fingers. “Earth? Tonight?” She sat up straighter, reading the tension radiating from his frame. “Gerri found her, didn’t she?”
Damn her sisterly intuition.“Pack light. We leave in twenty minutes.”
A grin split across Lyra’s face, bright and wicked. “About time! I was beginning to think you’d end up mated to paperwork.” She bounded off the bed with characteristic enthusiasm. “What’s she like? Human, I’m guessing, since we’re going to Earth?”
“Her name is Mila. She’s...” Cade paused, searching for words that wouldn’t reveal how thoroughly unsettled he felt. “She’s a paralegal. Intelligent. Capable.”
“And you’re vibrating with nervous energy.” Lyra’s laugh was pure delight. “Oh, this is rich. The unflappable Crown Prince is rattled by a woman he’s never met.”
Heat climbed his neck. “I’m not rattled.”
“You’re practically bouncing on your heels, brother.” She grabbed her travel pack from the wardrobe. “Twenty minutes, you said? This should be entertaining.”
Cade escaped before she could dissect his behavior further, his long strides carrying him to his private chambers. The familiar space felt foreign now, charged with anticipation that made his skin itch. He yanked his travel bag from the closet and began throwing essentials inside—shirts, slacks, and a formal suit jacket in case they needed to blend into human society.
What the hell am I doing?His hands moved without conscious thought, muscle memory taking over while his mind spun.I don’t know if she’ll even like me, let alone consider?—
His wolf snarled at the doubt, insisting with primal certainty that she was theirs. The fated connection Gerri described felt real despite being impossible, a pull across galaxies that defied logic.
