Page 9 of Once You Go Pack
“Gerri, this is my sister Riley, if you didn’t know already.” The introduction felt wooden, but it bought her precious seconds to think. “Riley, you remember Gerri Wilder from yesterday’s meeting.”
“Of course.” Riley’s attorney instincts were clearly pinging. “Though I wasn’t aware you two had made social plans today.”
Gerri’s laugh was like champagne bubbles, light and effervescent. “Oh, we have so much to discuss this morning! Business and pleasure, you know how it is.”
Business and pleasure.If only Riley knew how accurate that description was.
“No pressure, Mila,” Gerri continued, her tone casual but her eyes holding depths of meaning. “Just meet him today and see what you think. Then let me know afterwards.”
The words landed like bombs in the quiet office.
“Meet who exactly?” Riley’s voice sharpened with protective sister instincts. “Him who? What kind of meeting are we talking about here?”
Mila’s throat went dry. The careful normalcy of her morning routine crumbled around her as both women waited for an explanation she couldn’t possibly give.
How do you tell your accomplished attorney sister that you’re about to have brunch with an alien wolf prince who might want to make you his queen?
Gerri’s eyes flashed that distinctive gold, and her smile turned mysteriously serene. “Just a lovely gentleman who’s visiting from out of town.”
The understatement was so massive it made Mila’s head spin.
Riley crossed her arms, clearly dissatisfied with the vague response. “Out of town how far? And why the secrecy?”
“No secrecy!” Gerri’s voice carried musical notes of amusement. “Just... discretion. You understand.”
Discretion.That was certainly one way to describe keeping interplanetary romance under wraps.
Mila felt both women’s attention on her, demanding a decision she wasn’t sure she was brave enough to make now. Her heart raced as she felt that same inexplicable pull from last night when Gerri first mentioned Cade’s name—a magnetic draw toward something unknown and potentially life-changing.
What’s the worst that could happen? I meet him, realize this whole thing is ridiculous, and go back to my perfectly ordinary life, right?
But even as the thought formed, part of her rebelled against the idea of ordinary. She’d been ordinary for thirty-two years, and where had it gotten her? Invisible, overworked, and watching life happen to other people.
“I...” The word came out as barely a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again. “I think I’d like to meet him now.”
Gerri practically squealed, her eyes flashing that brilliant gold as she grabbed Mila’s hand with surprising strength for someone so petite.
“Oh, this is perfect! Absolutely perfect!” She tugged Mila toward the office door with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning. “Come on, darling, no time to waste!”
Mila’s heels clicked frantically against the floor as she struggled to keep pace with Gerri’s determined stride. Behindthem, she could hear Riley calling out questions that went unanswered as they swept down the hallway and through the reception area.
“Gerri, wait—“ Mila tried to catch her breath as they burst through the front doors into the warm summer morning. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Nonsense!” Gerri’s grip tightened as they navigated the sidewalk toward the corner café. “You’re just nervous, which is perfectly natural. But do you know how brave you’re being right now? How absolutely extraordinary?”
Extraordinary.That word felt foreign when applied to herself. Mila’s stomach churned as pedestrians moved around them, everyone going about their normal Tuesday routines while she walked toward what might be the most life-altering moment of her existence.
“Most women would run screaming from this opportunity,” Gerri continued, her voice warm with conviction. “But not you. I knew the moment we met yesterday that you were special, Mila. There’s something about you—a strength, a resilience—that’s exactly what he needs.”
He.Prince Cade. The wolf shifter king-to-be who apparently needed a queen.
They reached the café, its cheerful yellow awning and outdoor seating area looking deceptively normal for a place where interplanetary romance was about to unfold. Gerri paused at the entrance, her hands settling on Mila’s shoulders with a gentleness.
“Remember, you’re not just any woman. You’rethewoman. Trust me on this.”
Before Mila could respond, Gerri pushed open the glass door and led her inside. The café buzzed with morning energy—the hiss of espresso machines, the clink of ceramic mugs, andconversations blending into a comfortable hum of normalcy that would soon be shattered.
“There they are!” Gerri’s voice carried across the space as she guided them toward the corner table.
