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"A gift from His Majesty," Verna answered with a knowing smile. "He instructed me to deliver it personally."

Seraphina's fingers hovered over the box. Part of her—the logical part—warned that accepting gifts from a man who'dessentially abducted her was a slippery slope. But another part—the newly awakened woman who'd shared that electric vision with Orion—trembled at the thought of what might lie inside.

She opened the box.

A sapphire pendant nestled against black velvet—deep blue like the night sky, suspended from a delicate platinum chain. Seraphina gasped at its beauty, at how the gem seemed to capture light and transform it into something magical. As an astronomer who spent her life studying celestial bodies, she recognized craftsmanship that mimicked the cosmos.

A small note rested beneath the necklace. Seraphina unfolded it to find elegant handwriting:Remember, whatever your heart desires can be yours. -O

Heat flooded her cheeks. Because in that moment, staring at Orion's words, Seraphina realized what her heart truly desired wasn't the necklace, or freedom, or even answers to her strange new abilities.

It was him.

The thought shocked her. She barely knew the man, yet the pull toward him felt as inevitable as gravity.

"Could you ask Bertram to come see me?" Seraphina asked, setting the box down carefully. "I have more questions."

"Of course." Verna nodded. "Would you like me to help you dress first?"

"No, I'll eat while I wait. Food first, then questions, then clothing." Seraphina managed a smile. "One overwhelming thing at a time."

Verna departed, and Seraphina was halfway through a perfect croissant when a gentle knock announced Bertram's arrival. The elderly man entered, leaning on his walking stick, his face crinkling with a warm smile that immediately put her at ease.

"Good morning, Miss Seraphina." Bertram's eyes twinkled. "I hear you have some more questions."

"About a million." Seraphina gestured to the chair opposite her. "Please, sit. Coffee?"

"Thank you." He settled into the chair with a satisfied sigh. "Where shall we begin?"

Seraphina poured him a cup. "Let's start with the whole 'people turning into wolves' thing. Because I'm still trying to wrap my head around that."

Bertram chuckled, accepting the coffee. "The Starlight pack has inhabited this island for centuries. We live as humans do, but we carry the spirit and abilities of wolves within us."

"And I'm supposed to be part of this... how?" Seraphina bit into a strawberry, its sweetness a counterpoint to her skepticism.

"You have a dormant wolf inside you, Seraphina." Bertram's voice turned serious. "It will emerge when you're mated to Orion, when you receive his mate mark."

The strawberry nearly lodged in her throat. "Mate mark? Like... a bite?"

"It's more sacred than that. It's a bond of souls." Bertram's eyes grew distant. "When a king claims his Luna, their wolves recognize each other. The mark is physical, yes, but it's also spiritual."

Seraphina's rational mind rebelled at the notion. Dormant wolves? Spiritual bonds? It sounded like fantasy. Yet somewhere deeper, in a place she couldn't explain with science or logic, his words resonated like a tuning fork striking perfect pitch.

"That's..." She struggled for words.

"Hard to believe," Bertram finished with a gentle nod. "Yet you feel it, don't you? The connection to Orion. The visions that began on your thirtieth birthday. These aren't coincidences, child."

Seraphina touched the sapphire necklace box, her fingers tracing its edges. "Part of me understands what you're saying. It feels... right, somehow. But the rest of me?—"

"Needs proof," Bertram said. "As any good scientist would." He set down his coffee and rose slowly. "The proof will come in time. For now, I'll leave you to your breakfast and thoughts."

After Bertram excused himself, Verna returned, her expression bright with anticipation.

"Shall I help you prepare for the day now, Miss Seraphina? His Majesty has arranged quite a selection of clothing for you."

Seraphina fingered the sapphire pendant, thinking of storm-gray eyes and the man who owned them. Whatever her heart desires. Did she dare admit out loud what that truly was?

"I noticed the clothes yesterday," Seraphina said, setting the velvet box on the vanity. "Every piece appears to be exactly my size and style. How did he manage that?"