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Verna smiled with a knowing look that made Seraphina's cheeks flush. "His Majesty has exceptional instincts. The mate bond has already begun to form."

"Mate bond," Seraphina repeated, testing the strange term on her tongue. The one she heard Orion say once before.

Verna moved to the armoire and pulled out a flowing dress in a rich emerald shade. "This would complement your eyes beautifully," she said, laying the dress on the bed.

Verna then turned and grabbed the velvet box off the vanity. As she carefully lifted the sapphire necklace from its box, something flashed across Seraphina's vision—a glimpse of Verna's fingers slipping, the priceless pendant tumbling to the hardwood floor, shattering into two pieces.

"Wait!" Seraphina lunged forward, her hand closing around Verna's wrist. Her heart pounded in her chest. "Let me do it."

Verna's eyes widened. "Is something wrong?"

"I just saw..." Seraphina's voice trailed off. "I saw you dropping it. It was about to break."

Verna's mouth formed a perfectOof surprise. She carefully placed the necklace into Seraphina's palm, then stepped back, her eyes glittering with excitement.

"You just had a vision. You saw it before it happened!"

Seraphina nodded, fastening the clasp herself. The sapphire nestled against her collarbone, cool and heavy. "It's been happening since my birthday. Glimpses of things before they happen. Usually accidents or dangers."

"What a magnificent gift!" Verna clasped her hands together. "Do you know what this means for our pack? Precognitive abilities in our Luna will keep everyone safe. We'll be able to anticipate threats and avoid calamities!"

Seraphina's stomach twisted uncomfortably. "About that... I'm not sure I'm staying, Verna."

The joy drained from Verna's face like water from a broken vessel. "Not staying?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "But you must."

"Must?" Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "I was brought here against my will. I've only just learned about all this—wolves, packs, and Lunas business. It's overwhelming."

"The Starlight pack has waited four hundred years for you." Verna's voice trembled. "Some packs never find their Luna. If you leave us now, we'll have no Luna at all. Ever again."

Seraphina turned to the window, watching the sunlight sparkle on azure waves. "That can't possibly be true."

"It is." Verna stepped closer, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by something desperate and afraid. "Without the Luna, we'll be vulnerable. Another pack could take over. When that happens, they usually—" her voice broke, "—they usually wipe out the original pack completely."

"And Orion?" The question slipped out before Seraphina could stop it.

"Without his Luna's power to balance and strengthen him, he would be weakened. He would fight to the death to protect us." Verna's eyes filled with tears. "He would die, Miss Seraphina."

The thought of Orion's lifeless body hit Seraphina with unexpected force. She barely knew him, yet the image sent a physical pain through her chest.

"I need more time," Seraphina whispered, fingering the sapphire necklace at her throat. "This is all very hard to process in just one day."

"Of course." Verna brushed away a tear, resuming her professional demeanor. "I shouldn't have burdened you. Let's finish getting you dressed."

As Verna helped her into the emerald dress, Seraphina's mind raced. Everything in her scientific background screamed that this situation was impossible. Wolf shifters? Psychic bonds? Predestined mates?

Yet the pendant around her neck was real. The vision had been real. And the way her body responded to Orion's presence—that had been undeniably, uncomfortably real.

Suddenly, a sharp knock resonated through the room, startling her from her thoughts. Verna smoothed down the last fold of fabric and hurried to the door.

Orion filled the doorway, his imposing frame nearly touching both sides. He wore tailored black slacks that hugged his powerful thighs and a crisp white dress shirt with several buttons undone, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of tanned skin. A black sport coat completed the ensemble, giving him an air of casual authority that made her breath catch in her throat.

The moment his gray eyes landed on her, they darkened with unmistakable hunger. His gaze traveled slowly from her face down to the sapphire nestled against her collarbone, then lower,tracing the way the emerald silk hugged her curves. Seraphina felt that look like a physical caress, heat blooming across her skin.

"The necklace looks perfect on you." His deep voice was a low rumble that reverberated through her. "Though I suspect it's the wearer that makes it beautiful, not the other way around."

Seraphina's cheeks flushed. "Thank you," she managed, instinctively touching the pendant. "It's exquisite."

Verna discreetly slipped out, leaving them alone. The air between them seemed to crackle with electricity.