Page 22 of Ocean's Whisper

Edith stepped closer, her gaze falling to the open page. Her expression shifted from stern disapproval to something more complex.

"You're reading about the Luna?" Edith asked, her voice now carefully neutral.

Isolde nodded. "I found it interesting."

"And why would someone like yourself find that particular topic interesting?" Edith's tone was probing, her eyes shrewd.

"Because apparently I am one." Isolde closed the book and stood, suddenly feeling defensive. "According to Nereus, anyway."

Edith's eyes widened, her composure momentarily faltering. "Surely someone like yourself knows that people don't turn into animals."

Isolde lifted her chin. "That's not what Nereus demonstrated last night. I saw him shift with my own eyes." The memory of his magnificent wolf form still left her breathless. "He also told me that I am the Luna."

"But you're human," Edith sputtered, the keys at her waist jangling as she took a step back.

Isolde shrugged, replacing the book on the shelf. "I guess that doesn’t matter."

The woman's shock meant nothing to her—how could it, when all of this was still so new? Just yesterday, her biggest concern had been spending her birthday alone. Now she was supposedly some kind of magical wolf queen.

"I need to find Nereus," Isolde said, moving toward the door. "He's expecting me for breakfast on the east terrace."

Edith stood frozen, her face pale as she stared at Isolde like she was examining a particularly troubling scientific anomaly. After a few long moments, she finally blinked, her trance of disbelief broken. She smoothed her immaculate black dress with trembling hands and cleared her throat.

"This way, Miss Morgan." The housekeeper's voice had regained its formal authority, but her eyes kept darting to Isolde with a mixture of suspicion and awe.

Isolde followed her through a maze of opulent hallways, mentally mapping each turn. The castle seemed designed todisorient visitors, its corridors flowing like ocean currents rather than in straight, predictable lines. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, catching on gold accents and crystal fixtures.

The east terrace, when they finally reached it, took Isolde's breath away. It extended from the castle like the bow of a ship, overlooking a private stretch of beach where waves lapped gently at pristine sand. A glass-topped table had been set with fine china and silver, fresh flowers bursting from crystal vases. Beyond the railing, the ocean stretched blue and limitless—the same ocean that had nearly killed her yesterday, the same ocean she had somehow, impossibly, commanded.

Nereus stood at the terrace's edge, his broad back to her, hands clasped behind him as he surveyed his domain. His posture screamed authority and confidence, an arrogance that Isolde found both infuriating and magnetically attractive.

"Your Highness," Edith announced with a curtsy. "Miss Morgan has arrived."

Nereus turned, his blue eyes capturing Isolde with a hunger that made her breath hitch. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a fitted black Henley that hugged his muscular frame, looking more like a model than royalty.

"Thank you, Edith." His deep voice rolled over Isolde like a wave. "That will be all."

The housekeeper hesitated, her gaze flicking between them before she retreated, closing the terrace doors behind her.

"I hope you slept well." Nereus gestured to the table. "I've arranged something special for your birthday breakfast."

Isolde approached but didn't sit. The beautiful spread—fresh fruit, pastries, and what looked like smoked salmon benedict, her absolute favorite—would normally have delighted her. Today, it felt like a gilded cage.

"I need to get back to the research station site. My colleagues will need help with the cleanup." She twisted her fingers together, fighting the instinct to acquiesce to his plans.

His expression hardened slightly. "Your special birthday breakfast is more important right now. Besides, there's probably nothing salvageable left of that station."

"You don't get to decide what's important to me." The words sprang from Isolde's lips before she could second-guess herself. The devastation flashed in her mind—years of research, equipment, specimens, all gone. Because of her. "Those people are my friends, my colleagues. If I caused that destruction, I need to help fix it."

"You need to learn control first." Nereus pulled out a chair for her, his gesture more command than courtesy. "Sit. Eat. Today is the first day of your new life."

Something in his presumption ignited a spark in Isolde. She had spent years deferring to others, putting their needs before her own. Something about this man made her want to push back.

"As the Luna, wouldn't I get to do whateverIwanted every day? Not just what you decide for me." She crossed her arms, noticing how his eyes briefly tracked the movement across her chest. "You made it seem like the Luna is an important role in your pack. Basically, like a queen, am I right?"

Nereus went still, his eyes narrowing. "Queen? Where did you hear that term?"

"I found a very interesting book in your study. 'The Seafang Legacy.' Quite illuminating." She tilted her head, studying his reaction. "Why would you keep that information from me if I'm supposedly this important Luna figure?"

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