Odesse watched the man walking toward the bed with a soft, effortless smile. The two women who had been tending to her immediately bowed their heads in perfect unison, their voices respectful as they spoke. "Welcome back, Prince Ronan."

Ronan looked at them, offering a brief, warm smile before shifting his striking grey eyes back to Odesse. Sensing the shift in the room, the woman with short hair bowed again slightly. "We shall take our leave now, Prince."

They turned seamlessly and walked toward the door. As they retreated, the woman with long, wavy hair leaned in closer to her companion, her voice a hushed, breathless whisper. "Prince Ronan is really very handsome." The short-haired woman nodded softly in agreement, pushing the heavy golden door open. They both stepped out into the corridor, closing it behind them with a quiet, definitive click.

Left alone in the massive room, Odesse felt the full weight of her vulnerable state. Sitting weakly on the edge of the large bed, she stared at the closed door, a sudden wave of apprehension washing over her. "Why would they leave me alone with this man?" she thought anxiously, her fingers tensing against the royal blankets. She looked back at the prince, highly aware of his steady, evaluating gaze.

Ronan began walking toward the edge of the bed with a slow, unhurried stride. He lowered himself to sit on the mattress, his posture relaxed. Odesse instinctively looked away, her discomfort evident, but he spoke before the silence could stretch.

"I see no reason for you to be scared," Ronan said, his smooth voice holding a note of genuine gentleness. "I am just fascinated by your beauty and your skin."

Odesse’s eyes snapped back to him in surprise.

"I have read books of other geographic regions which had skin like yours," Ronan continued, looking at her thoughtfully. "But I had never seen it in person until now. I must say, it is truly beautiful."

He looked away for a moment, his gaze drifting toward the high windows. Odesse stared at him, watching the brilliant sunlight stream through the glass, illuminating his dark skin and making it gleam with a flawless, radiant sheen. She caught her breath, her mind swirling with realization. "It is true," she thought to herself, completely captivated. "I have never seen anyone with skin like theirs. It really is magnificent and elegant."

As if sensing her intense gaze, Ronan turned his head back to her. His grey eyes met hers, an amused glint in them. "What is wrong?"

Odesse flinched slightly, pulled from her thoughts. She shook her head quickly, trying to regain her composure. "Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking the exact same thing you just said. I haven’t seen or heard of people with your skin tone before."

Hearing this, Ronan stood up smoothly from the bed. A bright, proud smile broke across his handsome features as he spread his arms sideways, basking in the light. "That is because you are in the geographical region of the people of color."

Odesse’s eyes widened. She watched him stand tall, the golden sunlight making his form look as though it were glowing. Her own eyes glistened in pure amazement, her lips parting slightly as a single word escaped her breath. "Beautiful."

Ronan chuckled softly, clearly pleased by her reaction. He dropped his arms and tilted his head. "Do you know the region with people of color?"

Odesse shook her head sideways, her expression entirely honest. "I have never heard of it."

Ronan raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Oh, wow. Well, that is to be expected, I suppose." A confident smirk played on his lips as he took a step forward. "This is the Hispo Pack. My forefathers founded it centuries ago for the people of color who were rejected by both humans and wolves. This pack is an entire region in itself. Here, humans and wolves live together as one, not as different or warring species."

Odesse gasped softly, her mind struggling to comprehend a reality so entirely different from the oppression of her homeland. "So... you mean humans and wolves are able to get married?"

"Yes, of course," Ronan replied easily, as if it were the most natural law in the world. "I myself am the son of a wolf father and a human mother."

A warm, genuine smile finally touched Odesse’s face, a sense of shared identity sparking within her. "Me too. My mother was a wolf, and my father was a human."

Ronan looked at her with newfound wonder, his eyes bright. "That is wonderful. Does it mean such unions are permitted in your region as well?"

The smile vanished from Odesse’s face, replaced instantly by a profound sadness. She looked down at her lap, her voice dropping. "Well, unfortunately, it is not."

Seeing her sudden shift in emotion, Ronan walked back toward the bed and sat down gently beside her once more. His voice carried a deeper, more serious tone. "I read in my history books that the wolves held absolute dominion over the humans in your region."

Odesse looked up at him, her defenses instantly returning. The political weight of his words made her realize how casually they were speaking, and she straightened her spine. "Why are you speaking to me in an informal way?"

Ronan raised an eyebrow, genuinely caught off guard by her sudden sharpness. "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering immediately, Odesse shifted toward the very edge of the mattress. She swung her legs down, planted her feet firmly on the polished floor, and stood up, forcing him to look up at her. Ronan watched her closely as she spoke, her voice gaining the rigid strength of a monarch.

"You are a prince who found a completely unfamiliar foreigner in his palace," Odesse stated firmly, her eyes locked onto his. "The right and expected thing for you to do would be to kill me, or imprison me, or at least demand questions about who I am. You should not be talking to me so casually."

Ronan stood up slowly, the warm smile returning to his face as he shook his head. "The Hispo region is not known for violence, foreign girl. We choose peace instead. I do not know how you managed to wander into our territory, but there must be some logical explanation for it." He took a small step closer, his expression open and completely non-threatening. "The best way to catch a fish is by tempting it with worms, not by brutally swimming into the rough sea to grab it. If you do that, the fish will all just run away."

Odesse watched him, analyzing his words. As he drew nearer, "So that is why, when you see a lost, vulnerable, and unfamiliar face, you use bait. You use kindness and hospitality instead of brutal force."

Ronan’s smile softened, his voice dropping into a low, compelling register. "And I know you are royalty, because..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Odesse’s eyes drifted down to her bare hands. A sudden wave of intense panic washed over her features. She stared at her empty fingers, her breath hitching as she looked from her hands back up to Ronan. "My ring... where is my ring?"

"Relax," Ronan said reassuringly, raising his hands slightly. "That was exactly what I was about to say."

He reached into his back pocket and smoothly pulled out a heavy, polished ring. Embossed clearly on its surface was the detailed emblem of a wolf. "This ring was what made me know you were royalty," Ronan explained, holding it out. "Because in the other outer regions where wolves dominate, only royals carry such pieces."

Odesse did not wait for him to finish. She rushed forward, her hands shaking as she collected the ring from his palm. Ronan watched in absolute fascination as she brought the metal to her lips, kissing it gently with tears pricking her eyes, before sliding it securely onto her finger.

Curious, Ronan leaned in slightly. "What is so incredibly special about that ring that you show so much intense emotion over it?"

Odesse looked up from her hand, a radiant, emotional smile breaking across her face as she touched the metal. "This... this is my wedding ring."

Ronan’s grey eyes widened in absolute shock. The calm, princely composure he had maintained completely evaporated. "You are married?!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking with disbelief.

Odesse looked up at him, startled by his sudden outburst.

"Of course you are married," Ronan muttered to himself, completely losing his regal posture. He suddenly dropped his weight, bending his knees until he was crouched on the floor, burying his face entirely in his hands.

Odesse stared down at him in complete bewilderment. "What is wrong with him?" she thought, her brow furrowing as she watched the prince despair on the ground. Hesitantly, she took a few steps closer to his crouched form. "Are you alright?"

Ronan slowly removed his hands from his face. To Odesse’s utter shock, a single tear was rolling down his left cheek, leaving a glistening trail against his skin.

"What happened?" Odesse asked, her voice panicking slightly. "Why the tears?"

Ronan stood up slowly, wiping the stray tear away as he composed himself. He walked directly toward her, stopping right in front of her. Odesse stood her ground, though her heart was hammering in confusion. He reached out, gently holding her hand in his.

"What is your name?" he asked softly, his eyes locking onto hers.

"Odesse," she replied nervously, her voice barely a whisper.

A melancholic but sweet smile touched his lips. "Odesse... your husband is a very lucky man."

Odesse stared at him, entirely unable to find any words to reply to such a strange and sudden statement. Sensing her silence, Ronan gently let go of her hand and took a respectful step backward. The emotional weight on his face quickly shifted into sudden curiosity.

"So, how did you end up here in our river, then?" Ronan asked, his face twisting into an expression of surprise as his imagination began to run wild. "Did your husband find out that you were part human? Did he chase you away from his kingdom, forcing you to run for your life until you ended up crossing into our borders?"

Odesse’s eyes widened in utter confusion. She could barely process the wild, dramatic narrative he was weaving in his head.

Before she could speak, Ronan pressed on, a strange spark in his eyes. "This must be fate, Odesse. For both of us."

Odesse shook her head vigorously, taking a step back. "No, no! What are you saying? None of that happened at all."

Ronan paused, blinking as her words registered. The romantic tension he had built up in his mind shattered completely. "Oh. Nothing like that happened." He instantly looked incredibly embarrassed. He scratched the back of his neck, letting out a nervous, awkward chuckle. Hastily, he bent his upper body into a deep, formal bow. "I deeply apologize, Odesse. I have been acting very immature upon seeing you. Which is really odd for me, because I rarely lose my composure..."

Before he could finish his apology, the heavy golden doors of the royal bedchamber swung open with a grand, echoing thud.

Ronan immediately straightened his posture, turning toward the entrance, while Odesse focused her full attention on the newcomers. Walking into the room was a tall man with dark, shining skin, adorned in exceptionally wealthy, gold-embroidered royal attire. He had short, precisely trimmed curly hair and piercing golden-brown eyes, his very presence carrying a loud, empowering stature that demanded respect.

Standing right beside him was a woman who easily challenged him in height. She possessed an equally overpowering, majestic stature, beautifully endowed with elegant, regal curves. Her long, thick, curly black hair fell perfectly around her shoulders, and her striking grey eyes scanned the room. Her luxurious royal gown graced her silhouette flawlessly as the two of them stopped just inside the threshold.

The King looked around the room, a knowing, amused smile gracing his features. "What is going on in here?" he asked, his deep voice resonant.

They walked further into the massive room as the heavy golden doors clicked shut behind them.

In an instant, Ronan’s entire demeanor changed. All signs of his previous awkwardness and vulnerability vanished, replaced by a perfectly poised, disciplined, and straight posture. He walked toward his parents with an elegant, soft smile, lowering his head in a respectful bow. "Welcome back, Father. Welcome back, Mother."

The Queen shifted her sharp grey eyes from her son over to Odesse, who was standing quietly by the bed, taking in the scene. The Queen looked back at Ronan, her voice surprisingly soft and slightly tiny compared to her imposing physical height. "Is she the one, Ronan?"

Ronan replied smoothly, "Yes, Mother." He turned his gaze toward Odesse, subtly nodding his head to signal for her to come forward and join them.

Odesse took a deep breath, walking forward with slow, graceful steps. When she reached the royal family, Ronan politely introduced them. "Mother, this is Odesse. And Odesse, this is my father, King Kaius, and my mother, Queen Thalindra."

Odesse offered a soft, perfectly executed bow, a respectful smile on her lips. "It is my absolute pleasure to meet you both, Your Majesties."

King Kaius and Queen Thalindra exchanged a brief, pleased glance before looking back down at her. King Kaius smiled warmly, his golden-brown eyes gentle. "Have you had the chance to freshen yourself up yet, child?"

Odesse shook her head sideways. "No, I have not."

Queen Thalindra nodded understandingly, her elegant curves shifting as she gestured toward the door. "Why don’t you take some time to freshen up, and then we can all talk properly in the private solar."

Odesse bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you very much."

The King and Queen turned in unison, their powerful statures moving gracefully toward the exit. The King pushed the golden door open, and they both walked out, leaving the room as quietly as they had entered.

Ronan turned back to Odesse, his princely poise fully intact. "A maid will come to assist you shortly. She will bring you to the private solar when you are ready."

Odesse nodded slowly. "Thank you, Prince Ronan."

She watched as Ronan walked toward the door, opened it, and stepped out into the hallway, closing it behind him.

Once she was entirely alone, Odesse finally took a moment to let her guard down. She looked around the vast, gold-lined bedchamber, taking in the sheer opulence she had been too overwhelmed to notice before. "I did not have the time to properly look around this bedchamber," she thought to herself, her eyes tracking the glittering details. "It is incredibly beautiful. And so are the people here."

She walked toward the large window, staring out at the golden, vibrant kingdom stretching beneath the sun. "A region where wolves and humans live together as one, without hatred or slavery. An entire region built for people of color. This is truly an amazing place." Her brows furrowed slightly as a quiet question formed in her mind. "I wonder why people in my region do not read about this in our history books. Why was it kept a secret?"

Her face saddened a bit, the heavy weight of her reality returning to crush her momentary wonder. She touched her wedding ring gently. "Why did the Moon Spirit drop me here, though? This place must be so far away from the Moonlight Pack. Will these people even be able to help me get back to my husband? And more importantly... can I truly trust them?"

Outside the heavy golden door, Prince Ronan stood entirely frozen in the quiet corridor. The moment the door had closed, his straight posture cracked. He raised his right hand, gripping his chest tightly as his heart hammered wildly against his ribs, his mind still reeling from the shock of her marriage.

He let out a ragged breath, staring blankly ahead. "I need to have a drink," he muttered to himself, his voice strained. "Fast."

Turning on his heel, he walked away quickly, his heavy steps echoing down the long, golden halls of the palace.