The moment Starlight stepped outside Eclipse House with Elle beside her, she spotted a sleek black car parked directly in front of the building. Its polished body reflected the lights illuminating the entrance, while the tinted windows concealed most of the interior. A young man with sharp features and an unbothered posture stood leaning casually against the driver’s side door, dressed in a well-fitted dark outfit that complemented his tall frame. He appeared to be checking something on his phone, but the moment he noticed the two girls emerging from the building, he straightened immediately and slipped the device into his pocket. A pleasant smile spread across his face as he walked toward them, his attention settling on Starlight.
"Hi, Miss Dawson. It’s nice to finally meet you in person," he greeted politely.
Starlight stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in his polished appearance. "I’ve been waiting here for a little while," he continued, offering a faint, easy smile. "Since I’m also part of the Elite Circle, I figured you’d be heading down to the Red Lodge around now. I thought I’d save you the walk."
A flicker of guarded curiosity crossed Starlight’s face as she studied the unfamiliar young man, her expression betraying none of her thoughts. She had no recollection of meeting him before, and the familiarity with which he spoke did little to explain why he had been waiting outside her dormitory. She looked him over once more before asking bluntly, "And who are you?"
Before the young man could answer, Elle let out a sharp gasp, practically vibrating with excitement behind Starlight’s shoulder. Her eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you kidding me right now? You mean to tell me you don’t know Okami? Prince Okami Sterling of the Solstice Clan?" Her voice carried a mixture of disbelief and excitement as she looked between them. "Star, seriously? How can you not know him?"
Okami let out a quiet laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as a slightly embarrassed expression crossed his face. "It’s fine, really. I don’t think we’ve had the opportunity to meet before." He glanced at Elle briefly before returning his attention to Starlight. "And I suppose it’s only fair that I introduce myself properly. I’m Okami Sterling. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Dawson."
"Oh. Okay..." Starlight trailed off, accepting the introduction without much reaction. She knew about the Solstice Clan. After all, who in the entire empire didn’t know about the five great clans? She was certainly aware of the royal and sub-royal families that wielded considerable influence within the Empire. However, knowing who someone was and understanding why they had suddenly decided to involve themselves in her life were two entirely different matters. She couldn’t help wondering why another member of the sub-royal families had suddenly taken an interest in her. It certainly seemed that way.
Every corner she turned, another privileged wolf appeared, trying to corner her, assert dominance, or manipulate her circumstances. It was deeply suspicious. It felt as though a coordinated net was closing in around her, and she still hadn’t figured out what game they were all playing.
What exactly was going on?
Starlight had initially dismissed the strange attention as an unfortunate consequence of her growing notoriety on the Apex ranking board. Her involvement with the Crown Twins had only made matters worse, ensuring that her name was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Still, she couldn’t shake the suspicion that there was more to it than that. Why were so many royals and sub-royals suddenly crossing her path? First, there had been Beatrice Hawthorne of the Perigee Clan, even though their encounter hadn’t been a pleasant one. Then came the Crown Twins, followed by Sera Selena of the Umbra Clan and that insufferable Kage Everhart of the Apogee Clan. Now, this Okami guy had gone out of his way to wait for her outside Eclipse House. She didn’t know whether they all wanted something from her or whether she was simply becoming paranoid, but the growing pattern was beginning to bother her. Perhaps it was time she started paying closer attention instead of dismissing every encounter as an isolated incident.
"If you don’t mind, I’d be happy to give you both a ride to the Red Lodge," Okami offered, drawing her attention back to him. His tone remained courteous, without the slightest hint of entitlement. "I know it’s not particularly far from Eclipse House, but considering you’re wearing heels, I thought it might be more comfortable than walking all the way there. Of course, only if you’re comfortable with the arrangement."
"Oh, we don’t mind at all, Prince Okami," Elle answered immediately, practically jumping at the opportunity. "That would be wonderful. Thank you so much."
Okami didn’t respond to her enthusiasm. His attention remained fixed on Starlight, as though Elle’s acceptance meant very little without the other girl’s approval. He waited patiently for her answer, making no attempt to hurry her or convince her that she ought to accept simply because he had offered.
Starlight noticed that detail. She studied him from head to toe once more, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to determine whether his politeness was genuine or merely another carefully constructed act. After everything she had experienced with werewolves, she had learned not to trust appearances too quickly. Her past experiences had certainly taught her that lesson. However, if there was one thing she could say about this Okami guy, it was that he didn’t seem to carry himself the way she had come to expect from other werewolves, particularly the insufferable royals who approached her. He wasn’t acting as though his status entitled him to her attention, nor was he behaving as if she should automatically be impressed simply because he was a werewolf prince. He had introduced himself, explained his reason for being there, and offered her a ride without insisting that she accept. There was no obvious attempt to exert dominance over her, no condescending remark, and no assumption that she would be eager to please him.
Perhaps she had been too quick to judge every werewolf by the experiences that had hurt her in the past. Her conversation with Elle had forced her to acknowledge that possibility, even if accepting it was considerably easier in theory than in practice. She wasn’t suddenly going to trust every werewolf she encountered, but she could at least give them the opportunity to show her who they were before deciding what to think of them. Okami, at the very least, had done nothing to warrant her hostility.
"Okay, fine. I don’t mind," she finally replied.