Darius's POV: I watched Thora wrapped in my jacket with confusion written all over her face, and my throat tightened. My mind was filled with that underwater kiss. It was soft and sweet, carrying the coolness of the water, but regrettably too brief. I should've taken advantage of her daze and kissed her longer. That's right. I did it on purpose. At first, when I saw her fall into the water, my heart did clench tight, and I jumped in without thinking. But seeing her smoothly flip and paddle, that moment of panic instantly dissipated. She could swim, and far more skillfully than I'd expected.Just as she was about to surface, my body moved before my brain could catch up. The moment I reached out to press down on her shoulder, I knew this was the only chance tonight to get close to her without raising suspicion. When she reflexively pushed back against me, her strength was noticeably greater than when we first met. I should've taken the opportunity to test her current combat abilities, but the moment my nose brushed against her damp hair, all rational thought derailed. I just wanted to be closer to her. It had been so long since I'd seen her. Both Lorcan and I were going crazy. Even with her glaring at me like she wanted to tear me apart, I found her absolutely adorable. Before she could steady herself to counterattack, I simply used my body weight to press us both down toward the bottom. The instant before we hit the bottom of the pool, as I protected the back of her head, I leaned in almost on pure instinct. The moment our lips touched, Lorcan howled like a mad wolf in my consciousness. "That's the taste! Deeper! Bite her!" I was just about to follow Lorcan's orders when she suddenly snapped back to her senses and furiously attacked me. I felt no wolf power from her, just pure physical speed and strength, yet she was fiercer than most adult werewolves. I let her vent her rage. After all, having tasted such sweetness, one had to pay some price. Although her current combat ability was far below mine, her moves were sharp and precise, every strike targeting my vulnerable points. She clearly understood body weaknesses very well.She really was a ruthless girl. But I was happy. She was strong enough to protect herself, as long as she didn't run into an Alpha at my level. Finally, when she stopped, she glared at me furiously and tried to return to the surface. But how could I miss such a perfect opportunity to play the knight in shining armor? Besides, the upcoming act also needed this public rescue scene to set the stage. So just as her fingertips were about to touch the surface, I grabbed her ankle and pulled her back, wrapping my arm around her waist and lifting her straight out of the water. I'd just draped my jacket over her when I heard Norman's furious roar. "Thora, get over here now!" I narrowed my eyes, my jaw clenching painfully.Someone I couldn't even bear to raise my voice at, and he thought he had the right? Lorcan crashed around in my consciousness, making my temples throb, desperate to break free and tear that old bastard apart. I took a deep breath and suppressed it. This was Thora's family business. My interference now would just prove she needed her family's support, a perception that would only benefit Hazel. When Thora moved to go over, I instinctively stepped in front of her. "You want to go get hit?" "None of your business." She said coolly, then walked around me toward Norman. My face instantly darkened. How was this none of my business? She was my chosen future mate!"Alpha, you should dry off too." Carl handed me another towel. I ignored it and simply turned slowly, standing outside the crowd to watch the situation unfold. Norman demanded angrily, "Did you push your sister into the water?" Thora stood tall, lifting her head fearlessly. After sweeping her gaze over at the tearfully sobbing Hazel and Caleb glaring at her furiously, she finally looked directly at Norman, her answer full of conviction. "Yes." Norman's wolf power flared around him in rage, and he raised his hand, slapping Thora hard across the face. Smack! The loud slap echoed through the entire hall. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, barely restraining myself from charging over. I knew that with Thora's current skills, she could have easily dodged that slap. Since she chose not to, she must have her reasons. I suppressed the fury in my heart and asked Carl hoarsely, "Has Marlon arrived?" "He just arrived at the hotel entrance." I turned and headed straight for the exit. Carl caught up and asked, "Alpha, where are you going?" I smiled with absolute certainty. "To claim my mate."