Aysel's POV I was still crouched on the hospital floor, holding onto Magnus's hand, pretending to be stubborn, when I noticed his expression shift. Confused, I followed his gaze, letting my instincts guide me, ears twitching slightly at the tension in the air. Magnus's presence always made the world feel sharper, the scents around us more vivid, more telling. And then I saw it. Above our heads, the glowing red letters of the hospital sign mocked me: "Obstetrics and Gynecology." My ears flattened, tail brushing against the polished floor as I froze. Magnus's lips curved up in that infuriatingly calm, predatory smile. Without a word, he lifted me effortlessly to my feet, placing his hand protectively over my abdomen. "Don't catch a chill," he murmured, the wolf in him growling low and possessive at the very thought of anyone threatening me. I shot him a glance that could've been mistaken for exasperation, but my body betrayed me-I still leaned into the warmth of his presence. Meanwhile, Damon Blackwood was standing there, frozen, his lips trembling like a young wolf sensing a rival's power too close. His anger flared, a wildfire I could almost taste in the air. In the next heartbeat, he lunged. "Magnus! She's only twenty-three!" I could feel the tremor in his voice, each word sharp, soaked in the scent of outrage and fear. "Dragging her here... forcing her... you monster!" Magnus stepped back calmly, letting Damon's fists meet nothing but air, his movements fluid, wolf-like, predatory yet measured. "And you, Damon, what authority do you have over this? Your presence alone is already intrusive." Damon's hands strained, knuckles whitening, eyes locked on me like he was trying to read my soul. "Even if we are... apart, I have been her brother in spirit for over a decade. You... soulless predator, will never understand responsibility." Responsibility? I stifled a laugh under my breath, wolf instincts flickering at the absurdity. Magnus only smirked, eyes dark, lips brushing my temple as he leaned close. "But Aysel... you still like me. Even if I'm the most wicked of predators, you wouldn't leave me." Damon's eyes burned with disbelief as he reached toward me. "Aysel, don't be afraid-come with me." I felt a ripple of protectiveness pass through Magnus, the deep, ancient power of his pack aura pressing around me like a shield. My heart thudded, tail flicking with tension. Damon's gaze, so filled with what he thought was love and justice, now tasted of desperation. My claws itched-not for him, but for the chaos of his misguided intentions."Ah?" I whispered, confused and wary. "Don't be afraid. I'll take you away. The child-if you don't want to terminate it, you won't." Damon's voice wavered, wolf instincts clashing with human emotion. But my hand betrayed me, resting atop Magnus's over my belly. A dark flash crossed Damon's eyes, a silent pain, a decision being wrestled with in his heart. "Then... when it's born, I could be its father," he muttered. I stared at him, a new understanding flickering, but my resolve didn't waver. "No. My child will have a father who loves it. That will not be you." He faltered, voice edged with venom. "Then who? This... predator you let dominate you?" I lowered my eyes, the wolf in me bristling at his audacity. "Damon, stop twisting what you don't understand. I will tell you one last time: Magnus and I-there has never been coercion, never a scheme. Only truth, only what our hearts sense. Judging us is your inability to accept reality." Magnus tightened his hold on my hand, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. The scent of him, of Shadowbane dominance and protection, surrounded me, and my wolf curled inward, satisfied, safe. Damon's fury, misguided as it was, couldn't penetrate the bond between us. He was an Alpha, yes, but Magnus's pack, his scent, his presence-it was a claim I knew, a territory my soul had chosen. I straightened, claws sheathed but ready, chest rising with the rhythm of both human and wolf. "I belong where I choose. And my heart has chosen."