Aysel's POV Rudi knew. She had known from the first glance, when her son's eyes had practically leapt out at the sight of me. But did she truly expect Noah to be so audacious, so brazen as to mouth off at Magnus's mate, here, in front of the Alpha himself? I could see her fury flare, hot and sharp. But this-this was the point, wasn't it? "Let him climb out!" Rudi bellowed, glaring daggers at me. "You're trying to drown him?" I tilted my head, blinking innocently, the shadows of my fangs catching the sunlight. "I'd like to pull him out," I cooed, letting a sly smile curl my lips. "But it seems he's lost his strength. Aunt Rudi... perhaps you could lend a hand to rescue him?" Noah-already screamed hoarse from Daron's relentless herding-was now submerged, his struggles even more frantic, his body half-drenched and trembling. His eyes rolled toward the whites. Rudi's voice shattered the air. "Someone! Go! Help my son!" Then, anger igniting further, she snapped at the other young wolves, "Do you even have blood in your veins? Your cousin is in danger and you just stand there?" They froze. Hesitated. Eyes darting between me and the flailing Noah. But I moved first. I saw Rudi's wrist as she reached toward him. Her gaze caught mine-shock, disbelief-but too late. I pushed her forward with both hands. Plop! Down they went-mother and son together-into the pond. Every pair of eyes widened, even the servants who had rushed over on command came to an abrupt halt, feet rooted, unwilling to intervene. The bang-haired girl's jaw practically dropped. Holy wolf... Rudi wasn't just any elder; she was the Alpha's cherished youngest daughter. And yet... she had been shoved in with perfect ease. No hesitation. No mercy.Rudi's mouth opened in sheer disbelief-and promptly swallowed two gulps of water. I smiled, wicked and bold. "After thinking it over, I realized that motherly care is the strongest cure in the world. Who better than you to administer it? You must be worried about your son drowning, yes? Let me help you, Auntie." Rudi gasped, unable to respond, and swam toward Noah, trying to keep his head above water. But a fully grown man weighs far more than his frail mother. Panic overtook her as the water dragged them down together. Some servants hesitated, instinctively wanting to leap in. But I growled sharply, low and throaty-a wolf's growl that silenced them instantly. "None of you move!" Even their breaths hitched. In that heartbeat, they saw Magnus in me. Saw the lethal calm, the Alpha-bred dominance. The pond was silent except for the splashes of mother and son, struggling, gasping, screaming. The young wolves huddled like quail, eyes wide, hearts hammering, wishing they'd stayed in the manor and not wandered into this death game. Gods... if anyone dies here today, it will be a nightmare at a funeral. Yet none dared to defy my command. Magnus's tolerance for me had been visible all day; even they felt it instinctively-cross me, and they risked their lives. Even if I were to drag them into the pond next, not a one could interfere. Rudi was trembling, heart hammering in terror. I could see it all-the primal fear of death, real and immediate. I let them panic a moment longer, then leaned over slightly, voice cold. "Whose responsibility is it? Magnus's. Auntie, in the Shadowbane realms, those with the right can determine life and death. If you can endure your son's peril, Magnus can endure yours." I stood at the edge, leash in hand, Daron's growl rumbling low and threatening by my side, watching them flail in the water. I remembered the old images-the ones I had taken down myself-the winter day when little Magnus had been tossed into icy water under orders from Rudi, and Raya had been forced to jump in, clothing thin, to save him. The memory had seared itself into me. I was returning the favor. Every ounce of it.This wasn't winter, but heat and sun did little to ease the pain of immersion. I let them struggle, nearly to the point of collapse, then ordered briefly: half-dragged to shore, a chance to gasp, then kicked back into the water. Repeat. The mother and son kept suspended in that terrible edge-of-death limbo. Every observer shivered at the cruelty of it. A spoiled, arrogant woman rendered utterly powerless under the teeth of my wolf-bred authority. No one dared leave. No one dared send messages. Not a phone moved. Every servant had already been "sorted" by Magnus; no one would defy me now. Elsewhere in the manor, laughter and life continued, undisturbed. Only a few minutes' walk from their suffering, the living carried on, oblivious to the peril of Rudi and Noah. Finally, some riders from the stables passing the pond shrieked upon witnessing the scene, alerting the rest of the house. Rudi and Noah were half-dead when dragged out, barely clinging to life, carried to a waiting healer's team. The house summoned all to the main hall. Young wolves trembled in fear. And the true instigator, me, remained calm, collected. I patted Daron's head-still snarling softly from our pond chase-adjusted his leash, and smiled. "Let's go. Time for your next lesson~"