Third Person's POV The front hall of the Sanchez estate pulsed with tension. Bastien sat at the high seat, his amber eyes sharp, scanning the gathered pack members and household. Every muscle in his frame was coiled like a wolf ready to spring. Beside him, Rudi's mate Dennis' face was dark with anger, his predator's instincts sharpened, sensing the affront to both his mate and his bloodline. Around them, members of the Shadowbane Pack and allied families clustered in uneasy whispers, their scents mingling with the electric tension of wolves on edge. Magnus leaned lazily against the tall window, his long legs curved with casual dominance. His lips quirked in a faint smirk, amber eyes glinting with amusement as he idly tossed Daron's leather toy ball between his hands. From the edge of the hall, Aysel entered, her form taut and commanding, the 23-year-old Moonvale she-wolf radiating lethal grace. Daron trotted beside her, obedient but exuding raw, controlled power. Another figure emerged from the shadows of the hallway-a man adjusting his glasses, a vivid blue butterfly resting delicately on his elongated fingers-but all attention remained fixed on Aysel. Magnus extended his hand, brushing against hers as he retrieved the leash for Daron, a subtle acknowledgment of pack hierarchy and mutual recognition of dominance. The room froze, the combined aura of Alpha and she-wolf pressing on every onlooker's senses, a tangible force heavier than any mere words could convey. Dennis' fangs clenched invisibly behind his lips. "Miss Vale," he growled through measured restraint, the predator beneath his human guise showing in his low, dangerous tone, "how could Rudi and Noah have offended you so... that you would wreak such havoc within my home?" It was no small matter. The mother and son had been sent away in ambulances, humbled and soaked, their pride shredded beneath Moonvale fury. The elder Rudi had long been coddled, untouchable in the estate. Dennis could not contain his anger. This was about family honor, about bloodline respect. If Aysel were left unchecked, what precedent would that set for Rudi's place in the household? For the standing of the Shadowbane Pack among allied lines? Yet as he spoke, the room shifted. The girl with the straight-cut bangs stepped forward, voice trembling but clear. "I heard Noah insult Alpha Magnus," she said, scent trembling in the air, "his words were cruel. And he touched Aysel." Other young wolves whispered confirmations, eyes wide, tails low, aware that the she-wolf had already judged. Fear and awe mingled in their breaths. Dennis' brows tightened further. "What nonsense! My son may be indulgent, but he would never so foolishly misjudge the occasion or his quarry. This is preposterous!" Still, he pivoted, avoiding direct confrontation with the undeniable reality before him. "Even if Noah were led to speak carelessly, what offense did Rudi commit that you would toss her into the pond as well?" Aysel's response was languid, a sly flick of her gaze and tail. "Oh, nothing, Uncle Dennis," she said, voice soft yet edged with wolfish menace. "She worried for her little wolf, so naturally she leapt in to save him. Motherly devotion-powerful medicine for the heart, isn't it?" She clapped lightly, the sharp echo of her nails a subtle reminder of her control. Dennis' jaw tightened, anger radiating like a pack in a territorial dispute. "You think you alone control the scene? Words cannot overturn truth, Miss Vale." He turned to the younger wolves and household retainers, forcing their gaze. "Tell me-what happened here?" Then, turning to Bastien, he added, voice thick with restrained rage: "Father, you must give your daughter and grandson explanation. How could Rudi and Noah, here to pay respects, suffer such humiliation at the hands of an outsider?" Bastien's amber eyes swept over the room, sharp and unyielding, tail-like authority resonating in every glance. He did not move, only tapped his cane. "Speak. Who dares to lie then never set foot in my house again." He already knew. Rudi and Noah were brash, yes-but this display was provoked. Aysel's actions, while violent, were unmistakable: a single wolf enforcing dominance, a predator defining the boundaries of respect within her territory.