Aysel's POV The moment I had jabbed at Bastien, Magnus' body relaxed slightly, letting go of the tension I had sensed around him from that strange, encroaching scent. He took the check I pressed into his chest with that lazy, satisfied smile, and I felt it-he was thoroughly, deliciously pleased. Yes, he was letting himself enjoy this. He'd been caught by his own instincts. I watched the hall around us. When had anyone ever seen the heir of the Sanchez den so utterly content, basking in his own glow? Each pair of eyes trying to steal glances at him twisted into shapes of envy, fear, and frustration. With my little allies in tow, I turned my gaze back to them-the small, eager eyes of the fledgling wolves who had come to help. I smiled at Magnus, letting him see my triumph. "Magnus," I said softly, "today your little cousin spoke up for you, and your little cousin-once-removed helped me run errands too." I nodded toward the bangs-cut girl who had bravely declared the truth, and the boy who had carried my messages. Magnus' eyes flicked to them briefly. "Tell my second uncle and third cousin to contact me." Their faces lit up like moonlight on fresh snow, nodding furiously, gratitude in every glance toward me. Their families, still dizzy from this sudden windfall, were grinning and whispering among themselves. It was almost comical. All their previous efforts to curry favor with the heir of Shadowbane had failed. And now, two fledglings had bridged the gap effortlessly. More pocket money would be forthcoming, of course-generous amounts. I let a soft smile brush my lips. They needed to see clearly: supporting Magnus, even in private, meant strength and reward. Follow him, protect him, and there would always be sustenance-both metaphorical and literal. When the next mouthy wolf like Noah tried to provoke him, they would instinctively defend him, even if I were absent. The skirmish had ended decisively in my favor. Soon, news reached me from the infirmary: Rudi Sanchez and Noah had been released from emergency care, but both were infected with inhalation pneumonia from the prolonged exposure to water. Rudi, always pampered, had weak constitution; complications might linger. I could only smirk. No one mourned them. If they didn't laugh, it was mercy enough. It spoke to how universally loathed they were. Out in the open-air garden, I caught movement in the periphery, a probing, deliberate gaze. I clipped the stem of the flower I had held, turning to the man two meters away."You know me?" I asked, voice calm, yet carrying the quiet authority of a wolf marking its territory. Even the dullest wolf would notice prolonged scrutiny. Alfie froze, startled at my directness, then allowed a low, soft laugh to escape him. His eyes, unflinching, met mine. "I've seen you," he admitted. I froze. I was certain I did not know him. The Lyalls-they were all South City. I had never been there. When would I have crossed paths with him? Was it familiarity, then, that held his attention? Or the instinct of a wolf recognizing a rare, powerful scent? I did not overthink it. Besides Magnus, who else could have laid claim to me at first sight? "Seven years ago," he said quietly, voice clear and tinged with the depth of recollection. "In A City." I rewound my memory. Seven years ago, sixteen, just starting high school... Yes. I had gone to A City for an inter-school knowledge competition that year. That was when he saw me? After all this time, he still remembered? I studied Alfie closely, the cousin from the Fifth House, now a renowned entomologist in scholarly circles, his gaze gentle but inquisitive, like a wolf sniffing the air for anomalies.