Third Person's POV Emma forced herself to swallow her irritation, unwilling to let Aysel be embarrassed because of something so petty. She slapped her forehead theatrically and said, "Right, right-my mistake. Too many people came tonight; the rooms must've been snapped up earlier. Aysel, why don't you stay with me? My suite is huge. We can catch up properly tonight." Stupid little lapdog, she thought. He's dead. Absolutely dead. Aysel gave a faint smile. "It's fine. I have a place to stay." "There aren't enough rooms, true-but the lookout platform on the ridge still has a few open-air tents." A male voice overlapped hers. Aaron stood behind them, dressed in a fitted suit that exaggerated the sharpness of his wolfish shoulders. His eyes, golden with hostile dominance, locked onto Aysel with a malice he didn't bother to hide. "Unless," he drawled, "the Second Daughter of Moonvale-who chased her elder sister out and stole the title of the Vale Pack's only daughter-now considers herself too elevated to sleep in a simple tent?" Because the host had arrived, the surrounding guests instinctively shifted their attention toward them. Curious eyes, hungry scents, quiet whispers-wolves were always drawn to conflict. "Are you insane, Aaron?!" Emma snapped, fists clenched. "Who the hell wants your crappy tent? I already said Aysel's staying with me. If you've got a problem with that, I'll pay you ten times the room fee." This idiot must be missing part of his frontal lobe. Did he even understand who he was snapping at?! Emma had very serious doubts that Aaron had returned from overseas. More likely, he'd just been released from some underground punishment pit-how else could someone be so clueless as to confront Aysel Vale of all people? A tent? She almost laughed. He looked more like a tent. Aysel, now the quiet center of everyone's whispered attention, narrowed her eyes slightly. It took her a moment to match this arrogant, bleached-blond male with the vague memory of the classmate who used to orbit Celestine like a pathetic moon. "Yes, I do look down on it," she said softly. "Considering any competent host wouldn't make the humiliating mistake of inviting guests to a gathering without providing them proper lodging." Her calm expression infuriated Aaron instantly. He had lived abroad since high school and only heard distant rumors about the upheaval in the empire's packs. His understanding was shallow. Upon learning Celestine had fallen from grace, his first assumption was that it had been orchestrated by her "cruel, poisonous" younger sister. As for plagiarism? Please. Schemes were easy. Setups were easier. Celestine must have been framed. And even if she had copied something-what an honor for those creators. That woman dared refuse Celestine, forced his goddess into hiring rogues... all because she didn't know her place. Did Aysel really think ruining her sister's reputation meant she'd won? A powerless, unloved daughter of Moonvale? She was nothing. Someone easily crushed. If he beat her today to "avenge" Celestine, the Vale elders would probably just ask them to reconcile. He sneered. "I prepared one room for each guest. Aysel Vale, don't tell me you're shameless enough to force your way into someone else's." As for the ten-times compensation Emma offered-did he look like someone who lacked money? He had bought out the entire Mistyhowl Mountain Lodge tonight. No one-not even a mid-tier pack-could book a room even if they tried. If Aysel didn't like it, she could trek down the mountain. Given how poor he imagined her, she probably couldn't even afford the trip. Bias truly blinded wolves. Aaron failed to notice that a single necklace hanging from Aysel's throat was worth more than most wolves' annual income. In his mind, she was still that silent, unwanted daughter of Moonvale, a girl too poor to own the latest branded comms device. "You either take the tent," he said, smug, "or sleep in the forest. If it's really that hard, beg me-I can sponsor your transport back. Tenfold, even." A few ordinary classmates-wolves with no political standing-looked at Aysel with concern. They didn't understand pack politics but had just learned they'd wronged her for years. Seeing her targeted now stirred guilt. Some girls, offended on her behalf, were ready to drag Aysel and Emma away and host their own gathering elsewhere.But those from prestigious packs wore conflicted expressions. From the moment Aaron began posturing, they'd looked at him with deep sympathy. The wolf who'd passed him the news must've hated him. Why else tell him only half the story? They mentioned how miserable Celestine had been. But why not mention the birthday banquet that shook the entire Empire? Did Aaron not know what happened to his blue-haired friend Knox Draven afterwards? The Ironhowl heir had been erased from the capital-body, bond, identity, everything. Did Aaron truly wish to provoke Aysel Vale and the Alpha of Shadowbane? Magnus was not names a sane wolf used lightly. Emma stared at Aaron like he was the dumbest creature alive. Unfortunately, he completely missed the silent warnings in everyone's eyes and focused solely on the girl he believed was cowed into silence. "If you want to stay, you can," he said. "Issue a public apology to Celestine on the interpack networks, and you can join the class reunion tonight." He tilted his chin upward, smiling cruelly. "Well? Are you leaving?" "What?! Miss Vale, you're leaving?!" The voice that answered him was not Aysel's. It was the panicked cry of Manager Wren of Mistyhowl Mountain Lodge. She stood at the edge of the crowd, clutching a glass of grapefruit tonic-the drink Aysel favored-her expression nearly bloodless. "Miss Vale-was our service inadequate?" Her voice trembled. Her instructions from above had been clear: Miss Vale will be staying for two days and one night-possibly longer. Yet she had barely arrived and was already about to leave? Had they offended their future patron? Their future Alpha's mate? Manager Wren was already mentally drafting her resignation letter. Aaron scowled at the interruption. "She's leaving because there are no rooms. This has nothing to do with you."