Third Person's POV Magnus stood with both hands tucked casually into his pockets, lifting his chin slightly-an unmistakable Alpha gesture of permission. "Try it." "Don't-help! Aah!!!" The kidnapper's scream tore through the narrow corridor, raw and desperate, echoing like a wounded animal's howl. Aysel awkwardly withdrew her hand. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I'm not very practiced." She had learned basic combat techniques meant for self-defense-Moonvale Pack's standard training. What Magnus had been teaching her were clean, lethal methods meant to end a fight instantly. Of course she wasn't proficient yet. The kidnapper, who had just been apologized to: ... Thank you so much, really. The next second, searing pain exploded through his leg. "Aaah-!" Another howl. Another body went limp. Aysel lowered her head in frustration. Magnus was utterly unconcerned. "You'll get better with practice." He hauled her up from her crouch, gently wiping her hands clean as if tending to a cub after its first hunt. "Let's continue to the helm." Ignoring the kidnapper's limp hand sprawled across the floor, Magnus stepped over it without expression. Anyone who dared touch Aysel had already stepped one foot into hell. What they had experienced so far was nothing more than an appetizer. Inside the cockpit control room, another kidnapper held a phone to his ear. "Hello? Hello? Say something!" His hand tightened on the wheel, brow furrowing.What was wrong with everyone tonight? Fooling around during a job like this-did they have no discipline? He wasn't worried. With the laughable security the host had arranged, veterans like them should have taken control effortlessly. Thinking of the payout their leader had promised once this was done, excitement bubbled up. He whistled lightly. "Thump-thump-thump." Movement came from the corner. He chuckled. "We should really thank that young lady for pointing the way. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to find our target. Don't worry-after this, my brothers and I will make sure to treat you very well." After savoring the terror on her face, he turned back to the screen, adjusting the route away from the original course. "Mmph-" In the very next instant-just as success seemed within reach-the man collapsed forward without warning, face slamming into the controls. Magnus had already moved. He casually dragged the unconscious body aside and tossed it to the floor, then smoothly took control, long fingers working the console with practiced ease as he corrected the yacht's course. At the doorway, Aysel leaned against the frame, idly twirling a baseball bat she had stripped from one of the kidnappers, eyes fixed down the corridor-alert, watchful, like a fox guarding the den. They took over the cockpit with seamless, wordless coordination. Moments later, a bundled figure rolled out from the side-tied into a ball, mouth gagged, tumbling helplessly across the floor. So there was another unfortunate soul. Aysel stepped forward and began untying her. The moment the bindings loosened, she caught sight of a disheveled face streaked with tears and grime. "Olivia?" Aysel's brow lifted in surprise. Olivia-of the Darkmoon Pack-stared at Magnus at the helm, then at Aysel standing unharmed before her. Her pupils contracted sharply. ... Back in the ballroom, the lights finally came back on. Having exhausted every possible trick to keep the guests entertained and contained, Zane let out a long breath of relief. He shuffled over to Serena, whose expression was still taut. "Sis... is it over?" He had only come to freeload-eat, drink, and enjoy the atmosphere. He never imagined he'd stumble into something this intense. Tonight was the peak moment of his life. Serena shot him a look. "Give it fifteen more minutes. One slipped through." The deputy captain had been revived by the medical team and had taken over the helm. Magnus and Aysel had volunteered to track down the remaining threat. Everything else on the yacht had returned to normal-except the guest cabins, which hadn't yet been fully searched. Security moved door by door. Aysel pushed one open. Empty. She pushed another. Inside, two naked bodies were tangled together, frozen mid-motion as they stared back at her. Both sides froze. A large hand immediately covered Aysel's eyes. "Don't look," Magnus said flatly. "Dirty." The head of security, noticing the two standing unmoving in front of a cabin, walked over curiously. "Alpha Sanchez, Miss Vale-did you find something?" The hunt, it seemed, wasn't quite finished yet.