Aysel's POV When I stepped out of the bath, the first thing I saw was a standoff between a man and a wolf. Magnus stood tall, cold, and utterly unmoved. Across from him, my poor Daron bristled, claws raking the floor, ears pinned back in outrage. The air between them crackled with Alpha tension-his scent all dark cedar and dominance, Daron's fur puffed in defiance. But then Daron caught my scent, the faint trace of moon-blossom oil on my skin, and his fury melted in an instant. With a whimper of joy, he abandoned his post as my former Alpha's "guard dog" and trotted toward me, tail wagging so hard his whole body wriggled. Oh, Daron. Shameless little traitor. He proudly dropped a rose between my hands, pink tongue lolling as if to say: See? I brought you something pretty. I'm still your favorite, right? Magnus's lips twitched, unreadable. I stroked Daron's big wolf head and placed the rose in a vase. When I turned back, Magnus was still there. Watching. Unmoving. "Hm? Not going back to your den?" I asked. His gaze flicked to Daron. I thought he was waiting for the wolf to leave, so I added, "It's fine. Daron can sleep with me tonight." Magnus gave a low, humorless laugh. "I'm staying too." Before I could object, he continued smoothly, "Daron pissed on my bed. Can't sleep there." Daron froze mid-tail-wag, those golden eyes widening with absolute disbelief. What?! his face screamed. You lying two-legged beast-how dare you slander me! Even I blinked, stunned. "That can't be right. Daron's smart." "Smart," Magnus agreed mildly, "but temperamental. Loves pranks." As Daron bared his teeth at the accusation, Magnus added lazily, "He also enjoys marking beds. Best not to let him in your room." That did it. My wolf growled low in sympathy as Daron launched himself forward, ready to avenge his honor--but before he could reach Magnus, one sharp glance from the Alpha froze him mid-air. The growl melted into a pathetic little whine. Daron backed up, tail tucked, brushing Magnus's leg in fake submission. Ah, right. He remembered-my Alpha was not a kind one. Clever pup. Knows when to bend. Magnus dragged the sulking wolf back to his kennel. I couldn't help laughing when he returned. He glanced over, brow arched. "What?" "Nothing," I said, still smiling. "Daron looked just like your rebellious pup being put to bed." Magnus huffed. "He's your pup too now." "Nonsense. He's an angel when he's with me." "Mm. Double standards." That made me laugh harder. It was true-Daron was pure sunshine around me, and a tiny demon around him. "First day in my territory and you've already stolen my wolf," Magnus said, voice dipping low. "Don't you think you owe me something for that?" I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "How about a new guest chamber, as compensation?" He stepped closer, the air between us thick with his heat. "You already know what I want." I folded my arms, chin lifted. "So you admit you lied about Daron?" "Yes," he said without hesitation. "The water on the bed-I spilled it." I blinked. "You mean you want to sleep with me?" "Yes." Silence. Just the hum of the lamps and the thrum of my pulse. "Why?" I asked softly. Magnus actually paused, as though considering. Then, utterly sincere: "I sleep well beside you. No nightmares. No restlessness."That... was not the answer I expected. But it explained a lot. I nodded slowly. "Makes sense." He looked at me, those onyx eyes gleaming. "And you? Don't you like it?" I smiled faintly. "I don't dislike it." Our eyes held. His gaze stayed fixed on me, waiting. I didn't overthink it. I nodded once. "Alright." Magnus's mouth curved into that rare, dangerous smile-and before I could move, he bent, wrapped his arms around my bare legs, and lifted me straight into his arms. The sudden height made me gasp. My hands landed on his shoulders instinctively. "What are you doing?" He grinned. "Going to bed." I hit his chest with a weak fist, but he didn't even flinch-just carried me down the hall toward the main den. My toes brushed his thigh as I tilted my head, smiling despite myself. Fine. So what if we shared a bed again? It wasn't the first time. And honestly, I wasn't lying-I didn't hate being near him. Magnus had barged into my life like a storm-unyielding, deliberate, certain. He brought chaos, yes, but also a strange kind of safety. A man who stood in front of me when others turned away. A wolf who chose me. I didn't want to think about forever. Forever was a fairytale. But tonight? Tonight, I could treasure this fleeting peace. Call it cooperation if you like. In bed or out of it-it was still a kind of partnership. And really, being the Alpha of Shadowbane's personal "sleeping charm" didn't sound like a bad deal. As I thought about those lean muscles and that dangerously solid body, a wicked thought crept in. Maybe it was time to upgrade our "sleep-only" arrangement. I'd never tasted a man before-and Magnus, the continent's strongest Alpha, would be a damn fine first. He, of course, had no idea what I was plotting. If he did, he might have claimed his prey right then and there. But he could wait. Magnus was a patient hunter. And as he always said- Some prey are worth savoring slowly.