Chapter 297\u00a0<\/p>\n
Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
(23)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is lucky, your third brother,\u201d Bella, the center of attention today, remarked, padding silently beside Derek as he observed the minor commotion at the gates.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ivy\u2019s fury had been directed at Magnus, but before he could step forward, Aysel intercepted her effortlessly, a protective stance both gentle and unyielding. In a life raised amidst pack politics and cutthroat hierarchies, encountering a wolf who defended her without calculation-one she also cherished-was a rare, enviable blessing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Derek watched Magnus ruffle Aysel\u2019s hair, a smile softening the stern Alpha mask, whispering almost to himself, \u201cMagnus has always been fortunate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not bad myself,\u201d Bella said lightly, looping her arm around Derek.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He paused, a warm smile brushing his muzzle as he touched her hair, the motion casual yet intimate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Magnus had led Aysel to Bastien.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGrandfather, long time no see-\u201d Aysel greeted, eyes wide and lashes flickering like twitching whiskers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bastien chuckled lightly, forcing a semblance of cordiality. \u201cGood, you came. Sit, rest. Today, there\u2019s no need for you to work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aysel tilted her head, eager. \u201cReally? I\u2019d love to help\u2026 maybe watch over the event with Matriarch Ulva?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bastien\u2019s grin faltered. \u201cNo need. Jenny and the other younglings were just looking for you.\u201d He cast a glance at Magnus, a silent nudge. \u201cIt\u2019s dull here. Take Aysel over to play with them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Magnus looked at Aysel with indulgent amusement, hooking her pinky with his clawed finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aysel feigned disappointment. \u201cFine, fine. Grandfather isn\u2019t much fun anyway. I\u2019ll play with the young cubs.\u201d She muttered as she padded away, \u201cThe pups are far more entertaining than this biased old wolf.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bastien snorted softly, tail flicking in mild irritation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At such gatherings, Magnus would inevitably be slowed by formalities, flattery, and obligatory social dances. Aysel, uninterested in these rituals, left him behind, bounding toward the younger pack members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:24 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 297\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
She found Alfie already there. A cluster of lively cubs surrounded him, peppering him with questions about South American insects, comparisons to local species, and the fierce behaviors of various exotic creatures. Others presented their own odd pets for examination, squeaking and squealing with curiosity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLong time no see,\u201d Alfie greeted, a gentle smile softening his angular muzzle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aysel blinked in surprise. \u201cFinished your research in South America?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alfie shook his head. \u201cOn a temporary break, escorting my mother back for rest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Johanna\u2019s recovery from the heart transplant had been successful, though her strength was diminished. Lyall had brought her home to Shadowbane territory, coinciding with Derek\u2019s engagement. Bastien had summoned even distant family to witness the gathering, seeking harmony over conflict in his waning cycles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aysel raised an eyebrow. \u201cWhat about Uncle Lyall and Aunt Johanna?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re resting,\u201d Alfie said with a faint smile, \u201cthe hall\u2019s too noisy. Father escorted them to a quieter den.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Aysel had no words; she was not closely acquainted with Alfie. She instead joined the chatter of the younger cubs, listening to tales of the rainforest and insect encounters, occasionally contributing a question or comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alfie settled nearby, eyes like calm amber pools, a faint amusement lingering. Reflecting on the chaos at the gate and the occasional reports from home, he thought perhaps he had misjudged Aysel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Indeed, she moved like a butterfly, light and free-but when provoked, she transformed into a small lion, claws and teeth bared without hesitation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Sanchez Pack could never tether Aysel\u2019s steps, and the wolf at her side would never let her be ensnared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had raised her well-feral, radiant, a creature of laughter and sunlight. She was nothing like the girl trapped in the downpour seven cycles ago, eyes dim with defeat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A careless servant twisted an ankle nearby, spilling a goblet of wine toward the sofa where Aysel\u00a0<\/p>\n
sat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alfie, ever vigilant, lunged instinctively to shield her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the next moment, she was already in another\u2019s embrace,\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
15:24 Tue, Dec 23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Midnight Letters by Daniel Crowe 297 Chapter 297\u00a0 Third Person\u2019s POV\u00a0 (23)\u00a0 Finished\u00a0 \u201cHe is lucky, your third brother,\u201d Bella, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pack-princess"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}