Wheeling Gull Isle backwards with purpose

While she was willing to look past Lionel's obvious youth to flirt with him, for some reason, Huojin's crush failed even to register with the typically astute seductress. Perhaps she was simply too accustomed to being venerated by wolves his age — anything else was too ridiculous to contemplate, despite her having had several similar crushes at that age. (Including one on her own father.)

"Oh, I don't know," she replied, looking around at the island and doing a very good job of hiding her distaste behind her very real interest in the island. She'd never been before, and she wasn't looking forward to trying to get back to the mainland from it. "I am hoping to get a few days of rest here — and a chance to explore — before setting off again. But I won't be going back to Moonspear just yet. There are a few other packs I need to check in on."

But, when someone arrived to greet them, it wasn't the shewolf that Hydra had described to her at all — and he rudely didn't even acknowledge her as he ran to greet his son. Alya gave them a moment to themselves, waiting with growing impatience in the background. When she spoke, however, there was only amusement and quiet indulgence in her smooth voice.

"My, what a welcome," she said warmly, inserting herself back into reality.