CHAPTER 227: BAD ALPHA

*~Leon POV~*

God damn it. What is wrong with her? She didn’t even utter a word as I watched her sway away. I hate to see her leave, but I love to watch her walk.

My head spun. I found myself saying things I never thought I would say—to her, to wreck what was left. But she just whisked off. Why would she come back? The moment I thought I was free from her, I grabbed the nearest vase and smashed it to the floor.

By the time I’d done it again, my hands were bleeding. Sophia rushed to me, still in her wedding gown. "Oh, dear—your hands are bleeding!" she cried.

"Natasha!" Sophia called for her sister. They hauled me to a room. Natasha bound my wounds while Lillian stood guard at the door, watching for anyone who might walk in. "Nobody must see you here," she hissed.

" that bitch of an Alpha canceled our wedding," Sophia spat. "She canceled our honeymoon. "

"We can’t be seen together now. And the issue about our child—Aurora’s lies—they say it’s resolved." I said and she shook her head

"Don’t worry, wife," I said through the pain. "I’ll make sure everything’s fixed. The honeymoon can wait."

But Sophia couldn’t wait. Her gown had slipped; one breast lay exposed. She needed me. "I need to be touched by my husband. I want to feel like a wife. My wolf’s in heat, Leon. Won’t you help me?" Her pheromones thickened the air; her body practically ached for me.

I swallowed my urge. Control yourself, Leon. This can only lead to punishment.

Natasha scowled. "So my sister won’t enjoy her marriage because some bitchy stepsister decided to be—stupid?" Her voice was hot with old hatred. "I curse the day she became an Alpha. If I hadn’t been jailed, I would’ve handled her. She used to be weak. Why’s she suddenly so damn strong? The girl who used to wear my hand-me-downs is now my sister’s rival."

"No matter what," I said, steady, "I will take care of you."

"Argh! I will wreck her." Natasha gritted her teeth.

Sophia stretched a hand to stop her. "Don’t do anything stupid," she warned. "She practically owns this park. Do you see those creatures around us? The Crescent—she’s one of them. And she’s the strongest. You don’t want to mess with her."

"I won’t face her openly," she said.

"Hey." I chipped in and touched her shoulder

"I understand the rage you are going through now, just try to control yourself as Hazel is my one of my Alpha and I am her Beta... just stay away from her."

Natasha smiled with a dangerous softness. "Isn’t your husband cute? So responsible." She shook her head. "I wish Cayden had been more like you. But she stole Cayden from me."

"You don’t have to involve yourself," I warned.

Natasha tilted her head. "Pretend you didn’t hear me say I’ll destroy her life. When it crumbles, you act like you don’t know who did it."

She said it with that daring little smirk, the kind that promised nothing good, and then Lillian, who’d been keeping watch by the door—suddenly poked her head inside. "Guys, someone’s coming!"

I shot to my feet instantly. Sophia pulled me into a quick hug—then kicked me in the cheek. I forced myself to blush, the same way I always did whenever Aurora used to do it, and plastered on a smile before bolting out of the room. I had to leave fast—before anyone caught us and turned this into another punishment-worthy scandal.

I hadn’t gone far when something caught my attention—the front view of the High House. And there she was. A red-haired figure.

Aurora? Or her sister?

I squinted, went closer just to be sure. And to my surprise, it was Aurora. Holding someone’s hand.

What the hell?

Didn’t she just ignore me and go to her room? Guess not. Looked like she had better plans. She was taking someone inside the High House—and that someone was a man.

My blood boiled. What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

I wanted to jump down right then and there, but reason—or curiosity, maybe jealousy—stopped me. I needed to see what was going on. Was she sneaking around? Doing this discreetly? No. Because then I saw Hazel and Caspian there too.

Oh. So it wasn’t secret.

I clenched my jaw and walked over.

The moment I appeared, everyone acknowledged my presence—everyone except Aurora. She didn’t even look at me. Not that I wanted her to. But... still.

I looked away too. Childish? Maybe.

"Oh good," Caspian said, turning to Hazel. "Our Beta’s here. We don’t have to make the decision alone."

Hazel shot me a scornful look before speaking. "Aurora saw a man while practicing her spells. Then he appeared." She pointed at the stranger.

And when I looked at him—God, even as a man, I had to admit he was too good-looking. Blue eyes, dark hair, a calm confidence that screamed trouble. He looked almost like the Triplets. Caspian, to be precise. Same kind of perfect features that made me painfully aware of everything I wasn’t.

Aurora squeezed his hand tighter. My heartbeat kicked up a notch.

Why the hell?

"And who are you?" I demanded, the words rougher than I intended.

He smiled—sweet, calm, unfazed. "I’m Darius. A wizard from the western side."

I stared at him. Then at Aurora—still holding his hand like her life depended on it.

And I didn’t know what pissed me off more:

That Hazel and Caspian weren’t doing anything about this strange man she’d just dragged into the High House...

Or that she was holding his hand so tightly it looked like she might tear it off—

And still, no one said a damn thing.

What the hell was going on?

My stomach became hot... so hot I knew it was coming from my wolf. But why is it getting angry? Because Aurora is..... No! Certainly because this guy is fishy.

"What on earth are you doing here?" I asked and he was about to talk and Aurora chipped in for him.

"He needs a home." She said sharply.

"And since when is the High-house a home for lost witches and wizards?" I said back at her sharply.

"He is not staying in the high-house but he will be coming frequently... he will be my student." She squeezed his hands more tighter and I bit my lips so hard I tasted blood.

"No! We are not allowing this." I said and as Caspian was about to agree with me, Hazel chipped in.

"He is allowed."

But then I turned to her, and she turned to me. "You help me, any problem? He’ll be staying," Hazel said, folding her arms.

Aurora added sharply, "I need him here. So yes, he’s staying. Do you have any objections?"

"Objections?" I scoffed. "Yes, absolutely! This same Aurora just claimed demons are after your daughter’s life, and now you’re willingly letting her bring strangers into the High House?"

Caspian’s jaw tightened. "I think Leon is right."

Finally. Someone with sense. "Thank you, Alpha Caspian," I said, biting down my satisfaction. Maybe Hazel’s sister was right—maybe she really was stupid.

Hazel turned to me, unimpressed. "For Aurora to bring him in, then he must be good."

Aurora stepped closer, still holding the man’s hand. "He’s a wizard. He’s threatened by wolves every day. He asked me to train him to defend himself. I’m taking him under my wings to teach him some basic spells, and then he’ll leave."

"No," I said flatly.

Aurora frowned. "No?"

"Then why don’t you leave the High House?" I shot back. "Take him somewhere else. Train him in the woods, the mountains, I don’t care. Just not here." I stepped forward, lowering my voice. "I’m not against you flirting with some man, Aurora. I’m saying—take it away from here."

Her eyes flashed. "I’m not flirting."

"Oh, you are," I bit out.

The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the hall. Caspian’s hand had connected with my cheek. "What is wrong with you, Leon?" he barked. "She said she just wants to train him!"

Aurora lifted her chin before Caspian could speak again. "The High House is my home," she said coldly. "I’m not leaving until I find out what’s happening with Heather—and that’s going to take time. Because the very wolves I saw die are still alive. And you think I’m going to believe you over what I saw?"

"Even if Alpha Hazel —" I stressed her name pointedly, "—believes you, no one else does. How can you claim to see dead wolves, then those same wolves come back and testify against you? Sounds like a convenient story to me."

"I saw something, Leon!" she snapped. "You think I’d lie? You think I’d risk Heather’s life for fun? What, because I came back and saw my love-struck lover picking another damn woman over me? Go be with her for all I care—it’s your loss anyway!"

My mouth opened to fire back, but she ignored me, turning toward Caspian and Hazel instead. "Am I allowed to bring him in?"

"No."

"Yes."

Caspian and Hazel spoke at the same time. He said no, she said yes.

Then Hazel leaned in and whispered something into Caspian’s ear. I saw it. I saw him blush.

Oh, for fuck’s sake—she’s seducing him.

Caspian cleared his throat and turned to Aurora. "Yes. He can stay—as long as he doesn’t sleep here."

Aurora smirked, satisfied. She grabbed the wizard’s hand again, and as they passed, the bastard bumped my shoulder—intentionally.

I threw my hands in the air. "What are you all thinking?!"

Hazel turned, smirking. "Something your brain cannot process. Good night, Beta."

I clenched my jaw. "I’ll be bringing this matter up at the council."

Hazel’s voice floated back over her shoulder, smug and sweet. "I’m expecting it."

And with that, she disappeared into the High House—leaving me standing there, burning with anger, confusion... and something else I didn’t want to name.