Chapter 267 Lead.

Hazel’s POV

I sat in the council chamber, Caspian at my side. We were positioned at the altar, while the others filled the seats before us. Caspian’s hand wrapped around mine—tight, grounding—because I was too emotional to pretend to be heartless today, too shaken to act like the strict, untouchable Alpha they all expected.

Cayden rose first.

“We’ve searched all of New Orleans and the neighboring territories. There’s still no sign of Aurora or Leon,” he said.

My stomach twisted. The same news, every day for days. Aurora gone. Leon gone. No trace. No scent. Nothing.

And the Aurora who had been living in our palace? Not Aurora at all—a demon wearing her skin. She escaped before we could catch her.

A demon.

My sword shivered at my hip, responding to the spike of dread in my chest.

“Wife,” Caspian murmured, leaning close. “Do not stress yourself like this. Aurora and Leon are strong. They must be somewhere—safe.”

“But what if they’re not?” My breath hitched. “What if they’re with the demons? What if they’re trapped or hurt, and we can’t help them because of our—because of our—”

“You’re overthinking this,” he whispered. “Cayden and the pack will find them. I promise.”

“But when?” My voice cracked. I tugged at his vest, desperate. “Caspian, when? Tell me when.”

He hesitated. “I can’t tell you when. But don’t ask me to calm down—it’s not what you need right now.”

“Aurora just wants peace,” I whispered. “She’s been denied it in every single way. Poor girl… she didn’t deserve any of this. I just—” My throat closed. “I just want to find her. And I want to give her the happiness she deserves.”

Caspian pulled me into his chest as the tears finally came.

“Why do the worst things happen to the best people?” I whispered into him, my head throbbing, my heart splitting open.

The council meeting was just about to adjourn when the doors slammed open.

Sophia and her sisters stormed in.

She was dressed head-to-toe in black, looking like a grieving widow as she stumbled toward the altar. Then—dramatically—she dropped to her knees before me.

“Alpha… where is my husband?” she demanded, voice cracking. “Hazel, where is Leon? I—I don’t know where he is. He’s missing. Please… tell me you’re finding him.”

“We are,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “Trust me, Sophia. We’re searching everywhere.”

But she shook her head violently. “Lies. You’re hiding him!” she shouted. “Leon never wanted me. He never loved me. And now he suddenly disappears with that witch—the one he’s always wanted.” Her finger stabbed the air toward me. “You’re all helping him hide from me so he can live happily ever after with her!”

Her sobbing echoed in the chamber.

Cayden’s jaw tightened. “Lady Sophia, this is a council hall. You cannot burst in here screaming.”

“This is a hall full of people hiding my husband away from me!” she screeched.

“You heard me, Lady Sophia,” Cayden said, voice sharp as a blade. “Leave, before I drag you out myself.”

“Cayden,” I murmured tiredly, “just… let her go.”

Sophia looked at me, shaking. “You’re not even going to reassure me? You’re not even going to promise you’ll find him? I knew it… I knew it. You’re hiding him.”

“If we had found your husband,” Cayden snapped, “we would have brought him back to you already.”

He extended a hand to her, urging her to get up.

She rose shakily, clutching her stomach like she was in unbearable pain. I rolled my eyes. Such a fake bitch. Acting like she ever cared about Leon. She only cared about the title, the mating mark—finally having meaning in her meaningless life.

Her sisters grabbed her arms to help her stand.

Natasha turned and snarled at me. “We should be sisters. We should be a family, Hazel. But you treat us like strangers.”

“Maybe treat me like family first,” I said flatly. “We all know how you three treated me.”

“We took you in,” Natasha hissed. “We fed you. You only left when you got married. We took care of you.”

“Took care?” My voice broke with disgust. “You tortured me.”

Natasha rolled her shoulders, unapologetic. “We were children. We were playing. If you can’t get over that, maybe you’re not fit to be Alpha.”

Every wolf in the hall stood instantly, teeth bared. The air pulsed with warning.

I lifted my hand slowly. “Sit. All of you.” They obeyed. “Let them go. They’re grieving.”

Sophia wiped her eyes dramatically and whispered, “Please, Hazel. Find my husband.” Natasha and Lillian dragged her out of the council chamber.

Caspian exhaled beside me. “Gods.”

I leaned back in my chair, exhausted. “If Aurora and Leon are together… and they’re safe… and they chose another life away from all this?” I whispered. “Then I don’t want to drag them back. I’m only searching because they might be in danger. If they’re happy somewhere…” My throat tightened. “Let them be.”

I turned to Caspian. “What if Leon and Aurora simply decided not to come back?”

Caspian shook his head. “Leon is a Beta. He wouldn’t abandon his duties.”

Cayden folded his arms. “He’s right. Leon always chooses responsibility over emotion.”

I stared at the altar, my heart sinking deeper. Then where the hell are they?

I rose from my council seat, the weight of everything pressing hard against my shoulders, and walked straight to the nursery. I needed my babies. I needed something pure.

Heather and Christian would be a year old soon. Time was flying too fast.

Heather was already trying to talk, forming tiny determined words. Christian… my sweet attitude king… he was still stuck on “mama,”.

“Mama!” Heather squealed the moment she saw me.

I knelt beside her basket. “Hi, my baby,” I whispered, brushing my hand over her tiny stomach. Too light. If Aurora were here, she’d have been the first to yell at me to feed them.

I scooped Christian up first—because if I didn’t, that boy would scream down the entire kingdom and settled him against my chest. Then Heather, who was all smiles and sunshine, happy just to be close.

Once they were both fed and dozing, a cold shiver tightened around my heart. The demons again. Aurora had warned me they’re connected to Heather, they want her. They had already tried to take my daughter. They could try again.

I pressed my hand to Heather’s warm hair.

I will kill for you. I will die for you. I will burn this realm down before I let them touch you again.

And Aurora… gods, Aurora… I needed to find her. Before anything worse happened.

The door burst open.

Caspian strode inside, urgency all over his face. “Hazel—”

My heart lurched. “What?”

“We found a lead.”

I stood so fast the room spun. “A lead? On who? Aurora? Leon? What do you—”

He opened his palm.

Strands of hair lay across it long… red strands.

My throat closed. “Caspian…”

He held my gaze. “We’re thinking the same thing.”

I nodded slowly, fear and hope crashing together in my chest.

“Yes,” he whispered. “This is Aurora’s hair.”