**~Hazel’s POV~**
I imdiately rushed back downstairs, not wanting to miss my coronation. My gown brushed against my legs as I nearly stumbled down the stairs. On the second floor, Lilith let out a loud sigh of relief before snatching Heather out of my arms.
"You silly girl, where did you go?" she scolded, clutching Heather tightly to her chest before pushing lightly toward the staircase. "Go! They’re waiting for you!"
I didn’t waste another second. My heart was pounding as I dashed down the remaining steps. The grand hall was filled—wolves, Crescents, elders, everyone in attendance. Caspian was already standing at the center, his posture regal, his expression tense. Klaus and the others were trying to distract the elders, but the frustration on their faces was clear.
The mont I reached the bottom, Elder Gina’s sharp voice cut through the room. "Where have you been?" she barked, grabbing my arm and dragging forward. "You cannot call yourself an Alpha if you keep the Elders waiting! You must never delay, and you must always show respect."
"Yes, I’m sorry," I murmured quickly.
She tugged on my ear for good asure—ow—and then finally let go. With a huff, she turned to face the crowd. "Let the coronation begin."
The ceremony comnced. Caspian and I each drew a shallow cut on our palms, our blood mingling in the silver bowl that symbolized unity and all.
But even as I stood there, repeating the oaths, my mind kept drifting back to Heather. The image of her sitting there, bathed in sunlight, staring into it without flinching—it wouldn’t leave . That light hadn’t hurt her eyes, hadn’t even made her blink. What could she possibly have seen? The thought made my skin prickle.
I tried to stay focused as Elder Gina placed the silver crown on my head, the symbol of Alpha authority. "Rise, Alpha Hazel of the Blue Crescent Pack," she declared.
The hall erupted in howls and cheers. Every wolf bowed. Every Crescent knelt. The sound shook the air around —but my heart felt distant.
Then my gaze snagged on a familiar figure in the crowd.
Natasha.
She looked... older. The fierce beauty that once defined her had faded into bitterness and wrinkles. Her hands were bound in chains, and beside her stood her mother..frail, gray, and cold-eyed. The sight hit harder than I expected.
Lillian and Sophia stood beside them, both looking at in disbelief. I wanted to go to them, to say sothing—anything—but the words refused to co. The only one who offered a soft, hesitant smile was Lillian. Natasha’s glare, however, burned like old fire.
Once a devil, always a devil.
I forced a faint smile in return, then turned away. They were not my family anymore. That Chapter was dead and buried, just like the man who connected us inside the ground outside.
Caspian appeared beside , his hand warm on my shoulder. "Cayden said to et him on the rooftop," he murmured. "You’ve had a long day. Go. I’ll handle the elders."
I nodded and left the noise behind, climbing the stairs until the open air hit my face.
Cayden sat there, cross-legged, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two glasses beside him. The golden dusk light frad his profile.
He looked up as I approached, then smirked softly and filled both glasses.
"Cheers," he said, raising one toward . "To being an Alpha."
I
laughed as our glass cups clinked together.
"Cheers to being a full-ti parent," I added teasingly and he chuckled.
"You’ll be the one doing most of the work with the kids. I can’t wait to see it." I laughed.
He burst out laughing. "I’d rather take care of ten thousand babies than be an Alpha. You think being Alpha is all glory and power?"
He grinned, swirling his drink. "Yes it brings pride and respect—and maybe a dash of ego—but the workload? Insane. I just hope you can handle it."
I shrugged, pretending to look unfazed, but my mind was still circling what happened earlier. I wanted to tell him about Heather.
"Where was Heather, by the way?" he asked, almost reading my mind.
"She was upstairs," I replied softly. "Our baby girl learned to crawl and took full advantage of it."
He snorted. "We’ll have to assign so maids to keep an eye on them at all tis."
I nodded but hesitated, debating whether to tell him or not. Since he’d basically claid the full-ti parent role, he deserved to know.
"Cayden," I said quietly, "when I saw her earlier... she was standing by the window, looking straight at the sun."
He raised a brow, mid-sip. "Okay? And?"
"And the sun wasn’t burning her eyes. She was smiling—almost like she understood sothing."
He leaned back, unimpressed. "She’s a baby, Hazel. Everything fascinates her. Maybe it’s her first ti seeing the sun properly."
I frowned. "No, it wasn’t like that. She looked like she saw sothing—sothing real."
"Yes," he said dryly. "She saw the sun. And since she’s supernatural, it makes sense it didn’t hurt her eyes. Relax."
"But she’s not as supernatural as before," I countered. "She lost her vampire side, rember?"
Cayden sighed. "Maybe, but she’s still a werewolf—with Crescent blood and Alpha lineage. That alone makes her powerful. Both she and Christian are born extraordinary. Gazing at the sun without burning? It’s nothing for them."
His calm explanation didn’t soothe . My chest still felt tight, a nagging worry crawling at the edges of my thoughts. It didn’t feel normal, what I saw. Heather hadn’t just looked at the sun—she saw sothing.
But maybe I was overthinking. Maybe Cayden was right. Maybe it was just one of those monts that made sense only to babies.
I didn’t say another word. Instead, I lifted my cup and began gulping down the alcohol like it was water, the bitter burn cutting through my unease.
Cayden laughed, shaking his head. "Easy there, Alpha. Don’t want your first night as a leader ending with a hangover."
I didn’t even mind him and kept drinking, gulp after gulp.
Cayden chuckled low. "Keep going, Hazel. Because when that hangover hits and you accidentally land in my bed, I’ll make sure to take care of you properly. No sleep included."
I nearly choked, coughing as I slapped the back of his head. "I’m the Alpha now..you better know what you’re saying to ."
"Oh, forgive , your majesty," he said with exaggerated sarcasm.
I rolled my eyes, but before I could fire back, he stood up and stretched. "Well, the mate bond ceremony’s about to begin. The pack will need the Alpha’s presence."
My chest tightened. "The mate bond ceremony," I repeated under my breath. My pulse began to race.
Aurora.
We would finally know if Leon was truly made for Aurora—or if fate was about to tear her apart. I clenched my fists, my stomach twisting as if I were the one waiting to be chosen.
When we walked downstairs, the hall had been transford. Wolves filled every seat, their faces lit by the glow of the moonlight streaming through the high windows. And as I stepped to the edge of the platform, déjà vu struck hard.
This was exactly how it had been years ago, when I was still human—dragged here by my father to witness Caden and Caspian being matched with Natasha and Sophia. The sa tension. The sa faces.
Only this ti, the tables had turned.
Aurora stood in the front, beside Caspian and the other elders. And Leon, standing among the newly matured wolves, looked torn in half. Their eyes kept eting and breaking apart, like two souls fighting gravity.
I was terrified for them. I was the only one who truly knew. Sure, Caspian and Cayden suspected sothing between them, but they never approved. Every ti they sensed sparks, they found a way to snuff them out.
I walked toward the center of the room.
Elder Gina spotted imdiately. That woman could sll trouble before it arrived. With a smirk, she stord up and yanked my ear again—harder than the last ti.
"What did I tell you about delaying the elders?" she hissed.
"I—I’m sorry," I said quickly.
She leaned closer and sniffed. "Is that alcohol I sll on you? An Alpha drinking?"
Before I could deny it, Cayden spoke up behind , the traitor. "Oh, it’s definitely alcohol. In fact, she begged for it! I told her an Alpha shouldn’t, but she just wouldn’t listen."
Elder Gina’s eyes widened, scandalized. "You took alchohol? On your coronation? You will hear from and the council!" she said turning to leave.
I glared daggers at Cayden. He only grinned, whispering, "Council punishnts are the worst."
"Damn you!" I spat at him as he chuckled away.
But honestly, the threat of punishnt barely registered. My heart was too wrapped up in Aurora and Leon. The ceremony was beginning. The priestess had stepped forward with the silver bowl and the binding moonlight crystal.
What if Leon truly had a mate waiting for him? What if the goddess paired him with soone else?
Would he forget Aurora the mont their hands touched? Would all his love, his mories, his fire for her—just vanish?
The mate bond had power like that. I knew it too well. It had tied not to one man, but three.
Aurora deserved her own epic love story, not heartbreak.
I looked up at the glowing moon and whispered, "Please, Moon Goddess... help Aurora. Don’t let her lose him."
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