*~Leon’s POV~*
Chairs scraped as everyone rose. The wolves began murmuring, whispering about the decision, about , about her. I barely heard them.
The only one who hadn’t moved was Cayden, sitting in the corner with that knowing smirk stretched across his face.
I walked up to him, desperate. "Please, Cayden. Help . You know I’m telling the truth."
He finally stood, looking at with sothing between pity and amusent. "This is your battle to fight, Leon," he said quietly. "You should’ve thought about all of this when you marked Sophia. True or false, forged or not—it doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone knows her as your mate now."
He placed a firm hand on my shoulder.
"It’s your fight, Leon," he said again, then walked past , leaving standing there—alone.
But hell no—no, I cannot. I cannot possibly let this happen. This is bad.
I bolted out of the council room, ignoring the eyes burning holes in my back. My boots echoed down the corridor until I spotted her. Aurora. She was almost at her room when I caught up and grabbed her wrist.
She imdiately yanked it free, her glare sharp enough to cut. "What are you doing here?" she snapped, her voice raised—her eyes flickering, just for a second, from green to blue.
"What’s wrong with you, Aurora?" I demanded. "Why did you lie? Do you even know what you’ve done? You’ve ruined my life!"
She folded her arms, unbothered. "That’s not my business, Leon. And I didn’t ruin anything. I said the truth. Don’t drag into your ssy marriage drama."
She turned to leave, but I caught her arm again. "Why are you doing this?!" My voice cracked. "Is this to get back at ? For mocking you? For betraying you? I’m sorry, Aurora. I’ll make it right—just tell them the truth!"
Her eyes were blank, her expression unreadable.
"I know you rember," I said desperately. "You were there! You know Darius tampered with the mate bond between and Sophia—he did it to get you! Please, just say it. Tell them what really happened."
Nothing. Not a flicker of emotion.
"I still love you, Aurora," I said softly.
Still nothing.
No spark, no anger, no hesitation. Just coldness.
Even if she hated , the real Aurora would’ve felt sothing. Pain. Rage. Anything. But this woman? She didn’t even flinch.
I tried again. "If you regret what you said in the council, we can fix it. I can call for another hearing. You can apologize—say you were pressured—"
"Look at you, Leon," she interrupted sharply, her tone dripping with disgust. "Shaking. Pathetic. You’re an insufferable man."
Her words sliced through .
"Even if I helped you out of your marriage with Sophia," she continued, "you’d just co crawling back to again. You’d beg. You’d force to take you back. I don’t want a man like you. You’re disgusting. You’re pitiful. Move on—and never show your face to again."
She turned away, her hair whipping behind her like a curtain.
But before she could take another step, I grabbed her wrist again—harder this ti.
"Look into my eyes and say that again, Aurora," I whispered.
Her heartbeat quickened—I could hear it...She licked her lips, refusing to et my gaze.
"I..." she started, her voice trembling, "...I hate you."
I smiled, stepping closer until there was barely a breath between us.
"Your heart," I said softly, "is saying otherwise."
And before she could move, I closed the distance—pressing my lips to hers.
But her lips... her lips tasted different.
I hadn’t kissed Aurora a million tis—just enough to know every note of her, every soft hum of warmth that used to make my world still. That one kiss, the real one, had been heaven itself—sweet, electric, alive. I could’ve stayed there forever.
But this ti... this ti, it was wrong.
Her lips were cold. Empty. Tainted with sothing strange—sothing foreign. My stomach twisted, and I pulled away imdiately. She didn’t even react. Didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe.
And when I looked into her eyes... they weren’t green.
They were pure blue.
"Aurora?" I whispered, frowning.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she spun around, rushed into her room, and slamd the door behind her.
"Aurora!" I banged on the door. "Aurora, what’s wrong with you?"
No response. Just silence.
"What’s with the eye color?" I muttered, pressing my palm flat against the wood. "And your sll—it’s different. Even your taste..."
Nothing made sense.
I stood there, gripping my own hand tight, her words echoing inside my head—pathetic, insufferable, irresponsible husband.
When did I beco that?
I used to be... steady. Responsible. Strong. I used to have a purpose, a direction, a heart that wasn’t constantly breaking. How did everything fall apart this fast?
It’s my fault. It’s all my damn fault.
I should never have accepted Sophia that day. I thought I was protecting Aurora—protecting us from the sa ss that happened with Azazel and Kaden. I didn’t want to risk it. I didn’t want history to repeat itself.
But now... now it’s worse.
Because I don’t love Sophia. I never did. My heart belongs to Aurora—my witch, my chaos, my light. And even if she’s magic and I’m wolf, what we had was stronger than any cursed mate bond.
But now she’s gone cold. And no one will believe .
My thoughts were aching until a voice sliced it.
"Sir.Leon," Hazel’s voice said from behind .
I turned, startled, and saw her standing there. Sophia was beside her, her eyes swollen red from crying, her fingers clutching Hazel’s sleeve like a child clinging to a mother.
"You will be consummating your marriage tonight," Hazel said, her tone sharp enough to wound. "And before the next full moon, the council expects your wife to be with child. The Beta’s line cannot remain empty."
My heart stopped.
"What?" I stamred. "No. You can’t tell when or if I’ll touch my wife."
Hazel’s expression didn’t waver. "If your mate is not pregnant by the next season, Leon," she said coldly, "the council will strip you of your Beta title."
The room spun. The air turned to lead in my lungs.
And right then, as Sophia’s tear-stained face turned toward with a trembling smile.
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