Lennox''s POV


    "Guess who is here?" Levi said,  the moment he stepped into my room.


    I lifted my eyes from the document in my hand and frowned at him.


    "Who?" I asked.


    He didn''t answer.


    He only said, "You have toe and see for yourself."


    That alone made my chest tighten.


    I stood up immediately and followed him out of the room. Levi didn''t speak as we went down the stairs, but from his mood, I could tell he was furious.


    The moment I entered the living room, I froze.


    Aurora.


    She was sitting on the couch.


    Her face was swollen. One eye was bruised. Her lips were cracked. There were marks on her arms she hadn''t even tried to hide.


    For a second, I couldn''t breathe.


    "Aurora…" My voice came out rough.


    She lifted her head when she saw me, and her eyes filled with tears.


    Anger exploded inside my chest.


    "Who did this?" I demanded, my voice shaking with rage.


    She tried to speak, but her lips trembled. Then she broke down crying and stood up, throwing herself into my arms.


    "It''s Austin," she sobbed. "My husband."


    That name made my blood boil.


    "That bastard," I growled. "I warned you. I warned you not to marry him."


    I remembered it clearly.


    Five years ago.


    Her wedding.


    I had stood against it with everything in me.


    Austin was nothing. A pauper. Living off borrowed pride. And from the first moment I met him, something about him felt wrong.


    I held her tighter as she cried.


    "He changed," she whispered. "Because I can''t give him children… he started hitting me. I built him. I gave him everything. My money. My name. My connections. And now he uses his fists on me."


    My hands clenched into fists.


    "He eats from your wealth," I said through my teeth, "and still has the guts to touch you?"


    Levi stepped closer, his face dark with fury.


    "I''ll make him pay," he said coldly.


    "Yes," I replied without hesitation. "He will pay."


    Aurora pulled back slightly and looked at me with red, swollen eyes.


    "Lennox," she whispered, ashamed. "Can I… can I stay here for a while? I can''t go back to my parents like this. I don''t want them to see me broken."


    My heart clenched.


    "Of course," I said immediately. "This is your home. You''re safe here."


    She broke down again, and I held her like I used to when we were kids.


    After a few moments, Aurora''s sobs slowly eased.


    Her shoulders were still shaking, but her breathing began to calm.


    I gently pulled back and cupped her face, careful not to touch the bruises.


    "You''re safe now," I told her firmly. "No one will ever touch you like that again."


    I turned sharply toward the guards.


    "Get the healer," I ordered. "Now."


    They bowed and rushed out immediately.


    Levi moved closer to Aurora, his voice softer but still tight with anger.


    "The maids are preparing a room for you," he said. "You''ll befortable. You won''t have to worry about anything."


    Aurora nodded slowly, wiping her tears.


    "Thank you," she whispered. "Both of you."


    She looked around the living room as if noticing the space properly for the first time.


    "Where are the boys?" she asked suddenly. "I thought I''d hear them running around."


    "They''re still at school," I replied. "They''ll be backter."


    She smiled faintly at that, then hesitated.


    "And Olivia?" she asked carefully.


    I felt the shift immediately.


    "She doesn''t live here anymore," I said.


    Aurora frowned.


    "What do you mean?"


    I exhaled slowly.


    "It''s a long story," I said. "One we''ll talk aboutter."


    Her eyes searched my face.


    She didn''t push, but I could tell she knew something was wrong.


    Just then, footsteps echoed down the hallway.


    The healer entered, carrying her satchel, her expression turning serious the moment she saw Aurora''s injuries.


    "Let me take a look at you, my dear," the healer said gently.


    Aurora nodded and allowed herself to be guided toward the couch again.


    As the healer began her work, applying herbs and murmuring softly, my jaw tightened.


    Austin was still breathing.


    And that was about to change.


    The healer''s hands glowed softly as she worked, her face growing more serious with every second.


    "There is internal bleeding," she said quietly. "That man was a beast. Why didn''t you run sooner, child?"


    Aurora''s eyes filled again.


    "I thought he would change," she whispered. "I kept telling myself it was just anger… just stress. I believed him when he said he was sorry."


    My hands clenched into fists.


    The healer shook her head. "Love should never hurt like this."


    She finished the healing spell slowly, carefully, then straightened.


    "She will recover," she said. "But her body and her heart need rest."


    I frowned deeply.


    That bastard wasn''t even her mate.


    The thought made my chest burn with rage and guilt.


    Aurora''s father had been my mentor. He trained me. He trusted me.


    And this was his daughter.


    I was supposed to protect her.


    I failed.


    I turned to Aurora and forced my voice to stay steady.


    "You''ll rest now," I said gently. "You''re not leaving this house until you''re fully healed."


    She nodded weakly.


    The maids stepped in and helped her to her feet, guiding her carefully toward the prepared room.


    Not long after, Louis walked in, his face dark with anger.


    "I heard," he said. "Levi told me."


    "I''m killing that man," I said coldly.


    Louis didn''t argue.


    Levi crossed his arms. "You won''t even need to find him," he said. "I''ll bring Austin here myself."


    I nodded once. "Good."


    That night, we gathered for dinner.


    Aurora was seated with the boys. She smiled gently as she listened to them talk,ughing softly at their stories. She was good with them. Natural.


    My chest tightened.


    It was cruel fate that she never had children of her own.


    Then again… maybe it was a blessing she never had that bastard''s child.


    Suddenly, the air shifted.


    Olivia teleported into the room.


    The boys lit up instantly.


    "Mom!" Leon shouted, jumping from his seat.


    They rushed to her, hugging her tightly. She kissed their heads one by one before sitting down.


    She took the seat across from Aurora.


    For a moment, they stared at each other.


    Then recognition dawned.


    "Aurora?" Olivia asked softly.


    Aurora smiled. "Olivia. It''s been a long time."


    They exchanged polite words, but I noticed it.


    Olivia noticed everything.


    She noticed the faint bruises.


    She noticed the way I kept ncing at Aurora.


    She noticed the way I reached for the serving te.


    Without a word, I filled Aurora''s te with food. More than usual.


    "Eat," I said gently. "You need strength."


    Olivia''s eyes moved from Aurora''s face to the te I had just filled.


    Then she looked back at her.


    "Will you be staying here?" Olivia asked calmly.


    The question sounded simple, but I felt the tension underneath it.


    Aurora hesitated for a second, then nodded.


    "Yes," she said softly. "Just for a while."


    Olivia nodded once. "I see."


    Aurora lowered her gaze to her food, then added quietly, "I''m filing for a divorce. I won''t be going back to my husband."


    The table went silent.


    Olivia''s fingers tightened around her fork.


    "I''m sorry you went through that," she said after a moment. Her voice was polite. Too polite. "No one deserves that."


    Aurora smiled faintly. "Thank you."


    I reached for the jug of juice and poured some into Aurora''s ss.


    "You should drink," I said. "It''ll help."


    That was when I felt it.


    The sharp shift in the air.


    The air felt tight.


    Heavy.


    Before anyone could speak again, the door at the side of the dining hall opened.


    The boys'' nanny stepped in and bowed slightly.


    "My Alphas," she said gently, "it''s time for the boys to get ready for bed."


    Leon groaned. "Already?"


    Olivia smiled at them. "Come on. Bedtime."


    The boys stood up, hugging her quickly before turning to us.


    "Good night, Daddy," Liam said, wrapping his arms around my waist.


    "Good night," I replied softly, kissing his head.


    They said their good nights to Levi and Louis too, then followed the nanny out of the room, their voices fading down the hallway.


    As soon as they were gone, the silence became unbearable.


    Then Olivia spoke.


    "I believe you know," she said calmly, looking straight at Aurora, "that I don''t live here anymore."


    I frowned.


    "What?" I said sharply.


    She didn''t look at me. She kept her eyes on Aurora.


    "We''re on a break," Olivia continued evenly. "Lennox and I. All of us, actually."


    Aurora looked confused. Ufortable.


    I felt my chest tighten.


    "Olivia," I said lowly, "you''re not supposed to be saying this."


    She finally turned to me.


    "What?" she asked. "It''s the truth."


    Her voice was calm, but it cut deep.


    "I''m just letting her know," she went on. "So in case she wants to…" Olivia paused, her lips pressing together for half a second before she finished quietly, "…you know."


    Aurora frowned.


    "Excuse me?"