Chapter 179: Find Cyrius
"I’m sorry," he said quietly. "I won’t be able to take you with me this time. I have to leave."
I blinked, still trying to process what I’d just heard. What is he saying?
Then, without warning, he leaned in and kissed my cheek. My heart fluttered. His fingers brushed the two familiar marks on my neck.
"Don’t worry," he whispered. "When I remember all your memories, I’ll come back for you. But just so you know—I still haven’t forgiven you."
There was a glint in his eyes, and then he walked away—straight toward my baby’s room.
My body froze. I tried to move, to scream, to stop him, but I was paralyzed by the weight of everything. He reached the door. Entered.
That’s when my limbs remembered how to move.
I rushed in after him.
He was already holding my babies.
But instead of the screams or cries that usually came when strangers picked them up, there was only laughter. Laughter. My babies—who never stayed calm with Caspian, who wriggled out of Aurora’s arms, and who cried every time Cayden tried—were giggling in his arms. Laughing. And heather, my sweet heather, was tugging at his hair the exact way she tugs mine.
My heart pounded—not with fear, but with something else. Something numb. A strange stillness.
Why weren’t my babies crying? Why were they happy to see him?
I needed to remember. Everything.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"I have to leave," he replied, gently bouncing one of the twins. "With my babies."
"Trust me, this is for the best. I told you—I would never let these babies grow up under those monsters you married. And clearly, you don’t remember, thanks to your memory being tampered with." He stepped forward.
I blocked the doorway.
"You’re not leaving with my babies. You stranger."
He feigned a hurt expression, clutching his chest dramatically. "Ouch. That hurts, Love. ’Stranger’? After everything?" His voice was still laced with sweetness, even though his face twisted in mock offense.
"You’ve done worse to me," he continued, his tone dropping. "You stabbed me—days before our wedding. Called me names. Chose them over me. Now ’stranger’? That really stings." He paused. "You hurt me, love."
Even as I stood there, trying to muster strength—trying to awaken my wolf—something inside of me trembled. Not in fear.
In longing.
My wolf stirred... not in rage, but in desire. She was growling—but not at him. For him. It started in my chest and spread like wildfire. His neck. His sculpted chest. His voice. His presence.
What the hell is wrong with me?
A stranger is holding my children, and instead of lunging at him, all I can think of is how... attractive he is?
Am I out of my mind?
"Let me leave, Hazel," he said, his voice low but firm.
I remained rooted to the spot, still rigid.
"I said you’re not going to leave," I snapped.
He tilted his head. "Do you want me to compel you?" A pause. "Oh—" he chuckled, "I forgot. Little girl isn’t so little anymore. I can’t break through your compulsion now."
I didn’t even understand half of what he was saying. His words blurred in my ears—but the feeling in my chest was unmistakable.
Danger.
He wasn’t threatening me. Not physically. Not directly. But everything about him screamed danger, even as he held my baby... even as Christian—who didn’t warm up to anyone—began falling asleep peacefully in his arms.
He wasn’t even holding his shirt anymore.
My mind boiled.
"Hand me my babies and leave." My voice was cold.
"I suppose your brother must not know you’re here," I added. "You traitor."
I could barely breathe from the fury building inside me.
From the stories I’d heard, he and Caspian had once been inseparable... until he went rogue—after they made Cayden Alpha.
So why now?
Why return to take my babies?
"Traitor?" He laughed, a bitter edge in his tone. "You’re calling me a traitor? Coming from someone like you, that’s rich."
He stepped forward slightly, cradling the child tighter.
"I told you what you did to me, Hazel. Or maybe you don’t remember. Maybe your memory loss is convenient. But the betrayal you served me—" He shook his head. "It destroyed me."
His voice softened. "I’m not here to hurt you. I’m not here to fight. I’m just here to take these innocent babies away... away from this place."
He looked me straight in the eye. "Because if they stay here, either they die... or you die, Hazel. You and everyone you love."
Those words hit me like thunder. What did he just say?
"What are you saying?" I asked, stunned.
"I said what I said. Either your babies die, or everyone you love does." He took a breath. "And I know you’ll pick wrong, so I rushed here to make the choice for you."
"They’re not just your babies," I snapped. "They’re also mine. You hear me? Mine!"
A war raged inside me. One part of me wanted to move. To let him go. But I stayed frozen. He took a step closer.
"Trust me, Hazel," he said, softer now. "Please... trust me."
My heartbeat slowed. The storm inside my chest suddenly stilled.
His words wrapped around me like a calming mist.
Trust him?
My thoughts flashed back to just minutes ago—when the babies had been crying so loudly. Screaming. But the moment he stepped in, they stopped.
Is this a sign? "Trust your instincts." ... His words echoed again. Like you said earlier you are a crescent
I took a breath.
"Please leave," I said—quiet this time..And then... I stepped aside and he slowly walked past.
But just before leaving, he stopped beside me. I turned slightly, and our eyes met—those piercing bright yellow eyes.
My whole body shivered.
"You look as gorgeous as ever, mate," he murmured. "Don’t worry. Once I protect these babies... I might just give us another chance."
And with that, he walked out.
Honestly... what have I just done?
I let a stranger—someone despised by both my husbands—walk away with my babies. And he’s still alive. Still walking freely.
I didn’t even look back to watch him leave. I didn’t even say goodbye to my little angels.
My angels...
My breath caught as the realization crashed into my chest. I spun around in panic and ran to the top of the staircase, praying I might still see him descending. But he wasn’t there.
He was gone. The entire High House felt... empty.
My heart pounded so loudly, I could hear it echo in my ears.
No. No, no, no, no.
This is wrong. It has to be wrong. He can’t just take my babies. But still—my instincts... they were calm. Too calm. Like I had just done the right thing.
Even though every part of me knew—I’d just made the worst decision of my life.
"Oh my God..." I staggered toward the stairs when suddenly.,
"Hazel!"
"Cayden!"
They burst into the High House. Cayden and Caspian, both out of breath, panic all over their faces.
I rushed downstairs. Caspian immediately pulled me into his arms, while Cayden scanned my body.
"Did anybody come in here? Are you hurt? Where are the babies?"
Something flickered in my eyes.
Caspian grabbed my chin, turning my face to him.
"Hazel? What about the babies? Are they upstairs?"
He made to run, but I grabbed his wrist.
"Cyrius... Cyrius has taken them."
Both men froze.
"What?" they said in unison.
"Cyrius?!" Caspian echoed, stunned.
"Has Aurora returned your memories?" Cayden snapped. "And what do you mean Cyrius came to take the babies?"
I shook my head. "No. Aurora hasn’t returned anything. It just felt like it was him. He... he called me his mate. And he said if I didn’t give him the babies, they’d die. Or I would. Or everyone I love would. And he said I’d choose wrong, so... he made the decision for me."
"And you let him?" Cayden’s voice broke.
"Well, maybe if I had my memories, I would’ve known what to do!" I fired back, heat rising in my voice.
Cayden pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Hazel. You don’t need your memories to protect your children. You just handed them over—over to Cyrius, of all people!"
"You can’t blame me—"
"I can and I will blame you," he shot back. "The best decision was to not let Cyrius take your babies. Stranger or not, he manipulated you. You didn’t even try to fight."
Caspian stepped between us. "Cayden, enough."
"No, they’re my babies too!" Cayden shouted. "And she gave them away like they were nothing!"
He turned to me, disbelief in his eyes. "You just gave my children to a stranger."
"He’s not a stranger," I whispered, my voice cracking. "At least, he didn’t feel like one."
"We need to find him. Now. Where did he go?" Cayden demanded.
"He just left," I said. "It hasn’t even been a minute."
Without waiting another second, Cayden bolted out of the door.
I collapsed to the floor.
Caspian dropped beside me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
"Calm down, Hazel. Breathe. Try to remember everything," he murmured.
"I don’t know, Caspian..." I choked. "It felt like... like the right thing to do. He said they would die. That I wouldn’t be able to protect them. I was scared. I believed him."
"You shouldn’t have," he said softly but firmly. "But don’t worry. We’re going to find him. We’re going to bring your babies back."