A Rejected Wolf and a Court of Ash (Eden and Azriel) novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Eden

“Friendliest Beta of the pack?” I repeat, close to laughing because I’m not sure if I agree.

Axel is many things, huge, probably more muscular than our freaking Alpha due to his role of Beta and job to protect our Alpha, and, to be honest, I think he is also a bit dumb since I’ve seen his grades. But with his brown skin, dark hair, and extremely green, yes, he looks good…I suppose.

“I can definitely be friendly!” Axel grins. “Don’t underestimate me, little bookworm. If the Alpha says you need to feel at home, then I sure as hell am going to make sure to deliver.”

I stare at him, suspicious. “Since when does Logan care about me feeling at home?”

“Are you kidding me? Dude is in love with you.”

“What?!” I exclaim. “That’s bull!”

Axel raises an amused eyebrow. “Really? You two looked pretty cozy when he carried you on his back. He definitely cares about you.”

“It wasn’t like that!” at least I don’t think it was? Either way, I’m blushing now. “He was just…being practical.”

“Right,” Axel drawls, his grin widening. “That’s why he nearly bit my brother’s head off for speaking to you disrespectfully. Totally normal Alpha

behavior.”

Since I know Logan couldn’t possibly like me, I clutch the towel tighter and look for a change of subject. Oh! I’m still standing in a tub of demon–blood

water. Perfect!

“Can you please leave so I can get dressed?”

“Oh! Right.” Axel turns toward the door but pauses. “Wait, how are you going to get out of there? You’re like…small. Very small. Need my help, tiny gal?”

I scowl at him. “I’m not tiny. You’re just a giant!”

“Eden,” Axel says flatly, “you’re like five–foot–nothing in heels.”

“I’m five–foot–one!” That one inch is very important to me!

Axel throws up his hands like I’ve just accused him of murder. “Whoa, sorry! Didn’t mean to slander your vast verticality, O mighty giraffe.”

I glare at him over the edge of my towel. “I will throw this brush at your head so hard you’ll be spitting bristles for a week.”

He grins, completely unbothered. “Threatening violence already? See, that’s the omega spirit we like to see around here.” He leans a shoulder against the wall, his body blocking half the available space in the small bathroom. “Look, I can turn around or close my eyes or whatever you want, but if you slip and crack your skull on this dungeon–grade tile, Logan will kick my ass so high I’ll orbit Saturn.”

I open my mouth to snap something back, but he’s got a point. Still, “Just don’t look,” I mutter.

Axel solemnly covers his eyes with a big paw of a hand. “Scout’s honor.”

“That’s a lie! I’ve known you my entire life, and I know you were never a scout,” I shoot back while wringing wat

the towel with the other. Multitask for the win.

t of my hair with one hand. I clutch

“Sure was,” Axel says brightly. “Lasted two whole meetings before they kicked me out for eating all the cookies. Real tragic.”

I roll my eyes so hard my muscles strain. “Yeah, sounds about right.” Gathering what’s left of my pride, I step gingerly over the edge of the tub. Of course, the towel slips just enough that I have to snatch it tighter.

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15:31 Tue, 24 Jun

Chapter 25

“Easy there,” Axel says without opening his eyes, but his mouth quirks

a

smirk like he knows exactly how graceless I look right now. “Want a hand?

“No! Keep your paws to yourself! And open your eyes, and you die.”

His laugh bounces off the cement walls. “I said I wouldn’t! Jeez, Eden, you think I’m some kind of pervert?”

I shoot him a suspicious squint even

though he can’t see it. “You threw my bra on top of the school flagpole last year.”

“That was Joakim!” He drops his hand away from his face just enough to peek at me, one eye barely visible, as if that somehow makes his gaze more respectful.

“Oh sure,” I snap back. “You two are basically interchangeable anyway.”

“The hell we are!” Axel folds his arms, his stance rigid and defensive, still not looking directly at me though, which irritates me for reasons I can’t explain. “He’s got stick legs and is obsessed with conditioner. Plus, he can’t bench–press for shit.”

I find myself biting down on a laugh and immediately hate myself for it. “You’re both menaces is what you are!

“At least we’re entertaining,” he says with that big Beta grin that makes girls in our grade do dumb things. Not me, obviously.

“I’d prefer boring if it meant not getting harassed every time you’re bored in math class,” I grumble, snagging my underwear off the pile of clean clothes someone left and jabbing an arm through the sleeve of Logan’s gigantic hoodie.

Axel looks down while I shuffle into my sweats as fast as possible.

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