A Rejected Wolf and a Court of Ash (Eden and Azriel) novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Eden

Since I didn’t know how to answer Logan, I never did. I walked to my room instead, head a mess from his question and my heart in shambles since the

world seems determined to screw me over.

I can’t believe Elvira betrayed me.

Axle is lying on the floor in his werewolf form when I enter my bedroom. His ears flick in my direction and his tail lifts to signat he likes that I’m back, but he doesn’t make a move to get up. Neither does he change into a human. It would be weird. His human self sees me as a woman, but our wolves don’t, so if he is sleeping with me, it makes more sense for him to act like a pet.

I sigh and walk over to close the curtains. “Long day today. Logan made me barf by how hard he was training me

Axel snorts and does a little headshake as if laughing at me. I aim a smile his way but freeze in my tracks when I hear the Valentine pack howling outside

There’s a hunt.

And I can’t join them because I can’t shape–shift.

I hug my arms to myself. I want nothing else to learn how to shape–shift so I can stop feeling like a rejection.

Will I ever learn?

As I stand there, feeling sorry for myself, Axel comes up behind me. He presses up my arm so it lands on his massive head, and I laugh.

“You’re just being affectionate because I saved you from Logan this morning, aren’t you?”

He huffs, and I laugh again, my hands and fingers already digging into the fluffy chocolate fur around his neck. It’s very soft, and he stomps with his foot at the same time I scratch him, clearly liking the attention.

I smile. “Mind letting me sleep on your back again?”

He doesn’t.

Axel lowers himself immediately, and I keep my smile as I walk over to the bed to fetch my duvet. I then climb on top of Axel, yawning before I get comfortable on his back. My arms hug the back of his neck, my face is in his hair, and my legs hang from his back. Axel huffs and stands up, walking to the bed while I inhale him.

“You showered,” I murmured. “Smells nice.”

Axel huffs again, and I close my eyes.

Tomorrow will be better.

Morning comes fast, but when I stretch and wake up, Axel isn’t there. The shower is running, telling me he might be cleaning up. It puts some ease into my bones. I don’t have any classes today and I’m hungry, but the mere thought of eating breakfast at the same table as Paris and Elvira is making my

head hurt.

Elvira. Her name alone makes me flinch now. I should be angry. I should be furious that the person I trusted most in this w about me. But instead, I just feel hollow.

I those horrible things

I climb out of bed, stretching my aching muscles. Every inch of my body protests from Logan’s training session yesterday. I’ve never been this sore in my life.

The worst part?

1/3

Chapter 34

Logan and I are training again later today.

The bathroom door opens, and Axel steps out with a marine–blue towel wrapped around his waist. His dark hair is dripping wet. Droplets of water slide down his brown, muscular chest, and I gawk.

Holy moon goddess on a moon!

Is this what he has been hiding the entire time?!

He looks delicious, like he could be on the front page of Sports Illustrated. That body was made for wetting panties and ruining the hearts of pack girls.

“Morning, Shortstack,” he grins, heading in the direction of an empty chair where there’s a pile of new clothes for him. He drops his old ones on the floor. “You’re up early.”

I roll my eyes, trying not to stare at his muscles. “I’m not up early. You’re just late.”

“Fair enough.” He smirks and drops the towel without warning.

“Oh my god!” I yelp, slapping a hand over my eyes. “A little warning next time?”

Axel laughs. “Relax, I’ve got boxers on. See?”

I peek through my fingers to confirm he is right. Black boxers cling to his hips, and…are those v–lines? Holy moon goddess, they are!

I quickly look away before my face gets any hotter.

Axel snickers. “What? Am I not good enough to ogle?”

I gasp, which makes him snicker even more, and I groan before fixing the bed and muttering. “You’re such a jerk…

“A jerk who kept you warm all night by letting you sleep on my back, nestled in my soft chocolate fur that smelled like a clean baby butt thanks to having showered,” he counters, pulling on jeans. “You’re welcome for that, by the way.”

I throw a pillow at him.

He catches it with one hand.

“Such aggression,” he teases, putting down the pillow to button his/shirt. Amusement is swirling in the green of his eyes. “I think your training with Logan is turning you into quite the little fighter.”

I scoff. “I’m not a fighter. I’m just tired of everyone’s crap.”

Axel’s playful expression softens. “Hey, I heard about what happened with Elvira.”

My shoulders tense. “How?”

“Pack gossip travels fast,” he says, sitting on the edge of the bed. “For what it’s worth, I think she’s an idiot.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I mutter, though it does. It matters so much that my chest aches whenever I think about it.

“It does,” Axel insists. “And for the record, I never liked her.”

I give him a skeptical look. “You never liked me either.”

His grin is big and sunny. “I like you now and guess what? I have decided to be your new best friend. Elvira and Paris got nothing on us, sis!”

My eyes grow into the size of saucers. “Wait, hold on… You want to be my best friend? After years of bullying me?”

“I was young and stupid,” he says, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. “I’ve grown. Matured. Evolved into a superior being.

Chapter 34

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