A Rejected Wolf and a Court of Ash (Eden and Azriel) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Ariel emerges from the mist like death given form.

He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t need to. The power vibrating off him steals the breath from my lungs, making the damp air feel thick and hard to swallow.

The mist hisses around him, curling against the stone walls, swallowing the unconscious guards like a monster savoring a meal. Only Axel and I remain untouched, sitting in the eye of the hurricane,

It brightens me how powerful Azrielis. Watching his powers ooze out of his pores makes me unable to move. torches flickers wildly, painting the sharp angles of his face in fire and shadow.

stare up at him. The light from the

Azriel’s violet eyes snap to me. They soften when they land on Axel’s broken woll body and his large chocolate head that’s resting in my lap. I can tell from his expression that he finds it sweet that I care about Axel, but his eyes also tell me he isn’t going to help. I need to change that.

“Please,” I whisper, I don’t know how to convince him, but I speak from my heart,” know you said you couldn’t save us both, but you’re our only hope, Arnel. Please save us.”

Before he can answer, the dungeon doors crash open.

Footsteps. Shouting. Anger,

Logan storms down the stone stairs, Paris is close behind him in her fancy white coat that has no place in the dirty, blood–stained dungeon. Her heels click sharply against the stone. Livira trails after them, clinging to the shadows, her face pale.

Logan’s face twists in fury! the moment he sees Azriel standing there.

“You will not take my former Beta with you!” Logan roars, pointing at Axel. “He belongs to us! Touch him, and you’ll start a war, fae.”

Paris smirks beside him, adding coolly, “You can have the omega, but not the traitor.”

My fists tighten in Axel’s fuc

Ariel doesn’t react at first. He stands perfectly still, mist creeping up his boots like living shadows. It takes me a second to realize he is trembling–not from fest.

From restraint.

Logan steps forward, puffing his chest. “Take her if you want. She’s already broken. Her blood won’t change anything”

So he doesn’t care about me after all?!

I lift my chin, eyes locked with the ones belonging to Azriel, “Please. Take him too. He doesn’t deserve this. Please.”

Azriel stares at me.

The mist crackles, tiny threads of purple lightning racing through it. The torches sputter and die, one by one, plunging the room into semi–darkness. Only the violet gleam of Arriel’s eyes remains.

I hold my breath

He’s not going to help. He’s going to leave Axel behind. He’s going to listen to cold logic and survival.

The mist around my ankles tightens like a goose

I close my eyes.

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13:06 ATHU 26 Jon!

Chapter 46

Save him, I beg silently, Save us

Aheartbeat

Another

“Close your eyes,” Ariel commands.

My heart hurches. Labey instantly, squeezing my eyelids shut.

The mist roars to life. It crashes against my skin, cold and burning at once, stealing my breath

Feel the ground vanish from under me.

I feel Axel’s weight crumple against me,

And then-

Nothing

When I open my eyes, we’re somewhere else.

The air smells wrong. It’s too clean, too sweet, like honey and cold leaves. We’re inside a stone cottage…!

Ibink is this the fairy realm?

look around. The cottage looks normal enough, with shelves of herbs on the walls. But the fire in the hearth is purple like Azriel’s magic. I get the feeling he is in full control of this place. Did he create it, or something?

My head spins, but I don’t have time to think of the cottage now. Not when Axel lies unconscious in his wolf form on a fur rug

“I can’t believe I saved a werewolf. Am I crazy?” Azriel murmurs, and then he moves. Small mutters in a language I don’t understand leave his lips. Magic spins from his fingertips while he does it, weaving glowing purple runes into the air. He paints them over the windows, the door, even the hearth.

Ishift closer to Avel. “Is he going to be okay?”

Azriel doesn’t answer immediately. His jaw is tight. His skin looks too pale.

Finally, he says. “He will live.”

Relief hits me so hard I almost collapse.

We’re sale.

Anel finishes the last rune and sinks into a chair like he’s been stabbed. His hands are shaking. Sweat beads on his forehead.

“Thank you,” I whisper,

He lifts his eyes to mine, and just like that, the relief dies.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he says hoarsely.

I go cold. “What do you mean?”

Arriel drags a hand through his black hair, his violet eyes haunted. “The wards will hide you for now. But the moment I used mist magic to bring a werewolf and a fox into the fairy realm, my sister felt it.”

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