A Rejected Wolf and a Court of Ash (Eden and Azriel) novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Eden

We don’t go back to the Alpha mansion,

Even though it’s technically mine now–along with every piece of velvet curtain and polished oak furniture–it still feels like Logan’s. Like a cage with gilded bars. Like a place soaked in too many bad memories.

Instead, we return to the little house on the outskirts of town. My old house

It still smells like my mother’s cheap alcohol. The door only needs to be opened for it to hit my m nose like a punch to the gut. Bither. Lingering Ghosts of bottles long since drained still sit in the comers like sleeping curses. My eyes sting, not from the stench but from the memory of my mother drinking them, and then, when she ran out of money, she searched every crook of the house for pennies to buy more bottles.

Thate that memory, hate that I miss her even more. She was a bad mother, but she was still my mother and she didn’t deserve to die.

I blink away bears and walk further inside. Axel follows behind me, his broad frame taking up most of the hallway, Elvira lingers in the doorway. It is clear that she doesn’t like the fact I chose my own home over the Alpha mansion.

“Ugh,” she mutters, waving her hand dramatically in front of her face. “This place smells like despair in liquid form.”

I glance over my shoulder, too tired to argue with her.

Axel does it for me.

He raises an eyebrow at her. “No one invited you,”

Elvira scoffs. “I go where Eden goes since I intend on making us best friends again.”

“That won’t happen,” Axel says

“And why’s that?” Elvira asks.

“Because she is mine now,” Axel flashes her a grin. “Sorry not sorry.”

Elvira glares at him. “I was her best friend first!”

Axel steps past me into the narrow kitchen, brushing past Elvira with a grunt. “Doesn’t matter. That spot’s clearly mine now.”

Since she lacks respect, she opens her mouth to argue. Einterrupt.

“I didn’t ask for either of you to fight over me,” I mutter. “I just wanted somewhere quiet to think.”

Axel’s gaze softens when he sees me brushing dust off the old table. He moves without a word and begins airing out the space, opening the windows despite the chill. He finds some firewood outside and starts a fire in the hearth. The orange glow slowly pushes back the gloom.

Elvira doesn’t argue with him again. She finds a chair in the corner. Thank the moon goddess. I thought she was going to cry about this place, or try to talk with me, so her silence is welcomed. If she spoke, I don’t know what I would even say. Her betrayal still stings, so communication feels impossible.

Though, regardless of how I feel, i sit down on the couch in the same room.then regret it. There are stains on the carpet. I try to ignore them. It is hard.

This place is such a dump. Even the wallpaper is coming off the wall. But it is what it is. This place was never a home. My room was the only place that feit safe back in the day, but this place is a better shelter than the Alpha mansion. At least for how.

After a quiet dinner of scavenged soup from the Fagerlof pantry, Axel and I sit side by side on the couch. Elvira snores gently from the corner. When I look at her, her head is tolling on a too–small cushion.

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Chapter 69

Axel chuckles. “She fell asleep fest, even though she was the one hating this house and complaining about it.”

Asmile–cos my lips, but it doesn’t go especially high. “You didn’t have to come with me.

Avel shraps, leaning back with one sim slung along the top of the couch behind me. “I po where you po Dream Park or not.“.

“But this place“gesture vaguely to the chipped walls and faded curtains, “It’s a dump”

“It’s your dump,” he says with a crooked smile. “That makes it mine too.

A warmth rises in my chest, unexpected and unwelcome. Hean against his shoulder without thinking

We sleep in the same bed that night. Tully clothed. Nothing happens.

But his presence keeps the worst of the nightmares, at bay-

At least, for a while

When sloop finally takes me, I find myself running

In the dream, I’m in fox form. Red fur. Nine tails. Small, but deadly. I’m running through the forest with the sunlight chasing me. There’s wildflowers.

Grass, I’m. Wild. Free.

Until I’m not

A snap echoes through the trees. Metal bites into my hind leg. A trap.

I scream or try to. But it comes out as a shrill yelp. Panic claws at my chest as I thrash against the chain.

Melodic laughter.

Footsteps crunch through tall grass, slow and unhurried. A tall shadow appears. I base my fangs. I’m ready to fight, to bite.

But then he kneels.

Tanned hands reach for me.

My heart skips a beat

He scoops me up gently. Holds me like I’m something precious. His voice is soft, amused.

“Is the little fox in trouble again?”

Trelax against him, feeling his heartbeat.

“I missed you,” I whisper in my mi

His expression turns serious. “I’m still trying to come back to you.”

His hand brushes down my fur, and I close my eyes as his voice deepens.

“But I can’t… So I’ve sent my best friend to find you. His name is Cedar. He’ll train your magic.”

Cedar? Well, that’s kind of him to send someone, but I don’t care about magic. I just want him.

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Chapter 69

Tshift into human form without even thinking, hur melting away into skin. My breath catches as I press my bare body to his chest. Ariel’s eyes widen, and

he stumbles back into the wildflowers with me sprawled on top of him.

His brows rise, his violet eyes full of shock…then warmth.

“Well, this is turning out to be a good dream,” he murmurs, voice thick.

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