Chapter 198 My Angel | 091

Chapter 198 My Angel | 091
NOELLE

The bedroom feels too small as Jake's exhausted voice fills the room through the phone. He sounds drained, like he hasn't slept in days. Every word comes out heavy.

"Alpha... Luna," Jake starts, his voice hoarse. "I apologize for calling like this, but you need to know."

I'm sitting on the edge of the bed, one hand resting on Azren's thigh. He's still propped up against the pillows, pale and quiet, listening with a blank expression that doesn't hide the storm in his eyes.

Danika sits on his other side, holding his hand tightly. Kaziel stands near the window now, his arms crossed, his presence radiating a barely-contained tension.

Jake's voice cracks slightly as he continues.

"...The New Order has members deep inside the Werewolf Corps now. The new commander, Vesper, is one of their leaders. Ever since Haden went down, they've been moving fast. They already have a whole system ready. They're going to extract Azren's essence during the ritual. They believe it's the key to making them strong enough to take over most of the supernatural organizations."

My stomach drops.

Jake lets out a shaky breath.

"It's pathetic, really... but effective. They even have a death chair specifically designed for him. It's been reinforced, with runes carved into it to keep him alive just long enough to drain everything."

Everyone in the room goes still.

Danika's hand flies to her mouth as she lets out a sob. Kaziel moves instantly, pulling her into his arms. His blue eyes are glowing with pure rage, the kind of quiet fury that makes the air feel heavier.

Jake's voice shakes harder.

"Everyone's heartbroken about this, Alpha. But they're converting more members of the Corps every day. They plan to summon Nyxara and use her power to cause chaos, then pose as the saviours who can fix it. They want to turn as many people as possible against you, making you a villain so no one fights back when they take you."

The room is deathly silent for a moment.

Then Azren speaks, his voice almost childlike in its exhaustion.

"...Why does it have to be me?"

The raw pain in those words breaks my heart into a thousand pieces.

Danika lets out a soft, heartbroken sob and buries her face in Kaziel's chest. He holds her tighter, his jaw clenched so hard I can see the muscle twitching.

Jake sounds like he's fighting back tears.

"To be honest, Alpha... you're the only one powerful enough to stop them, and they know it. That's why they're so desperate to break you first."

I feel chills slide down my spine.

Finn.

What if Finn has already been converted? What if the essence I gave him was exactly what they wanted? I told him I had the real one, but I gave him a counterfeit. If he's working with them...

My hand tightens on Azren's thigh. He notices and looks at me, his tired eyes softening just a bit.

I force myself to breathe.

At least I didn't give them the real essence.

"Thank you for the info, Jake. I am deeply relieved that you made it out. You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" Azren says.

"I'm alright. I'm more concerned about you. You still sound like you're struggling. Please get some rest, Alpha. Don't push yourself too hard," Jake replies, his tone soft with affection.

"Thank you, brother," my husband utters.

Jake chuckles. "I've got you. I'm on your side no matter what."

The line goes dead, and I lower the phone.

I lean my head against Azren's shoulder, trying to offer him whatever strength I have left. He turns his face into my hair, breathing me in.

We're all silent for a long moment, the weight of Jake's words pressing down on us like a burial shroud.

I can't hold it in anymore.

"I... I need to tell you something," I say, my voice trembling. Everyone turns to look at me.

Azren's tired eyes focus on my face. "What is it, Angel?"

I swallow hard.

"This morning, while you were sleeping... I met with Finn. The guy from the Werewolf Corps. He contacted me and asked to talk. I went because... because I was scared for you."

Azren frowns, his brow creasing deeply.

"Finn? How did he know about Haden's essence? Or that we even have it?"

I shake my head, feeling guilty.

"I don't know. He said he could use the essence to change the minds of his superiors. That he could stop them from going through with the ritual... the one that would kill you."

Kaziel's expression darkens. He steps closer to the bed, his voice low and serious.

"It's either they've been watching us very closely... or there's a spy among us."

The word 'spy' lands like a bomb waiting to explode.

Azren's breathing picks up. He pants softly, pressing a hand to his temple, his face twisted in pain.

"It's not possible," he rasps, his voice shaking. "There can't be a spy. Not in our inner circle. I trust them. Jake... Cam... they wouldn't—"

His voice cracks. He looks so vulnerable, so exhausted, that my eyes fill with tears.

Kaziel moves immediately. He sits on the edge of the bed beside his son and places a large, steady hand on Azren's shoulder.

"Easy, son," Kaziel says gently, squeezing his shoulder. "Breathe. I'm not saying anyone we love or care about is the spy. I just want to make sure the coast is clear before we walk into this. How many people were there during the extraction of Haden's essence?"

Azren leans into his father's touch, his eyes squeezed shut, still panting through the pain.

"Just... Jake, Cam, the witch Kara... and..." he manages, his voice strained. "Darrell was there too. He brought Kara in."

The name hangs in the air.

Kaziel's eyes narrow slightly, but he keeps his voice calm.

"Darrell," he repeats. "Blue's twin."

Azren nods weakly, his breathing still labored.

Kaziel squeezes his shoulder again, comforting him like a father would.

"We'll figure this out," he says, his voice steady and reassuring. "You're not facing this alone."

Azren doesn't reply. He just nods tiredly. I wipe my tears quickly and lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. I can feel his head throbbing. He must be hurting so bad.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," I whisper. "I just... I was trying to protect you."

He turns his face towards me, exhausted but full of love.

"You always do," he whispers, squeezing my hand. "Even when I don't deserve it."

Kaziel watches us with a soft, pained expression, his hand never leaving his son's shoulder.

The weight of betrayal, spies, and the ritual tonight hangs over all of us like a storm cloud.

But right now, in this room, we are family.

And we will fight for each other. No matter what.

....

The bedroom is quiet except for the soft sound of my hands gliding over Azren's skin.

I've warmed the oil between my palms, and now I'm slowly massaging it into his back, working gently over the red lines where the runes burn brightest. His parents are in the sitting room, talking in low voices, probably trying to make sense of everything that's happening. But right now, it's just us.

Azren lies on his stomach, his face turned to the side, his eyes half-closed. Every slow stroke of my hands makes him let out a soft, contented sigh.

"How are you feeling about all of this?" I ask, my thumbs pressing into the tight muscles along his spine. "The Corps... the essence... everything."

He is quiet for a long moment, just breathing under my touch.

"I'm scared," he admits, his voice low. "Not of dying. I made peace with that a long time ago. I'm scared of what happens to you if I'm gone. Of leaving you in a world that wants to use you."

My heart sinks. I lean down and press a gentle kiss between his shoulder blades.

"You're not going anywhere," I whisper. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

I keep massaging him, pouring all my love into every stroke. After a while, I carefully lie down on top of him, resting my cheek against his warm back, my body covering his like a living blanket. He lets out a deep, grateful sound.

But after a few seconds, I start to pull away, worried I'm putting too much weight on him.

Azren's hand reaches back immediately, catching my thigh.

"Stay," he mumbles, his voice thick with exhaustion and need. "Please. Don't move. I want to feel you like this."

I settle back down, draping myself over him completely. My hands continue their slow journey up and down his sides, feeling every rise and fall of his breath, the expansion of his ribs and every subtle twitch of muscle.

"You're the best part of my day," he whispers suddenly, his voice sincere. "Every single day. Even when everything hurts... you make it better."

Tears prick my eyes. I press a kiss to the back of his neck.

"What do we do, Azren?" I ask. "We need a solid plan. We can't just walk into whatever trap they're setting."

He hums thoughtfully, the sound vibrating through his chest and into mine. After a moment, a playful, tired smirk creeps into his voice.

"You could make love to me," he says, teasing.

I lift my head, staring at the side of his face in disbelief.

"Azren!"

He lets out a real, warm, raspy laugh that shakes his whole body beneath me. The sound is so genuine and bright it makes my heart flutter even through all the fear.

"What?" he asks, still chuckling. "I love fucking you. It's the best medicine I've got."

I bury my face in his neck, laughing despite myself, my cheeks burning.

"You're impossible," I mumble against his skin.

He reaches back again, gently squeezing my thigh.

"Right now... I just want to feel close to you."

I melt against him, pressing soft kisses along his shoulder.