Chapter 204 My Angel | 097

Chapter 204 My Angel | 097
NOELLE

The car engine hums steadily beneath us, the tires slicing through the road as the city blurs past the windows, but it doesn't calm me. If anything, it makes the silence louder. Especially since I failed to reach my husband through our bond.

Cam is driving, his jaw tight, his eyes locked on the road. Danika sits beside him, her hands folded tightly in her lap, her knuckles pale. She hasn't stopped glancing at the mirror.

And behind them, Jake sits beside me. His shoulder brushes mine every time the car shifts. I swallow slowly, forcing my breathing to stay even.

'I suspect one of them might not be who they say they are.' Danika's words echo in my head.

Three bodies. Two destroyed. One left.

My stomach clenches.

Jake is slumped slightly, his head tilted back. His eyes are half-lidded like he's exhausted. His breathing is also uneven, his skin still flushed.

Carefully, I turn my head, studying him from the corner of my eye.

"Jake..." I say softly.

He hums faintly, as if it takes quite the effort just to respond. "Yeah...?"

Same voice. Same tone. Same… everything.

My chest tightens.

"You must be in a lot of pain," I say, letting my voice soften with concern. "You're burning up."

He's silent for a moment.

"Yeah..." he rasps. "Feels like shit."

I nod slowly, leaning a little closer.

"Let me help," I whisper. "Just... relax for a second."

His head tilts towards me slightly. "Help how?"

I give him a small, reassuring smile.

"The way I help Azren sometimes," I say. "It eases the pain."

Cam doesn't look back, but I see his grip tighten on the wheel. Danika goes very still.

Jake hesitates just for a second.

"...okay."

My heart starts pounding as I slide my hand into his.

The moment our skin touches, something greedily pulls at my energy.

A cold force tugs at my core, trying to siphon straight through my veins.

I exhale shakily.

'There you are,' Blaze snarls in my head, furious. 'Filthy thing—'

Jake's fingers tighten. Definitely not Jake. Not even close.

My eyes go icy.

"...got you."

Before anyone can react, I move.

My free hand shoots up and slams hard into the side of his neck, my fingers digging into a precise nerve point with brutal force.

His head snaps sideways. His body jerks once and goes completely limp.

The car swerves slightly.

"What the—?!" Cam curses.

"Keep driving!" I snap.

Danika twists in her seat, her hazel eyes wide. "Noelle—?!"

I shove Jake's unconscious body away from me, pressing him against the door, my chest rising and falling hard.

"That's not Jake."

Cam's face drains of colour in the rearview mirror.

"...what?" he breathes.

"He tried to drain me the second I touched him," I utter coldly. 

Danika inhales sharply. Her hand flies to her mouth.

Cam swears under his breath, his knuckles whitening on the wheel.

"...shit."

His voice lowers. "That means..."

He doesn't finish it.

"...Jake never escaped," I say.

Cam's eyes darken.

"And if this one is here..." he mutters, his voice strained, "then Jake and Darrell are in the same place."

Danika turns forward slowly, her expression hardening into a deadly calm.

"The HQ."

Cam nods, already reaching for his phone with one hand while steering with the other. He hits dial, and it rings twice.

"Cam?" Blue's voice comes through, alert. "What's going on?"

Cam exhales heavily. "We've got a breach."

"What kind of breach?"

"Haden," he says flatly. "He's been inside our circle. Possibly still is. And Jake—"

His voice tightens. "Jake never made it out."

There's a moment of silence.

"...what?"

"We're heading to the HQ now," Cam continues. "I need you to mobilize every available team. Quietly. No panic. No leaks."

"On it."

"And Blue—" Cam adds, his voice lowering. "Your brother is in danger."

"...I know," she says quietly.

Something changes in her tone. It's a cold resolve.

"Give me five minutes," she continues. "I'll reroute the units and take command from here."

Cam glances at me in the mirror.

"...you sure you can handle that?" He asks her.

I hear the grind of teeth.

"Let me prove it."

The line goes dead and the car falls silent again.

But this time, the air is thick with determination.

....

The car barely stops before I'm already pushing the door open. Cold air bites into my skin, but it does nothing to cool the heat crawling under my skin. The facility looms ahead in an imposing structure.

Everything about this feels so wrong.

Cam drags the unconscious body out of the backseat, gripping him hard under the arms. Danika stands ahead of us, already scanning the entrance.

Cam doesn't waste time. He shoves "Jake"—Haden—into a metal chair near the entrance hall and yanks his arms back, binding them tight with reinforced cuffs. It’s strange how there’s not even a single guard in sight.

"Stay down," Cam mutters under his breath.

Haden's head tilts as he takes a slow inhale. And his eyes snap open.

"Miss me?" he drawls.

Before Cam can react, his fist drives forward, snapping the restraints like they’re nothing.

It slams straight into Cam's chest with brutal force, sending him flying backward. His body hits the wall hard enough to rattle the entire corridor.

"Cam!" I snap.

But I'm already moving.

I step in and backhand Haden across the face with everything I have. The impact is loud.

His head whips to the side, his body staggering before dropping heavily to his knees.

For a second, he just kneels there. Then, he laughs.

"...wow," he mumbles, rolling his jaw. "You've got a mean swing, sweetheart."

I stare down at him, my expression cold.

"Don't flatter yourself," I deadpan. "You're not worth the effort."

His eyes dart up to meet mine, glinting with curiosity.

"How'd you figure it out?" he asks, tilting his head. "I thought I played that part perfectly."

I let out a short, humourless breath.

"You did," I admit. Then my lips curl slightly. "But you got greedy."

Blaze stirs under my skin, pleased.

"You should've remembered," I hiss, "I know what my people feel like."

His smirk sharpens.

"Guess I underestimated you."

"Story of your life," I shoot back. "Now here's a tip—don't bother fighting."

His brow lifts slightly.

"Oh?"

I fold my arms slowly.

"The essence?" I say, keeping my tone casual. "It's gone."

He laughs louder this time.

"Impossible."

Danika steps forward, her voice calm.

"It's already been destroyed."

That does it. The amusement drains from his face, replaced by something darker.

"...you're lying."

"I'm not," she replies.

And just like that, he snaps.

Haden lunges straight for Danika. But he doesn't make it. Blaze surges forward through me in a flash of instinct. My leg swings out and connects. Hard.

The impact sends him flying sideways. His body slams into the wall with a thunderous crack and concrete splinters, big chunks crumbling. Dust fills the air as the wall fractures under the force.

Haden drops to the ground in a heap, coughing and disoriented.

I blink.

"...okay," I mutter under my breath, glancing at the damage. "I'm definitely not that strong."

Then, the ground shifts. At first, it’s a subtle tremor beneath my feet.

I frown.

"...right?"

The tremor deepens, the floor vibrating. A low, rumbling sound rolls through the building as though something massive is waking up beneath us.

Danika stiffens beside me.

Cam pushes himself off the wall, coughing, his eyes snapping towards the ceiling.

"What the hell—"

The walls shake harder, dust raining down. Lights flicker violently overhead.

And then, a sudden, unnatural rush of air pushes through the corridor, whipping around us like a storm trapped inside the building.

My breath catches in my throat.

No.

No, no, no—

I feel it.

Deep in my chest. In my bones. In the bond.

My heart drops.

"...Azren,” I croak, reaching for him through the bond. But it’s…it’s still blocked!

Danika's head snaps towards me.

I don't wait. I turn and run, faster than I've ever moved. My pulse is roaring in my ears, my chest tight. I’m choking on panic.

He's losing control.

I can feel it.

That power—

That rage—

That pain—

It's leaking everywhere.

"Azren!" I scream, sprinting deeper into the building, my voice echoing through the chaos.

Tears blur my vision, but I don't slow down. Not even when the lights explode overhead in showers of sparks. Because if Azren is losing control like this... it means he's watching me die.

And I refuse to let the last thing he sees be an illusion of my blood on the floor.

Please.

Please hold on, baby.

Just… hold on.