Chapter 166 My Angel | 059
NOELLE
Dread thickens the air even before Kaziel utters his next words. The fear in my husband's eyes is so raw, so naked, it feels like someone reached inside my chest and yanked.
His knees hit the floor in front of the couch with a dull thud that echoes in my ribs.
Danika makes a pained little sound, clearly trying not to shatter in front of her son. Tears are already sliding down her cheeks. She presses her lips together, but the tears keep coming anyway.
Kaziel lifts a shaking hand. His fingers find Azren's cheek. The touch is so gentle and full of affection.
"Son," Kaziel rasps again. "I've been giving her... my Tribrid core."
Azren stops breathing.
Kaziel keeps going, speaking like he's been rehearsing this confession for years.
"Not all at once. Piece by piece. Over the years. She needed it to keep the spirits from hollowing you out completely. Every time they surged... every time you almost lost yourself... I gave her another fragment. To buy you time. To keep you breathing."
Azren's eyes are huge, glassy, and unblinking. A tear slips down his cheek before he even realizes it's there.
Kaziel's voice cracks.
"The curse she put on me... it did damage, yes. But I was never going to be strong again. Not after the first transfer. I knew that. I chose it anyway."
Azren makes a sound that's painfully similar to a whimper.
"You—" His already wrecked voice cracks. "You've been dying slowly. For years. While I—"
He chokes.
"While I hated you."
The last three words come out like they've been ripped out of him with hooks.
Danika lets out a soft sob and presses her hand to her mouth.
Azren's shoulders start to shake. He drops his head forward until his forehead rests against the couch. Tears fall freely now, soaking into the blanket. His fists clench in the fabric so hard that his knuckles bleach white.
"I hated you," he repeats. "I hated you. I thought you were weak. I thought you were ashamed of me. I thought—"
He can't finish.
Kaziel's hand slides into Azren's hair, his trembling fingers stroking gently.
"I know," Kaziel whispers. "I let you think that. It was easier. If you hated me, you wouldn't ask questions. You wouldn't try to stop me. You'd stay angry... and alive."
Azren's whole body jerks like he's been electrocuted. I can't breathe.
Kaziel keeps stroking his hair.
"I don't regret it," he says, his voice soft but certain. "Not one second. Not one drop of blood. Not one day of weakness. I'd do it again. A thousand times. Because you're my son. And I love you, Azren. More than you know."
My husband breaks down, and it takes all of my willpower to keep myself from crashing down on my knees. To see a powerful man like him let out such deep, ugly sobs like they're being ripped from the bottom of his soul ruins me.
His shoulders convulse, his hands fisting in the blanket so hard I think he might tear it. Tears stream endlessly down his face.
"I'm sorry," he chokes. "I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't know. I didn't—I thought—"
Kaziel shushes him gently.
"I know, son. I know."
Azren's head bows lower. His body curls in on itself like he's trying to disappear.
Across the room, Jake turns his face away, his jaw clenched, his eyes shining with moisture. Azalea presses her knuckles to her mouth, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. Val stares at the floor, his throat working hard. His eyes are red from holding back his own emotions. The room seems to be blanketed with a sudden wave of overwhelming grief.
It feels like someone is carving my heart out with a dull blade.
Suddenly, Azren speaks in a voice so broken, it sounds like shattered glass.
"No."
Kaziel's eyes flash with tiredness and resignation.
"Son—"
"No," Azren repeats, his damaged voice a little louder. "You're not even sixty. You don't get to just... fade. You don't get to give up everything and then leave me with the guilt of it."
Danika makes a little, wounded sound.
Azren's gaze swings to Val. His eyes are wet, furious, and pleading.
"There has to be something," he says. "There has to be a way. You're telling me my father's been bleeding himself dry for years and there's nothing we can do?"
Val exhales slowly, as though he's been dreading this question.
"There is... one possibility," he says carefully.
Danika's head snaps up. Hope blooms in her eyes so brightly, it steals my breath away.
Val lowers himself onto the ottoman across from the couch with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped.
"Noelle," he says gently, "you're the golden wolf."
My heartbeat spikes out of rhythm.
Azren's head whips towards me. His expression is a mix of fear, protectiveness, and dread all crashing together.
Val keeps going.
"The golden wolf carries the Light of Return. But it also has the power of pure restoration. If you can access your innate abilities, if you can channel it fully, you could replenish what Kaziel has lost. Not just patch him up, replenish him. You can bring him back to what he was before the transfers began."
Kaziel's hand tightens on Danika's.
"No," he says immediately. His voice is weak but firm. "Absolutely not."
Danika's breath hitches.
"Kaz—"
"I won't ask that of her," he says. "I won't ask anyone to pour their efforts into me. I've taken enough from this family."
Azren lowers his head, his jaw clenched. He's clearly torn.
But I'm already moving.
I drop to my knees in front of Kaziel, reaching for his hands. They're cold and trembling. I hold them tightly, my pulse racing.
"Please," I whisper. My voice shakes. "Let me do this."
Kaziel's eyes meet mine. They're glassy, exhausted, and full of a grief I can't even begin to understand.
"Noelle—"
"If not for you," I say, tears burning my own eyes, "then for Danika. She's only ever treated me like a daughter. From the first day. If I can give her back the man she loves... please. Let me."
Kaziel's throat bobs. A tear slips and rolls down his cheek.
"And for Azren," I continue, my voice cracking. "He's given me everything. He's fought for me when no one else would. If I can give him back his father... if I can give him back the years he lost hating you because he didn't know... please. Let me."
"Angel—" my husband croaks.
Kaziel stares at me for a long moment. Then his gaze shifts to his son. Azren's eyes are full of tears. He's not hiding them anymore. They just fall silently, dripping onto the blanket.
Kaziel takes a long, shaky breath. Then he nods.
Azren lets out a ragged exhale and drops his head forward again, his shoulders shaking.
Val clears his throat.
"In the meantime," he speaks softly, "Azren's blood can sustain him. Temporarily. It won't heal what's been lost, but it'll keep him stable until Noelle can channel the Light."
Azren nods without lifting his head.
"Do it," he rasps.
Val moves immediately, preparing a syringe with efficiency. Azren rolls up his sleeve, offering his arm without hesitation. The needle slides in, and dark blood fills the vial.
Kaziel watches, his eyes wet.
Azren finally lifts his gaze to his father.
"You don't get to leave me now," he says. "We still have years to catch up on. Years you stole from both of us. You're not dying. Not yet. Not ever, if I have anything to say about it."
Kaziel's lips tremble.
He reaches out with his free hand and Azren takes it immediately, gripping hard.
"I love you, son," Kaziel whispers.
Azren's face crumples.
"I love you too," he chokes. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."
Kaziel squeezes his hand.
"No apologies," he says softly. "We have time now."
Danika lets out a quiet sob and leans down to kiss her husband's temple. Azalea turns away, her shoulders shaking. Jake stares at the wall, his jaw clenched as he wipes his face.
I stay on my knees, holding Kaziel's other hand.
This broken, beautiful family is worth every scar, every drop of blood, and every nightmare. And I'll give everything I have to keep it whole.
"You also have to stay healthy, Alpha. You need to take care of yourself. Your life isn't just yours alone anymore," Val says to my husband, who nods wearily.
"Luna, please take your husband to rest. The adrenaline will burn out soon, and trust me, he wants to be in bed when that happens," he continues, and I worriedly move over to Azren, helping him to his feet.
He grunts, holding on for dear life. He's shaking so hard. My goodness, Val was right. Jake hurries over to help me lead Azren towards the stairs.
"His body has gone through a lot for the past few days. I suggest some good skin-to-skin cuddling," Val calls out, and I blush hard.
His parents are still here, for goodness' sake!
I take a peek at them and find them smiling hard, almost like an insider's joke was just made. And that makes me blush even harder.
"Watch your step, Az. Easy," Jake says as we head up the stairs.
Azren is panting now, shaking harder than before. My anxiety level shoots up.
"Almost there," I whisper.
Azren huffs weakly, his grip tightening suddenly around my wrist.
"Don't—" he swallows hard, his voice thick, "don't let me—"
His words tangle and fall apart.
"Let you what?" I ask quickly.
He shakes his head as though even that is too much effort.
"Jus'... stay," he murmurs, the last word barely formed.
Back in the room, we lay him down gently. He's dead weight at this point. I crawl onto the bed, beside him, feeling for his temperature with shaking hands.
"Remember what Val said. Skin to skin," Jake emphasizes with a smug voice, and I squeeze my eyes shut, my face burning.