Chapter 174 My Angel | 067
AZREN
The phone is barely at my ear when I hear the wet hitch in Levi's breathing.
"Azren..." His voice cracks like he's been crying for hours. "She's dead."
My stomach drops.
I straighten, one arm still wrapped loosely around Noelle's waist. She senses the shift immediately and goes still against me.
"Who?" I ask, my voice low.
"The mother of my child." Levi's words come out strangled. "They killed her. The New Order. They took the baby."
For a second, my brain struggles to understand what he’s just told me. I blink, trying to process.
"Levi... are you drunk?"
A harsh, wet sob cracks through the line.
"I wish I was," he chokes. "I have a kid, Az. A daughter. She's only two months old. They have her. They said they won't release her until you show up."
My mind is spinning.
"When the fuck did you become a father?"
He lets out another sob. "It was a mistake. I didn't know. They sent that girl to me on purpose to get a child from the Lakewood lineage. They’re threatening to use her to open the veil if you don't show up. They said she's the perfect key because she carries our blood."
I clench my jaw, irritated. The New Order has gotten sloppy.
"They can't do that," I say flatly. "The baby isn't tainted by the Underworld. She's innocent. The veil won't respond to her the way it does to me."
Levi's voice cracks again. "R-really?"
"Yes." I start pacing, one hand dragging through my hair. "They're bluffing. Or they're desperate. Either way, they're not getting their hands on an infant to rip the veil open. That's not how it works."
He's quiet for a moment, and when he speaks, his voice crumbles completely.
"W-what do I do?"
The raw desperation in his tone hits me like a punch to the chest. My little brother, the one who's always been the reckless, grinning chaos in our family, sounds completely shattered.
"You will do nothing reckless," I tell him, my voice low and steady even though my own pulse is roaring. "You stay where you are. You don't go after them alone. You hear me?"
He lets out a shaky breath. "But my daughter—"
"I know." My free hand curls into a fist. "We'll get her back. But you walking into their trap won't help her. It'll just give them two Lakewoods to play with."
Noelle is watching me, her eyes wide with worry. I reach out and brush my thumb across her cheek, trying to reassure her even as my own mind races.
Levi's voice is barely a whisper now. "I didn't even know she existed until days ago.”
My chest tightens.
"Listen to me," I say, forcing calm into my voice. "You are not doing this alone. You are not charging in like a hero. You are going to stay put, keep your head down, and wait for me. I'm coming. We'll handle this together. As a family."
He lets out a strangled sound that might be another sob.
"I'm scared," he whispers.
"I know," I reply. "But you're not facing this alone. Hang on for me.”
I end the call and stare at the phone for a second, my heart aching. Just how many more people am I going to endanger? Is my life really worth it?
Noelle's hand finds mine, snapping me out of the dark thoughts already creeping in.
"Azren?" she asks softly.
I look at her—my wife, my mate, my anchor—and feel a strange calm settle in my chest.
"Levi has a daughter," I tell her. "The New Order has her. They want me in exchange."
Noelle's eyes widen, horror flashing across her face.
I pull her closer, pressing my forehead to hers.
"They think they can use an innocent baby to rip the veil open," I mutter. "They think they can threaten my family and I'll just roll over."
My voice lowers. “They're wrong."
I kiss her hard, grounding myself in her. Then I straighten, reaching for my shirt.
"Stay here," I tell her as I button my shirt quickly. "Stay safe. I'm bringing my niece home."
Noelle grabs my wrist before I can turn away.
"Azren," she says, her voice trembling but fierce. "You're not going alone."
I look at her, exhaling slowly. I can see her love and fear. I can see her protectiveness too. And I appreciate it. I really do. She’s scared I’ve become vulnerable because of the runes on my body.
To ease her mind, I give her a gentle smile.
"Then we go together," I say.
Pushing my hair away from my face, I reach for her hand, and she lets me take it.
We head out of the room together. My wife keeps glancing at me with a worried look on her face.
Noelle's hand is warm in mine as we stand at the bottom of the stairs. She's still flushed from earlier, her eyes bright with that fierce, stubborn determination that both terrifies and undoes me. She thinks we're doing this together, walking straight into whatever trap the New Order has set for me.
She has no idea how far I'll go to keep her safe.
I squeeze her fingers gently, pretending to hesitate like I'm still weighing the risk.
"You're sure about this?" I ask, my voice low, playing the reluctant protector one last time.
She nods, squeezing back. "We're in this together, remember? No more hiding. No more pushing me away."
I smile at her, reassuring her with the kind of smile that usually makes her melt.
"Yeah," I breathe. "Together."
The lie tastes foul in my mouth.
We head all the way to the front door. There, I turn to her fully, cupping her face with both hands. My thumbs brush her cheeks, memorizing the warmth of her skin and the way her lashes flutter when I touch her.
"Azren?" she whispers, a trace of confusion crossing her features.
I lean in, pressing my forehead to hers.
"I love you," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "More than anything."
Before she can respond, I let the power swell inside of me, that dark, hypnotic thread I never use on her. My eyes lock onto hers, my voice dropping into the low, commanding register.
"Sleep, Angel," I murmur.
Betrayal flashes across her face, her eyes widening with shock right before her eyelids flutter and her body goes limp in my arms.
My heart hurts seeing that look on her face. But I have to do this.
I catch her before she can fall, cradling her against my chest. Her head lolls against my shoulder, her lashes dark against pale cheeks, her lips still parted on the word she never got to say.
"I'm sorry," I whisper against her hair, my voice cracking. "I'm so fucking sorry."
I carry her back inside, my legs heavy, my heart heavier. The living room couch is closest. I lay her down gently, arranging her limbs so she looks peaceful, like she's only napping after a long day. I pull the soft throw blanket over her, tucking it carefully around her shoulders.
Then I lean down and press my lips to her forehead, lingering there and breathing her in.
"I'll bring Levi's daughter home," I promise against her skin. "And I'll come back to you. I swear it."
My phone is already in my hand as I straighten.
I dial Levi. He answers on the first ring, his voice hoarse.
"Azren?"
"Where are you?" I ask.
"I sent you the address. I'm... I'm already here. They said if I move without you they'll—"
"Stay put," I cut in. "Do not engage. Do not go inside. I'm on my way."
He lets out a sob. "They have my daughter, Az. She's just a baby. I can't—"
"You can," I say, already moving towards the door. "You will. Because if you rush in there, you die, and she still loses her father. I'm coming. We do this smart. We do this together."
I pause at the threshold, glancing back at Noelle. My chest aches as if it has been carved open.
"I'll fix this," I mutter, more to myself than to him.
Then I step out and close the door behind me. The hallway feels colder without her.
I head for the elevator, my jaw clenched.
They want me?
Fine.
They'll get me.