Chapter 207 My Angel | 100

Chapter 207 My Angel | 100
NOELLE

Blaze erupts inside me as Azren begins to fight back, but Nyxara refuses to let him go. Heat floods my veins so abruptly it almost blacks my vision out. My heartbeat becomes a war drum.

Haden barely has time to react before I'm on him. My clawed hand drives straight into his chest, the exact same way Nyxara did to my husband.

Flesh parts under my fingers. He howls in agony. When I rip out the beating organ in his chest, I don't hesitate, purely driven by animalistic instincts.

"NO—!" Nyxara screams.

The sound cracks through the chamber just as she wrenches her hand out of Azren and throws him aside.

My heart lurches, but Kaziel is already moving. He catches Azren before he hits the ground.

Azren's body convulses. Blood oozes from his mouth in uncontrollable bursts.

Haden is still in my grip.

"...you—" he chokes.

I tilt my head.

"This is for all the nights you humiliated me," I whisper.

Then I tear his throat open. Blood sprays across my skin. His body jerks twice. Then I toss him aside before his mother can reach us. I don't spare him a glance. I'm already running.

"Azren—!"

He's choking.

Oh gods... he's choking on his own blood—

Kaziel is holding him upright, one arm braced behind his back, the other gripping his shoulder as Azren coughs hard, his chest heaving.

"Stay with me," Kaziel growls. "Stay with me, son—"

I drop beside them, my hands already glowing.

"Az—baby—look at me—"

His eyes find mine, full of an astonishing love.

Swallowing my tears, I press a hand to his chest. Light floods out of me and he cries out.

"No—" he wheezes, grabbing my wrist weakly. "Not... me..."

My heart sinks.

"What—?"

His fingers tighten, soaked with blood.

"...the Veil..." he chokes. "Fix... it first..."

Behind us, Nyxara laughs. I turn and find her on the floor, kneeling beside Haden. She cradles him in her arms.

His body is already collapsing in on itself, his veins darkening, life slipping through his fingers.

"...the essence..." she demands, her voice sharp now. "Where is it?"

Haden laughs weakly.

"...don't... have it..."

Nyxara's expression changes.

"Useless," she says softly.

She presses an unsteady hand to his chest. Then she drains him. Haden screams, betrayal flashing across his face. His body shrivels under her touch, collapsing inward like something that is being hollowed out from the inside.

"Wait—!" he gasps. "You said—"

"You're as good as dead anyway," Nyxara hisses, inhaling the stolen essence. "At least be useful one last time."

His scream cuts off as the last of him slides into her like smoke. Her eyes glow brighter.

She rises slowly and turns back to us.

Azren tries to stand. He almost falls. Kaziel catches him, hauling him up, one arm locked around him.

I move with them, supporting his other side, my hand still pressed to him, feeling his weakened pulse.

And then, the doors slam open.

"ALPHA!"

It's Blue!

She storms in with her eyes blazing, a gleaming white dagger in her hand. Her gaze locks on Azren.

She doesn't slow down. She throws the weapon, and it spins through the air, straight to him.

Kaziel moves at the same time.

He lunges forward, intercepting Nyxara with a brutal strike that sends her staggering back, just enough for Azren to catch the dagger and drive it forward.

It sinks deep into her. The scream she lets out is inhuman.

Azren doesn't stop. The dagger tears through her form, splitting her in two. Wings burst from Azren's back, magnificent.

He lifts what's left of her and throws her straight into the Veil.

"Now!" Azren gasps.

I don't hesitate.

The Light of Return flows through me, brighter than anything I've ever felt before.

I rest one hand on Azren, the other lifted towards the veil. Kaziel holds him steady.

My husband grits his teeth, blood still oozing from him as he channels everything he has left. Power floods out of him and mine meets his. Behind us, Blue joins in, using her fae power.

Light and shadow.

The veil begins to mend slowly. And right at that moment, the screaming spirits rip out of Azren's body in streaks of shadows, screaming as they're dragged into the closing tear.

His body convulses as he lets out a strangled cry.

"Az—!"

I hold on tighter, straining against the dizzying pull as I fight not to be swept up by the current.

The Veil eventually seals with a final, deafening crack.

Silence crashes down and Azren goes limp.

"No—!" I gasp.

Kaziel grabs him and I catch him from the other side.

We lower him together, carefully.

"Azren—" I whisper, my trembling hand cradling his face.

He's struggling to breathe but is still very much alive.

"Az—baby—look at me—"

His eyes crack open, glassy and filled with so much pain. Worse, he's burning up.

"Oh gods—" Panic swells in my chest. "Why aren't you healing?"

He should be. He always does. But the wound in his chest... and the blood soaking through his shirt are still there. He coughs hard, letting out a weak moan.

Kaziel rubs his back. "Easy—easy—"

But Azren doesn't seem to be finding anything easy.

He's gasping now, visibly struggling. Blue hurriedly joins me, her shaking hands resting on his chest as she releases healing energy into him.

My power surges again without hesitation. Golden light flows from my palms, pressing into him, desperate.

"Take it—please—just take it—"

His body arches as he lets out a weak groan.

"...Noelle..."

My heart shatters.

"I'm here," I choke. "I'm right here—"

His fragile hand lifts, feverishly reaching for my face.

I grab his hand instantly, pressing it to my cheek, unable to hold back my tears. His thumb brushes my skin clumsily. But his touch is also so gentle that it destroys me.

"...I lost control..." he whispers.

"I know," I cry softly. "I know, baby—you didn't mean to—"

He shakes his head, letting out a sob. "I was really...becoming...a mon...ster."

I push more power into him, more tears rolling down my face.

"You're not a monster. You're mine. My husband. My best friend. My lover. You're my everything."

His body trembles harder as he lets out another sob, tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

"...I...failed—" he chokes, his face twisting in pain and guilt. "—you—"

"Azren!" My voice cracks. "Stop—please—"

I rest my forehead against his.

"You didn't fail me," I whisper, tears falling onto his skin. "You hear me? You didn't fail me. You saved me. You're still here—"

His fingers curl weakly against my cheek.

Footsteps crash into the room right then, followed by the sound of urgent voices.

"Noelle—!"

I turn, my eyes widening at the sight of Jake, who's barely standing.

His face is pale, his body swaying as if he's about to collapse any second.

Behind him, the others follow. They are injured and exhausted, barely holding it together.

"We have to move!" A uniformed man shouts. "The building—it's going down! The others already made it out. But, Alpha—"

As if on cue, the ground vibrates beneath us. Cracks split across the walls.

"Damn it," Kaziel mutters. His arm tightens around Azren, holding him upright as another painful cough wracks his body.

"We're out of time."

My heartbeat spikes.

"No—he can't—he's not stable—"

"He won't be if we stay here," Kaziel says. "We're taking him home."

He looks up.

"Everyone, come closer. Now."

They all move right away. I tighten my grip on Azren, my hand still glowing faintly against his chest.

"Stay with me," I whisper.

His head tilts slightly towards me, and Kaziel adjusts his hold, bracing him.

"Azren," he says, his voice firm but steady. "I need you with me."

Azren swallows hard. But he nods. His other hand reaches for Jake while I lace my fingers with his bloody ones.

Jake doesn't hesitate to grip his alpha's other hand, his jaw clenched through the pain.

Danika moves in beside Kaziel, her hand locking with his. We quickly form a chain of circles.

Azren inhales deeply. His body trembles as he pulls what little power he has left together.

The air around us bends.

"Hold on," he rasps.

For a split second, everything disappears, then we land hard. The familiar scent hits me first. The smell of warm wood.

The Lakewood mansion.

Azren collapses the second we arrive.

"Azren!"

Kaziel and I catch him together. I'm on my knees beside him right away, my hands already glowing, already pushing light into him without thinking.

It pours out of me in a steady, desperate stream.

"Noelle—" Danika's voice is thick with tension. "Careful—"

I don't even look at her.

"Take it," I whisper, pressing my palm harder against his chest. "Please—just take it—"

"You need to slow down—" someone says.

I shake my head. "No."

I feel it draining me now, but I keep pushing harder.

"Noelle, that's enough—"

"No!" My voice cracks. "It's not enough—he's not healing—"

My hand trembles, but the light doesn't falter. I won't let it.

"I said I wouldn't give up," I whisper fiercely, tears rolling down my face. "I meant it—"

Azren whimpers.

"...Angel..."

My heart shatters all over again.

"I'm here," I choke, leaning closer. "I'm right here—"

His hand finds mine.

"You're... burning out..." he croaks, his voice barely audible.

"I don't care," I whisper.

I really don't.

My vision starts to blur. But I keep going, pouring everything I have and everything I am.

His fingers tighten suddenly around mine.

"Stop..." he breathes.

I shake my head again, stubborn.

"No—"

"Please..." His voice shakes. "...stay..."

Those words hit me deep.

"...don't leave me too," he whispers.

My hand trembles as the light falters, coming out in uneven bursts before dimming completely.

I can't—I can't give him more.

My body won't let me.

A sob tears out of me as I collapse forward, my forehead pressing against his chest, my hand still clutching his.

"I'm still here," I whisper shakily. "I'm not going anywhere—"

His arms move, wrapping around me and pulling me closer.

I curl into him instinctively, pressing against his side, careful of his wounds but needing to feel him. To know he's still here.

His breathing is rough. But it's there. Thank goodness.

"...Noelle..."

I tilt my head up, my face inches from his. His eyes are barely open. But they're on me.

I lean in and our lips meet softly.

"I love you," I whisper weakly against his mouth.

He smiles.

"...love you... more..." he rasps, clutching me a little tighter.

We stay like that until the darkness covers us like a heavy blanket, pulling us under.