Chapter 72
Eden
*I’m Cedar. Azriel sent me.”
The high–fae’s voice is calm, but powerful. Almost too calm for someone who just obliterated half a battalion of
Mara’s soldiers with a literal wall of ocean water.
Axel coughs, and my attention travels back to my Beta. His breaths are labored, and the snow is red around him.
“Can you help him?” I whisper at the high–fae, brushing the matted fur from Axel’s face. He tries to lick my fingers, but I shoot him a glare.
‘You’re injured. Stop tending to me.‘
My Beta whines at my Alpha voice, then looks at Cedar, who crouches down. His cloak billows softly as if it’s caught
in some underwater current we can’t see. He extends his hand and presses it to Axel’s massive side. A faint glow
hums from his palm, cyan blue like moonlit waves. The air smells of salt and healing magic.
Axel twitches. ‘Feels weird.‘
My eyes narrow. “Don’t you dare move.‘
Axel whines, but doesn’t move away. He recognizes Cedar as not a threat, or at least he trusts me enough to
believe it.
“He’s stubborn,” Cedar says with a small smile. “You’ve picked a great Beta. He would have healed on his own, but
this will speed it up.”
“So he won’t die?” I ask.
“Not today.”
I exhale a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My hands shake as I rest them on Axel’s fur again.
Behind us, Elvira shifts back into human form, still breathing heavily. She’s scraped up, blood streaking down one
arm, but otherwise unharmed. She eyes Cedar suspiciously, arms crossing beneath her chest.
“Who the hell are you, Waterboy?”
Cedar turns his head toward her, calm as ever. “Your mate.”
Dead silence.
Elvira blinks. Then blinks again. Even though I can’t feel their mate bond since, well, it is their bond, I can tell that it is passing between them like instant lightning.
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…fucking shit, you’re right. You’re my mate.”
Cedar rises, brushing some snow from his knees. Then he walks toward her slowly, gaze locked on hers. He is taller than her and although Elvira isn’t ugly, Cedar doesn’t look too impressed with his mate.
“So my fated mate is a dog.”
Elvira freezes completely. Her body goes rigid until she finally registers the insult, “I’m not a dog!”
“A werewolf,” Cedar corrects. “But it’s honestly all the same shit to me.”
She stumbles back, blinking like she’s been slapped. “There’s a big difference between dogs and wolves, and I’m a werewolf. You should be honored to-‘
“The mate bond isn’t something I want,” Cedar interrupts her flatly.
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She recoils. “Okay, wow. That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Do you use that line often?”
“Fairies only have one mate, so I can’t say I have.”
Her eyes flare. “Smartass.”
Cedar smirks. “You walked straight into that one, dog–girl.”
“So rude!” Elvira snorts. “Well, it doesn’t matter that you’re an uncivilized fairy because I don’t want this either,
fish–stick. Go back to your little underwater palace or wherever it is you came from.”
“I’m only here for Eden. Because Azriel asked me to teach her how to use her magic. That’s all.”
Elvira stares at him, wounded confusion passing over her face before she masks it with anger. “Then stay out of my
way.”
Cedar doesn’t respond. His eyes briefly drop to the seashell around his neck, glowing faintly.
Axel lets out a low, wolfish laugh despite the pain. I glance down. His breathing is still ragged, but steadier. His
wounds are quickly closing.
Cedar’s eyes land on mine. “Mara wishes to eat you, but Azriel thinks you might be able to defend yourself against his crazy sister if I help you. You’re a fox, and you need someone to teach you magic. That’s why I’m here.”
I look at him. “You owe Azriel?”
“More than anyone. He gave me this. He touches the shell around his neck. “It allows me to shape–shift into anything. To walk on land. My people…we don’t have this kind of magic. We are fairies cursed by Mara to be stuck as merfolk.”
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I stare at the seashell. “Why does it glow?”
“Because it’s infused with Azriel’s magic.”
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Chapter 72
“You’re only helping me because he made it possible for you to walk on land?”
He lifts his chin slightly. “Yes.”
I narrow my eyes. “And I’m surprised to trust you?”
“Azriel does.”
“Doesn’t mean I will.”
To my surprise, he huffs a soft laugh. “Fair enough.”
We help Axel to his feet after he has shape–shifted into a human. He grunts but manages to stand tall, brushing off
Cedar’s help with a growl.
“Thanks,” he mutters grudgingly. “I’d say I owe you one, but I don’t dare, seeing you’re only here to repay some
stupid favor. Not because you care.”
“How charming,” Cedar deadpans.
“But I’m right,” Axel says.
“Yes, but…” Cedar sighs. “How about we discuss this somewhere else?”
“Agreed,” I mutter.
We begin heading back toward the house. Elvira trails behind, shooting daggers at Cedar while muttering about
unfair mate bonds and wet sea elves.
Cedar glances back at her. “You’re going to be a problem.”
Elvira huffs. “And me living happily ever after with a mate is going to be a fantasy for the rest of my life.”
He smirks. “You’re cute when you’re mad.”
“Say that again and I swear I’ll drown you in a puddle.”
“I can breathe underwater. Question is, can you? Because I will bring you down with me.”
Despite myself, I laugh while Elvira gasps, affronted. “You’re the worst mate ever!”
“Don’t worry, I will reject you as soon as we’re alone,” Cedar replies coldly. “The mate bond doesn’t matter to me, especially since you’re not high–fae.”
That shuts her up. She goes quiet, almost too quiet.
When I glance back, I see her staring at Cedar’s broad back, not angry anymore. Just… hurt. But she swallows it
down and lifts her chin.
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I sigh and look at Axel, who is limping beside me.
I think things will turn dramatic,‘ I tell him through the mind–link, the words for him only.
‘Oh, come on, you love it,‘ he bumps me with his shoulder, grinning already. ‘This is going to hurt Elvira and isn’t that what you want? For her to hurt?‘
‘Yes, but being rejected by their mate isn’t a fate I wish upon anyone.‘
There are old tales that says when your fated mate rejects you a piece of your soul is broken. Forever.
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