Chapter 247: Set me free

Azura’s POV

We were still lying inside the quiet lace tent. The warm afternoon sun streamed through the sheer cloth above us, casting a soft golden glow over the plush sheepskin blankets.

My body felt heavy, relaxed, and deeply satisfied. Rhydor’s broad arms were wrapped tightly around my waist, his chest solid and warm against mine.

His steady heartbeat echoed in my ear, a comforting rhythm that reminded me I was no longer fighting this world alone.

I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing in the scent of rain, cedar wood, and our blended bond that still hung heavy in the air.

The bond between us hummed softly under my skin, like a warm current running through my veins.

"What’s her name?" Rhydor asked softly.

I felt a low rumble in his chest as his deep voice broke the peaceful silence. I shifted against his arm, lifting my head off his chest to look up at him.

His amber eyes were soft and full of gentleness as he looked down at me.

"Huh?" I murmured, pulling my brows together in slight confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Rhydor smiled, his thumb stroking my shoulder.

"Your wolf. What’s her name?"

I stared at him for a quiet second. My mind drifted back to the voice that had lived inside my head for so long, the powerful presence that had saved me more times than I could count.

"Azizie," I said quietly.

Rhydor blinked, his dark brows lifting in surprise.

"Azizie?"

I nodded my head against his chest.

"Yeah. Azizie."

A warm, handsome smile spread across his lips, making his eyes crinkle at the corners.

"She’s very cool."

I could not help but smile back at him. I relaxed my body back down against his side, turning my head to stare up at the sheer white canopy fluttering gently in the breeze.

"Yeah," I whispered.

"She really is."

Rhydor shifted his weight slightly, leaning over me with a hopeful look in his gaze.

"Can I see her now?"

I shook my head right away.

"No. The last time you saw her, you saw how hard it was for me to transform back. It almost drained all my strength."

"At least you will be learning the process," Rhydor insisted, his voice dropping into a low, persuasive tone.

"I really want to see her, Azura."

I kept my expression firm, looking straight into his eyes.

"Next time, Rhydor."

"I don’t think I can wait for next time," he pleaded softly, his dark eyes searching mine with intense curiosity.

I looked at him, and for a split second, I felt a strange shift in our shared mate bond. I could feel Logan’s presence stirring deep inside Rhydor’s mind, pushing forward with eager energy.

His Alpha wolf was restless, practically clawing at the edges of Rhydor’s mind because he wanted to see Azizie so badly.

At the same time, I felt a warm, restless flutter deep within my own chest. Azizie was waking up inside my mind, her spirit stretching as if she wanted nothing more than to step out and greet Logan.

I let out a soft sigh, resting my hand on his broad chest.

"I know Logan wants to see her. But can you please give me a little bit of time? Just a day or two, maybe?"

Rhydor stared at me for a long moment, seeing the serious look on my face. He let out a low breath and nodded, his shoulders dropping in defeat.

"Okay."

He was quiet for a few seconds, his fingers playing with a lock of my dark hair. Then he looked back down at me, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity.

"How did you find her? How did you set her free?"

I went still, my eyes drifting back toward the lace ceiling. The memory felt so distant, yet so real, like a vivid dream that had been burned into my soul.

"The thing is..." I began slowly, choosing my words carefully.

"She’s the one who actually directed me to her. I didn’t find her on my own. She led me straight to where she was locked away."

Rhydor frowned, his dark brows drawing together in confusion.

"Where did all this happen?"

I looked at him, then looked back up at the glowing canopy above us, letting my mind step backward in time.

"I think that’s why it seemed like I was dead," I whispered.

"I wasn’t just lying in the tomb. I was actually on a long journey to free my wolf."

****

Flashback~

The heat hit me first. It was a heavy, scorching heat that made it hard to draw a single breath.

Sand stretched out in every direction as far as my eyes could see, glowing white under a blazing sun that hung dead center in the pale sky.

I was walking. My feet were bare, sinking into the burning grains with every single step I took. Sweat dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I could not stop moving.

I had been walking for days through this endless desert. I had no idea where I was, how I got there, or if my real body was still breathing back in the living world.

All I knew was that I was tired, exhausted, and completely alone.

Until I heard a howl.

A low, haunting howl echoed across the empty dunes.

It was faint, almost like a whisper carried by the hot wind, but it cut through the silence like a sharp blade. I stopped in my tracks, my chest heaving as I looked around the endless wave of sand.

I heard the sound a second time, louder and more desperate than before.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I turned my body toward the direction of the sound and started walking.

At first, the howl sounded like it was right over the next sand hill. But every time I climbed to the top of a dune, the sound seemed to shift further away.

I kept moving. I dragged my heavy legs through the burning sand, following the faint echo for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, after hours of endless walking, the flat desert gave way to jagged, dark stone cliffs. Nestled right at the base of the tallest rock wall was a massive cave.

The entrance was wide and dark, but I could not step inside. Heavy iron chains were wrapped around the stone opening, woven together in thick, tight rows.

They looked ancient, lined up in a strange pattern like a giant cage built to keep something extremely dangerous locked inside.

A sharp howl erupted from deep within the dark cave.

The moment the sound hit my ears, a violent pull tugged at the center of my chest. My whole body shook. It was a deep, undeniable spiritual link that made my breath catch in my throat.

I knew that feeling. It was the same bond I had felt pulsing softly inside my soul my entire life, but now it was screaming for freedom.

I had finally found my wolf.

I took three slow steps closer to the dark opening, my eyes staring at the heavy iron links.

"Finally," a voice echoed from the dark shadows inside the cave.

It was sharp, smooth, and laced with deep annoyance.

"I’m sick of being locked up in this dump."

I blinked, taking a small step back in pure confusion.

"Why can’t you just break out? It’s just an ordinary chain."

"Because I don’t have the power to break it," the wolf replied, her voice echoing off the stone walls with clear frustration.

"Only you can do that. Please free me now. I want to get out of here."

I stepped right up to the heavy metal links, running my fingers over the cold iron.

"How am I supposed to free you from this? I don’t have the key to these heavy locks."

"You already have the keys," the wolf urged, her tone growing quick and impatient.

"You just need to use them."

I let out a heavy groan, throwing my head back toward the hot sky.

"Here we go again."

I hated riddles. My entire life felt like one giant, frustrating puzzle that never ended. Every time I thought I was getting an answer, someone or something gave me another mysterious puzzle to solve.

"Oh my goodness," I grumbled out loud, throwing my hands up in the air.

"Not this again."

"Please hurry up, young lady," the wolf snorted from the darkness. "I am really tired of sitting in here."

My jaw dropped, and I narrowed my eyes at the dark cave.

"Whoa. Look at that attitude."

"Well," the wolf replied smoothly, her voice sounding completely calm now.

"I have to match my owner, don’t I?"

I stood there in total shock, staring into the dark cave with my mouth open. I shook my head and turned my attention back to the cage, looking all around the stone ground for any sign of a physical key or a hidden mechanism.

I did not see any key, but my eyes caught a strange patch of bright green sitting against the dull gray rock. It was a thick layer of soft moss growing right on the side of a flat boulder near the cave entrance.

Curious, I walked over and used my fingernails to scrape the thick moss away. Underneath the green layer, words were carved deep into the dark stone. But as I wiped the dirt away, I saw that large sections of the stone were blank, leaving big gaps in the sentence.