Ava by L.G.Savage (HeartBreak)

hapter 26

Chapter 26

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“You’re looking weak, Ezekiel. There are ways around those rules, and you know them. You should show the vampire prince who he will bow to when you become the Alpha. If you become the Alpha.”

His father’s words still rang in his ears long after the dreaded check–in phone call. If he became Alpha? That was all he had been waiting for, for six fucking years. Now, his father thought he could dangle it in his face like that.

He lounged by the pool while Claire and her friends swam–if he could call it that. They were in the water, but they didn’t look wet. They were still perfectly made up when anyone else would have been a wet mess. How the hell did they even do

that?

“Did you tell him-”

“Yes,” he interrupted Myles.

He didn’t want to think about his father right now. How was it okay for him to punish the vampires for a minor infraction committed away from the academy, but his father didn’t even have the balls to gut the wolves who’d killed his mate? He was such a hypocrite. Talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk.

Since Shadow had made his deadly appearance, his father used him to enforce the rules. It was him the packs feared. It was he who had blood on his hands. But his father still liked to talk like he had the juice.

“Are you coming in?” Claire asked with an inviting smile.

He lifted his beer and tried not to scowl.

“Maybe later.”

He’d invited them to spend the day to stop Derek from asking too many questions, but he knew what he would rather have been doing. He could still feel her body now, hours later. Even though she was so small, she fit so perfectly against him.

Like she was made for him.

Thinking about her made Shadow growl.

It had been a hard week. He had to leave training several times, on the verge of attacking the people hurting Ava. The coach hadn’t let up on her, giving her match after match. She had fought more times than anyone else in the class, and her body showed it.

on her; he knew that. Phoenix Academy showed no mercy. It was how they produced all the bastards who ran the world.

and watched her sleep for hours. She’d been restless all night until she had that nightmare. He couldn’t blame her for her mental state, but

get out of the academy, but now it was so they

if he’d summoned her, he caught her

by next weekend. It’s our last year; we don’t want to break any rules

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Jan 20 GR

Chapter 26

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were still talking about his father, but Shadow was a mess in his head, fighting for control. His so–called true mate was

my head,” he told

she

He never usually cared where he had her, so these walks always became something else. But even the thought of it had Shadow ready to rip

“Stay,” he growled.

that he had an idea of where she was. He didn’t dare let Shadow out so he could run there quicker. It had been almost a week since he let his wolf out for a

stronger the scent got. He stayed downwind so Jared and his pack wouldn’t smell him, too. But the moment he could see Jared’s house, he wished he had stayed

in the sun. And Jared was sitting next to her, rubbing something

hands

at Jared, obviously enjoying it. His claws

and let Jared continue touching

in his body even as his rage increased. Shadow’s rage increased, covering everything with a red haze that took him back to memories he didn’t like remembering. The rage felt almost like

the cuts and bruises all over her frail body. That momentary distraction was all he needed to take control of Shadow and

he

set Shadow off again

He didn’t need them questioning him about his

scent tethered him as it had done the day of the assembly. Derek and unclenching his bloody fists

and

to think of what he had seen so he could calm the other half of him, but the wolf’s pain

was caving

been cut open.

thought you’d be gone longer than that,” Claire said. “You’ve been walking a lot lately.”

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