Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 65 Ava: Homecoming (VII) - Season 1 END

Phoenix stops by not long after I give up talking to Jessa, letting my words germinate in her mind.

It's lunch, and I don't do much, just throwing together some simple sandwiches and some vegetables that are left over from last night's dinner.

I watch Phoenix enter the room, my heart picking up speed. He gives me a curt nod before settling into the chair across from me and Jessa. There's a tightness around his eyes that I recognize—he's troubled about something.

Finally, Phoenix sets his food down and leans back in his chair, his gaze flickering between Jessa and me. "I need to talk to you both about something."

Jessa raises an eyebrow, her expression carefully neutral. "About what?"

Phoenix hesitates, and for a moment, I think he's going to brush it off. But then he lets out a heavy sigh. "About Ava and this whole omega situation."

My breath catches in my throat. This is it.

"What about it?" Jessa asks, her voice sharp.

Phoenix's jaw tightens. "I don't like it. If Renard gets an heir out of her, everything I've worked for will be gone. I'll still be beta when Dad's gone, but I've worked too hard for this to go away just because Ava shoots some kid out from between her legs."

Relief floods through me, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and take his hand. Finally, someone in this family is on my side. Well, he's on his own side—but right now, that's my side.

"What do you expect us to do about it?" Jessa's tone is dismissive, but I can see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.

Phoenix leans forward, his gaze intense. "If Ava isn't here, he can't mate her."

Yes.

Yes.

you after her again. Don't be stupid. We need a more permanent

Damn it.

was given life and snuffed out within a

his mouth, but Jessa cuts him off with a wave of her hand. "Besides, we

"What does that have

means she could have the Aspen heir in her womb, you moron. Renard won't mate her

Clayton's child, Renard won't touch me. At least,

give birth and use

to my stomach, and I swallow hard. Could I be...? No, it's too

figure out a way to escape, to get back to the Aspen Pack and Clayton. But it

thought away. One problem at a time. First, I need to get out of here. Then

my face impassive as Phoenix and Jessa argue, but it's difficult to hide my discomfort as they talk about me like I'm not

stay here, then we need to prove she's not an omega," Phoenix insists, his jaw clenched tight. "If

be used as a breeder. My fate doesn't

omega," I interject, my

"And how the hell would anyone prove that, genius? It's not

she's right. There's no way to definitively prove whether I'm an omega or not. It was all speculation

"I'm not going

my tongue to keep from lashing out. As if

her tone casual as if she's discussing the weather. "That would solve the

and I can feel the blood draining from my face. She can't