Chapter 358 Ava: Girl Talk

Left alone, I take the opportunity to glance around the cabin. It's cozy, with a rustic charm that suits Kellan. My eyes land on the couch, and I'm surprised to see a pillow and blanket neatly folded at one end. It looks like Kellan's been sleeping there.

The realization makes me frown. I knew things were awkward between Lisa and Kellan, but I didn't realize it had gotten to the point where they weren't even sharing a bed. The whole "fated mates" situation is clearly causing more tension than I'd thought.

I settle into an armchair to wait.

The shower shuts off, and a few minutes later, Lisa emerges wrapped in a fluffy towel, her hair damp and skin flushed from the hot water.

"Feel better?" I ask.

She nods, grabbing some clothes from a nearby dresser. "Much. Nothing like a hot shower after freezing your butt off outside."

As she dresses, I can't help but ask about what I've noticed. "So, um, is Kellan sleeping on the couch?"

Lisa pauses, her shirt halfway over her head. She pulls it down slowly, avoiding my gaze. "Yeah."

I wait, giving her space to elaborate if she wants to. After a moment, she sighs and sits on the edge of the bed.

"It's just... this whole fated mates thing is a lot, you know? I mean, I like Kellan. He's great. But it feels like there's all this pressure and expectation for our future, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

Sympathetic to her plight, I can only nod. "It's a big adjustment, especially for someone who wasn't raised in pack culture."

Lisa runs a hand through her damp hair. "Exactly. And Kellan's been so patient and understanding, but I can tell it's hard for him too. But, you know, he's Kellan, and always trying to be a gentleman. So he decided he should give me even more space the other day."

"Hence the couch," I conclude.

"Hence the couch," she agrees with a wry smile.

her words. Despite her words, there's a

feeling

explain. But another part of me is terrified of what it all means. I mean, am I supposed to

think about my own complicated relationship with Lucas, the push and pull between us. "I get it," I say softly. "It's not always as simple as the stories make it

all this

you talked to Kellan about

But every time I do, it's like he thinks he's not giving me enough space, and it drives us

arch a brow, but don't push the subject any further. If she

things with you

chuckle at her attempt to change the subject. "Oh, you know. Complicated

an eyebrow. "Care

a moment. "Have you

* * *

tiny stash of venison jerky, four bottles of water, a freshly baked loaf of bed,

"She's outrageous."

a sliver of jerky into my soup. "But what am I supposed to do? She isn't technically doing anything. And she might

Washington. We don't need her

soup, even though it's already lukewarm, before taking a bite. As I chew, a warmth spreads through me that has nothing to do with the temperature of the food. It's nice to have someone be

Me, too, Selene protests.

Yes, yes, you too.

say finally. "She's the

savage motion. "But Lucas and

overstepping her boundaries about the food, Ivy hasn't technically done anything wrong. And she's very popular among both

she's spreading these

any of this from Ivy's own

spoon. "The rumors wouldn't be so prevalent if

my chair, considering her words. She's not entirely wrong, but the situation is more complex than that. "It seems like a stupid reason to sow discord between our packs. Especially

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