60 Ava: Homecoming (II)
When Mom and Dad walk through the door, dinner isn’t ready, because I haven’t once left the couch.
I’m two episodes into a back–to–back marathon of Selene’s favorite show. Todd and his two goonies have tried to get me to cook, but I’ve ignored them at every
turn.
I find it interesting that they never once tried to physically drag me into the kitchen. They would have
before.
I don’t think it’s my attitude; they’re the kind who would beat it out of you, not back down.
So, it’s the order Phoenix gave. But why? What’s planned for me?
Before I left, it was to use me as a breeder for the pack. That isn’t the kind of future where I’m protected from beatings. That means there’s something more…
My stomach clenches. Do they know about my heat?
They have to..
There’s no other explanation.
18
60 Ava: Homecoming (II)
If they know I went into heat, then they’ll likely know
about the supposed ‘true omega‘ designation Clayton’s pack had given me.
And if they think I’m that…
Shit.
When the front door opens, I don’t budge. Not a
muscle twitches.
I can smell Mom’s perfume before her heels click against the floor. Even without looking, I can imagine the pinched look on her face. “Ava Grey. Your brother spends all this time to find you and bring you home safely, and you can’t even make dinner to repay him?”
I don’t respond, keeping my eyes trained on the flickering TV screen.
go,” she says, ostensibly to the shifters guarding me. I can feel Todd get up from the couch. The absence of his presence
doorway. His eyes find me on the couch and his expression darkens.
in front of
12.39
2/8
Homecoming
to meet
eyes
a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. Anger, disappointment, id
on. Mom’s cold stare digs into the side of my face, but
moment, I think he might speak, might unleash the torrent
expect.
his gaze locked with mine, as
and says, “Have something
hidden deep in my heart. There’s no point in
victory.
the TV. “So good to see you’ve been so worried about me. So many questions about
12:39
318
C
Homecoming
I’ve been, am I okay. What a loving, caring family.
should learn to keep my mouth shut, too. When did I develop this level of
not a word out of their mouth is
this for two decades is more than
can’t do another second.
in his warning tone.
say, refusing to call him any
father.
a degenerate in your absence. I’m letting it pass today because you’ve been through a lot, but make no mistake, Ava–you will behave when Alpha
a mocking tone that made me laugh. But she’s not, so I just turn up the volume on the TV,
<
Homecoming (II)
to snatch the remote from
it off.
her voice like ice. “Get
person.”
have seen better days a hundred years ago. Mom’s gaze is cutting, appraising me from head to toe with an expression of utter disdain. She’s dressed to perfection, as she always is, in a designer dress that could
her neck and ears.
wave a hand down my body with a bright smile.
say, each word enveloped in wry amusement. “Since I don’t have parents
I can even register the
5/8
Homecoming (II)
T1I1m3PYmpJRNzin5a7sEJCHGJY4cNJgzqZavbqONa2W9tzCtSCq2k8GBKhHYGbheTB2rZxNU5nGYts0y/dZsUqHAGU0nRf2HZPY7CcEyngmfnyaTfKecE3McJmgOuC5ue2Bfl9yDGeJLdqMUQDs89kUTrA51NpuOi9l3dIrdA9gTLAPRyWGJ/hE3PKvzYyDpzYSg5mCDjVk1gbY0r88DYNbt1fIuy7y0lNrD95uMEz9aEJ6xik+TM6106m4tYvEWA8VBdH+V+j78XIvbRBtn/PddBBp+SQmurMmrRvpnVVAhHPn3ocOO9FBV8gHylnWNoWVvcC+spGegHViWzvj8biUPwLLWitNC9JKQ87c+/QRg8/G3IRjhxkMNLQ9ivjZjuPIC3GXBGk/L9P7Sz/e3n/OPTY3EYiw7PqnxYYjLIvqKmWokkCMHs2xbub+FMxghidi6EFeGCseiZkYwwGEU2KDCGQYEgIYk3NzloFgprOYZZUIGHH8a1Han8aTu/YxIB8C8uPwDQemEPUUfTHPviSnfSateRcUhrfvO2Gn8LxjBJvkb1S4WNldw4sN/Eq2JovlFbouL1/1Qn3DJKbhdWAuUQLdrzZXk1APKUPKjjr7y9tyM3lFq74jUvCumeXhnukLTP913ddF/BwamTkHGdJH0y/MkiHS9lxw71jFKx2Etwlv8l7b/8bsaJrGQdN7i8e3IP0uinwsh+04uufnOkxK/uHAOpw5SSJsHCqddk4xTfPvpQkCiw6PJpSAq9BPmfa5VX+obO85w2f6MjS8homl4hm9W9/YVhefkZSumYhJrp581HjOHuf3pga/jJAFioEjJSRxHMaovwHLdV2Ah/kQdnslvwr8QykeTieDQmY8iHRC83aeUbveRwlAL4elazdz7Crq7dPHOMYWIDTS2Q08/wgdd2sbnb0VpFeidomH3ue8XoaOvJc0r/zmWLb4fYe08OuNgmpSCE2z0cUaYWbtlApGPQ3fvu4RcFoL9MrcQxGBMaF04YessgRU16dR9ncdHw1RWgvz4UR2BvdDEqo7x27RyOq25FB63woBbRdglZIXr0sqq7kdQh3ydj4kItPcoyKHBp7XQT1t3Fxk1g4h32zOkN2VcMS/cJt0eDo7C3OUWptyxl+9yQDBpkAaglXmx+TnMH2lra2YOMfxhi51kzR8f0QBO0vzhuWddqiS+mPYy4CC2LIMKQECm7fzjOPWAzPSPW+XtCDjVmz1bS+MGlhI3Q0abGE0/+GF+4aw94W09aWwkrGJdsLFKepY3MkfcreylfcRYTROZoRb/bVWxcDDFSf46DvPb7fg7FxoK07KtghQnwWiRqK8ObafhRYTZoMGzvpIYvtgtYJINDjcr3kBUgMOy02F1jfg/JPi1Hd5hf/UvKRJ5hBmA9ueBcXX3h+wckSbRO2Z50k2jV+L3DuP1N54pcg2DSIz++mRMeFXzcw9kKag0Uw34RXNTj9UcEJP9td5o1LyDcUJvWhcG3bcifjAKS2BTCY+1voSe4PXZtj6upHIJ4du7t2/zePmMVK0o5jV8L1f83uMhQmEGDKnzOBOx4bWEuhmBNK+1nLsGNwPiYdBqV6ETFZ1SYUTUM2IHTmZPu0DSogK6V/cLJ5r7qHYecxioOt/mUwsidLNet6DCYoo1dGlSlxs4MnUTH76v4gWnIIsgHHtH1mR/7KkQIp++/taKarqisiLBh9X1td9rBR+TEII/q6o03bYHW9O0ugehkI5T6acp0ro3h2JPEs2mT+63l+fKMp8WFpAJOZrIiB7Q2IkeTv6Q3jTpcCs9gpeCehPzmzYAF+ybMH0gxAaqbRV7Qvi+tOW2u6sheKOc7cy95djvO3re0hIFw/D8kQm7RTizRx67JcDC/SQMqc+yLTSRGm6ESLIdO5Q9V6oOcNjqBEDgTA3stU4TXme8uIHCdV0SBHJqNNtf0d45HiRyxl/3ihojrQ8/RaynD5SK+QnaqqG9CReZz61g8u5CxLVeqQ0mj7egqAun3pxURVVxcfV83J8tZYNgDJoP0SaEooi0IT5pUeRrB2B1jl3ytWIju2B35VZoN1b8Zb1wBB2gQwbZklZvDx/ozdQl3RtYtNj8tUlKJY+C+SFUXcIpfJOdS7hD/juBXAI5YBPs4SsDfLiK6sCRIpsGlG8RoD8+EPqQmv+z8goVwOJM4nQQvvkLA/3LAFzlI+v/TTI3nd7QRdiFvAYfFOtNxVPHkw1GZWtcerfSHrF8YWdC3xHYaZcQo8qMtk7T80sOaonTWRLLHdJBvsmWwJyACqfWW/El9OI9h8/U+BrZ8dpBDPfdzxWSd8AWAVt6IrTa+4A+Fa35Hy1tKHGnDh5J1CI8D36ZlBcVtUe8aCO8C6XnVUwbywVvHA0w5aPjfVysVTbRDTytcW2uypfGY0KttdRUpPGECdK8xIYde4eF5UjRv2oweT7QEA4n/Ks66ZBhz9ikQCmz7opeVbV9Qq7Tw0b0cB5hb5wdFXwSCZ72aL6tZQfjfuw7WTP0pAWwjdL3BIj+5Z8ulABHN6vRrXiXeLUvXDjQ7SJdEmnQ3ZNr6ZGf24yeuCWmcu9Svt8f17eaxQxJxuRA62NUZyvlcGXB5l5tV/Yyv/M7joGvzM3hz4giVUNIh6yP0iD3/6Ts3M42UKFFUbIjh7/7giqls0TpBMwWCil0ePRl05fEfRBuOV0pxJKj0ou+tcFlLAksjYOoqpPLoL1kVppimzkJvkLwKBpCH+sDi+R0eM0HPuuwvpq+HytJeVMFTiuITFodRiVvF8Pe98uE2panWFpGKj8j4PTiJ1D5crNM90koS9nGSsFd2tHtapnJ5WQ1pUP7GCXN7l4E4a30oBtRRKNXeXyy0TJ5CK4n+L8YoEU6+4S9ZhX/PZszCjWFPljmoyr6u/mIG7z9q/qT5lDSkHZnR3EgWlPeNOvYuHCxYER6e4LT1rdsEyL6jf+lgot5g3hw1toLVWiAltiIfV95Y4yokhclRaFl8/ohiDhdtSLzDdxlHarkl0+G0hhfXw8Inaf4G2s8nFhT+jiBY9+4MDEQqC53H9D+38hmB9a7SpQkaiVlG/NsEPZET8BrXI3xvU3O00cQd9s7OXA8xZy2LALFpr5EOgvdFAWmH/F8e0ysrolmYrNCuh14OgRI0/9LUw3fDeR4Hua1up2CdsBH7YRk5x95WHA8jm5yA1fInraHWHUa+FrchD5WTfde3wL9ZNBvu9cEhNdbk9aduhkNfHgGwKLLyHeSHq3vzU4gID5jrCMS/J5TFwKZ5Mpi6rYVIvRDMcNtcHzQ8UCFNOj0K94sPYmHWcWgupssAPUupXDn7jDa4rxk2+fF33aINZAVmk8J96oi3SAasbul3zeP4+nMX3ZDoeFCdGkaQhO93dQqF/ZDBzH//WwJqw4ClG2UmCkRxcdAXJx5IZ2LPHbe+Z25PAwWBDXUEU63jVTqiVkIbCxgEv7YlSQ0ZL5sxc43vBtvct9+O7z/J/1PacHhTxLhEHAP5e2bjIk1CfhrQ6JtK9Jpe719LbaeNozm/QIc9eynyCMpl0KlzRAZ0AUluwlB4ppDOiKNFU4WN4Ui9juOwjPdOX+ReT20hZzReAw7jBAdnY/+5zQK3w6+zGLH0vt/iMvE7mYPoXLureHUOPW595dkNmu0LEwCYlia7hUAjkTsVKtXKWZGp0bJmza8oSD4zVItC35lG6Vth7zYeda72nDd7SFd0EKKJGB6sgNb8zX3mUbGz1OwfGOYhBf8vHfd24Q4i0nFsJINSIIOYInywMfa9hYxixuNMn02HUCL5YzV97+wqzvxVKmAOHOG5n7Epzr87S1Igg2YJgEqvZ1yLb146PktqxFqRH8ZSe+h/8ZoxEEqKaVQwAFjZndCWpvg+29co+XBhDYluCxI5TCesccQLuPTJJs3gIY9Xp0hp52gSOhvKULp5PdrZqPzLFpGETFJGuSX73FXJpxXHHjKdFY3Pe6aPPlX89TSvVvyTiNeSAc/4OO93fcV2cFmLoZMgc551OllbOE/KSZ6egPuD8V5kbhCgAt/vI/1/iIIOS3olc/TgpDQAfpNBvnDZZ38rEYuKJ5bpr9mbNnOgg7R9nOHCUj0q5qz1rQp3FaJSUhVPahv5jS8f6FH0q7Q+U0CFTUPkQ9Ry5wXmp5mjfubfVZqCzGvPdQvTzuQtKbagcJpzDuXpRen+DcVUnjavd7ngKW2fm5xv6QqkD9OqU+YCh/rB7obk3hmeQgse8noojv/MWEWOs0MieMmvOF10uKnQxrVAl78ZSblKih1vndsnytLc7Luqi7tiBadzotnRmuAchLW6wm8w9WlXEmc4i8ZcvxRtfxfZgvJICs4tBYBM2TT+CI/EZvl4/sG0S9Vpox3zSJm/8G1Yh1zHz9wm+Y5LXzhNie/sBkBlPhbEQYysUcQP/dhgYjL+1NvVXBuWsbcZNUIUit
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!