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.
the shifters guarding me. I can feel Todd get up from the couch. The
the doorway. His eyes find me on the couch and his expression darkens. Without a
in front
12.39
2/8
Homecoming
my head back to meet
eyes
Anger, disappointment, id something else I can’t quite
cold stare digs into the side of my face, but I refuse to break eye contact
flexing beneath his weathered skin. For a moment, I think he
expect.
gaze locked with mine, as if searching
something delivered. The alpha will be here
triumphant smile I want to have has to be hidden deep in my heart. There’s
victory.
my gaze to the TV. “So good to see you’ve been so worried about
12:39
318
C
Homecoming
where I’ve been, am I okay. What a loving,
learn to keep my mouth shut, too. When did I develop this level of
been missing, and not a word out of their
for two decades
can’t do another
my dad says in
say, refusing to call
father.
your absence. I’m letting it pass today because you’ve been
Selene were here, she would have repeated his words in a mocking tone that made me laugh. But she’s not, so I just turn up the volume on the TV,
<
Ava: Homecoming
to snatch the remote
it off.
trash, Ava,” she admonishes, her voice like ice. “Get dressed in something more presentable. You look like
person.”
in a couple places along my thighs, and my faded t–shirt that might 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 put a down
her neck and
wave a hand down my body with
as presentable as I get,” I say, each word enveloped in wry amusement. “Since I don’t have parents who actually take care of me. I’m
before I can even register
5/8
Homecoming
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!