Tangled

63 Ava: Homecoming (V)

The next few days are agonizing.

1

There are shifters outside my house every hour of the

day.

Mom and Dad have disappeared, doing… Honestly, I don’t know what they’re doing.

Phoenix was never around much to begin with, so I’m not surprised that I don’t see him.

It occurs to me that I haven’t seen Jessa even once

since I’ve been home, but, again, not really surprised. It

isn’t like we were ever close.

So I pace in my childhood home, trapped, with no idea what’s coming next, building nightmare after

nightmare of assumptions in my mind. Sometimes I catch Selene’s show on TV and watch that. Other times I watch the news, a habit I’ve gotten used to since working at The Novel Grind. Mrs. Elkins often had it on in the background.

It’s amazing how sheltered I was from the human world, even when living in it. I see why Dad never let

12:43

<63 Ava: Homecoming (V)

me watch the news; it’s enlightening to see how things. are outside of the views of your pack.

I always knew they were a little outdated. After being in the Aspen territory, I’ve learned that my family pack is barely out of the Dark Ages. Now that my eyes have been opened, there are so many details I can pick out that are just wrong.

The fact that I had a phone at all was a miracle–of course, I bought it with my own money.

Jessa begged Dad for one when she was twenty–one, and he relented. But so many women in the pack don’t have a cell phone at all. My dad is sometimes

considered a little too lenient on his women.

for me,

Married she–wolves don’t go out much, and don’t have jobs. They’re stuck at the

a father come in with his child, looking for a book or having them read while they do their work. It’s

home.

217

Homecoming (V)

at Beaniverse, yes–but I don’t think I ever really noticed

months of

you.

of Mrs. Elkins, and Carlos, and Franklin.

thinking about me. If they’re worried. How long

get me

going to

just don’t know how quickly I can do it.

matter how much I wrack my brain, I don’t

hours. The only

we weren’t in the middle of the

country.

on the door interrupts

12:43

317

Ava: Homecoming (V)

a response. Alpha

his voice like poison to the little happiness

arm. I fight the urge to recoil. “I trust

and I resist the instinct to cover myself, even though I’m fully dressed. There’s something predatory in the way he looks at me that makes my skin crawl. There’s no desire

few things

bracing myself for whatever twisted scheme he has in store. “What did you want to

discuss?”

the couch, his grip/firm enough that I can’t pull away

12.43

4/7

Ava: Homecoming

scene. “Please, have a seat. This might take a while.”

perch on the edge of

#25

to hide their trembling. Renard settles beside me, entirely too close for my liking, but I force myself to

purpose. These are all things you need to get

dalliances.”

heart pounds in my ears, but I keep my expression blank, giving him no reaction to latch onto. Renard studies me for a moment, then

were drawn to them, in your confused state. And yet look at the