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

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<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I always knew they were a little outdated.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, of

jobs. They’re stuck

Grind, I would often see a father come in with his child, looking for a book or having them read while they do their work. It’s a scene I’ve

home.

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Ava: Homecoming

think I ever

a few months of

you.

and Carlos, and Franklin. Of Clayton and Ivy.

worried. How long they’ll stay worried for, and when

me

going to

know how quickly I

brain, I don’t know how

foot, but I can’t shift. They’d catch me within hours. The only way to escape is with a car.

boat, if we weren’t in the middle of

country.

on the door interrupts my pacing, and

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Ava: Homecoming (V)

the door opens without waiting for a response. Alpha Renard strides in, smiling sweetly, but the look is

voice like poison to the little happiness I’ve managed to store

croons, reaching out to touch my arm. I fight the urge to recoil. “I trust you’re

nod, keeping my expression neutral. Renard’s gaze rakes over me, 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 there, only a

He nods, squeezing my arm. “I wanted to discuss a few things with you, now that you’ve had some

for whatever twisted scheme he has in store. “What did you

discuss?”

couch, his grip/firm

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Homecoming (V)

have a seat. This might take a while.”

I perch on the edge of the

#25

folded in my lap to hide their trembling. Renard settles beside me, entirely too close for my liking, but I

the least. A woman of your age, unmated and unshifted–it’s quite the conundrum. You have no direction, no purpose. These are all things you need to get your mind off your lack of a wolf.” He clicks his tongue, his gaze hardening just

dalliances.”

blank, giving him no reaction to latch onto.

drawn to them, in your confused state. And yet look at the lies they give. Their own alpha took advantage of