Tangled

67 Ava: Their Plans (I)

Every day that passes is a slight uptick in my stress level. Mom and Dad are never home, busy with something. I haven’t seen Phoenix since the day we spoke in the kitchen. And Jessa has been less than receptive over talking about future plans with me.

The fragile alliance feels like it’s crackling away beneath my fingers, like old paper that disintegrates

with the faintest touch.

So when Phoenix comes by without Jessa around, dismissing my guards, my heart jumps into my throat. It’s hard to swallow the water I’d just sipped out of one of mom’s coffee mugs.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” Phoenix looks me over, rubbing his left brow in a mannerism that’s new to me. “They’re planning the mating ceremony for next week. Mom’s in charge.”

“Oh.”

What else is there to say? We all knew it was coming.

It’s odd how peace flows through me at the

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67 Ava: Their Plans (1)

announcement. It’s like my body understands that I’m either going to escape or die trying, because there’s no way in hell I’ll ever let Alpha Renard near me like that.

“Have they sent you to the healer yet?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t heard a word about any of

this.”

Phoenix sits at the kitchen table, so I sit across from him, setting my glass of water aside. The tightness in my throat makes it too hard to swallow. “How much do you know about the pack situation, Ava?”

My lips quirk up into a mocking smile. “How often do you think people inform me about anything, Phoenix?”

He nods slightly, acknowledging my words but otherwise unmoved by them. It’s just a clear indicator that he’s only here for his own interests. Despite everything, he’s not here to save his sister. He’s not here to care about me, or what happens to me.

wants to keep his

the walls I’ve built to

<

Ava: Their Plans (1)

with the beta or another high–ranking

Was this before or after Lucas suddenly decided

somehow tainted. Was it all pack politics?

as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing us of attacking their wolves

they’re being attacked

Now the conversation between him and Dad

sense.

have rogues encroaching on our

no clear evidence of a war brewing between each pack.” His brown eyes, cold like Dad’s, bore into mine. “That’s

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67 Ava: Their Plans (1)

been going on for a year or

large–scale conflicts

even as

increased since the Lunar Gala. Why?”

entire body

you were with him in the garden, and he left in anger. What did you

Ava?”

he was, and he was flirting with me. Once he found out my name, he left.” I hide the rest of the truth. There are things none of these

that Lucas had been sniffing around, trying to get information on you. Once we heard that, we put every pack in the Northwestern Territories

was.”

explains the sudden shifter presence in

Their

They must have been out searching. The ones in the Novel Grind watching me must have been trying to see if I was masking my scent–either that, or

must have happened in the garden,

told us to leave you alone, that searching for you would make

why my family didn’t look for me. I want to roll my eyes at the blatant gaslighting, but I just keep listening, wanting to know

the territory, things changed, and Alpha Renard developed a keen interest in bringing you back.

Go, Lisa!

about our plans. Are you sure you haven’t let anything slip?” Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels

in firm denial. “I didn’t tell him

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Their Plans (1)

The moment he realized who I was, he turned into a different

whatsoever.

be able to smell it on me,