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

12:40

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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.

keep his position safe.

hurts, even around the walls I’ve built to keep it safe.

<

Their Plans

sent Jessa to the Westwood territory, under the guise of attending college. His plan was for her to mate with the beta or another high–ranking shifter in the pack, but Westwood sent her back home, closing

uncomfortably in my seat. Was this before or after Lucas suddenly decided to come to me

actions feel somehow tainted. Was

as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing us of attacking their wolves at the border, but all their

is that they’re

conversation between him

sense.

have rogues encroaching

a war brewing between each pack.” His brown eyes, cold like Dad’s, bore into mine.

12:46

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Their

has been going on for a year or more, and we

any large–scale conflicts between either

nod to indicate that I understand, even as I’m confused he’s telling me all of this.

has increased since

entire body stiffens.

in the garden, and he left

Ava?”

he was, and he was flirting with me. Once he found out my name, he left.” I hide the

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

was.”

explains the sudden shifter presence in

Their Plans (1)

ones in the Novel Grind watching me must have been trying to see if

in the

first disappeared, the alpha told us to leave you alone, that searching for you would make us look weak.”

my eyes

Westwood alpha after he kicked Jessa out of the territory, things changed, and Alpha Renard developed a keen interest in bringing you back. I was in charge of it all. I even went to find your friend at your little

Go, Lisa!

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

in firm denial.

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Their Plans

got a chance. The moment he realized who I was, he turned into a different person.” That much

whatsoever.

to smell it on me, because he