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 position

walls I’ve built to keep

<

Their Plans

mate with the beta or another high–ranking shifter in the pack, but Westwood sent her back home, closing the boundary to all shifters from our

in my seat. Was this before or after Lucas suddenly decided

of his actions feel somehow tainted. Was it

as he continues, “Westwood’s been

they’re

between him and Dad

sense.

rogues encroaching on our

kept their paws off for now as there is no clear evidence of a war brewing between each pack.” His brown eyes, cold like Dad’s, bore into mine. “That’s what’s kept

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67 Ava: Their

on for a

any large–scale

nod to indicate that I understand, even as I’m confused he’s

has increased since the Lunar Gala. Why?”

body

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

Ava?”

didn’t know who 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 people need to

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

was.”

the sudden

Their Plans

me must have been trying to see if

have happened in

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

to roll my eyes at

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

Go, Lisa!

sure you haven’t

firm denial. “I didn’t tell him

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Their

was, he turned into a different person.” That much is truth,

whatsoever.

to smell it on me,