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.

just wants to keep

walls I’ve built to keep it safe.

<

Ava: Their

to mate with the beta or another high–ranking shifter

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

of his actions feel somehow tainted. Was it all

Phoenix doesn’t give me a moment to process as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing us

they’re

the conversation between him and Dad makes

sense.

have rogues encroaching on our

for now as there is no clear evidence of a war brewing between each pack.” His brown eyes, cold

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67 Ava: Their Plans

has been going on for a year or more,

to avoid any large–scale conflicts between

as I’m confused he’s telling

Westwood’s aggressiveness has increased since the Lunar

body

in the garden, and he left in anger.

Ava?”

shake my head. “Nothing. I 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

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 find you and

was.”

explains the sudden shifter

67 Ava Their Plans

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 I’m paranoid.

in the garden,

disappeared, the alpha told us to leave you alone,

roll my eyes at the blatant gaslighting, but I just keep listening,

interaction with the 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 job, and she

Go, Lisa!

He thinks they know about our plans. Are you sure you haven’t let anything slip?” Sᴇaʀch

in firm denial. “I didn’t tell

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Their Plans

The moment he realized who I was, he turned into

whatsoever.

smell it