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

walls I’ve built to keep it safe.

<

Their Plans (1)

territory, under the guise of attending college. His plan was for her to mate with the beta or

seat. Was this before or after

of his actions feel somehow tainted. Was it all pack politics?

me a moment to process as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing

is that they’re

Now the conversation between him and

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

12:46

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67 Ava: Their Plans (1)

on for a year or

large–scale conflicts between

I understand, even as I’m confused

has increased since the Lunar Gala.

entire body

garden, and he

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.”

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

was.”

sudden shifter presence

Ava Their

in the Novel Grind watching me must have been trying to see if I was masking

in

you alone, that searching for you would make us look weak.”

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

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 didn’t know anything.”

Go, Lisa!

you haven’t let anything slip?” Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to

my head again, in firm denial.

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Ava: Their Plans

I was, he turned

whatsoever.

able to smell it on me, because