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.

keep his position

even around the walls I’ve

<

Ava: Their Plans (1)

for her to mate with the beta or another high–ranking shifter in

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

his actions feel somehow tainted.

give me a moment to process as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing us of attacking their wolves at the border, but

that they’re

Now the conversation between

sense.

rogues encroaching

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 peace

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Ava: Their Plans (1)

going on for a year or more,

to avoid any large–scale conflicts between either

even as I’m confused he’s telling me

Westwood’s aggressiveness has increased since the Lunar

body

the garden, and he left in anger. What did

Ava?”

he was flirting with me. Once he found out my name, he left.” I hide the rest of the truth. There

sigh. “We had 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.

was.”

sudden shifter presence

Ava Their Plans (1)

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 I’m

in

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

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

developed a keen interest in bringing you

Go, Lisa!

Ava. He thinks they know about our plans. Are you sure you haven’t

firm

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Ava: Their

Phoenix. I never got a chance. The moment he realized who I was, he turned into a different person.” That much is truth, without

whatsoever.

be able to smell it on me,