Tangled

91 Ava Clearing the Air (0)

91 Ava: Clearing the Air (I)

All my thoughts circle into some sort of insane melodrama right out of Selene’s favorite TV show, and I slap my hands against my face, rubbing hard against my cheeks, as though I can push the tears right back into my eyes.

“Sorry,” I say, as Lucas rests a worried hand against my back, stroking me like you would pet a puppy. It’s cute.

He doesn’t seem to know what to do with me, while

I’m just grateful that he’s trying.

Once I’m sure my tears are gone, I smile up at him. “I’m just frazzled.”

“You’ve been through a lot. Did I upset you when I took -the phone call?”

“No!” The word bursts from me in horror. Does he

think I’m that kind of person, who gets upset when he has to do important things instead of watching me sit in a hospital bed? “Not at all.”

He blows out a breath in what I’m sure is massive relief. No one wants a mate that high maintenance. “Are you upset that I have to leave?”

DE

91 Ava: Clearing the Air (1)

I cringe. “It isn’t that.” I just came to some insane levels of assumptions. “Why… do you have to go?”

“Ah.” Now he looks uncomfortable, and takes a seat on my bed, grabbing my hand.

Oh, God. This can’t be good.

“Once we were safe, Kellan–my beta–led a force of my men into the heart of the Blackwood pack.” I must not look devastated enough, because he clarifies, “In

an act of war.”

seems to want some sort of input from me,

and Alpha Renard escaped, but the territory is under

I nod again.

pack,” he says, as

what happens

in critical condition

the Air (1)

supposed to feel a lot of things right now. Like sadness, anxiety, worry, or other emotions that would be applicable to a good

demon of vengeance in my soul that is happy

because I don’t want to show my possible future mate that I’m a raging psychopath. He’s treating me so

rough fingers between mine. He must think I need comfort, and I’m not sure

lot of work to be done. We are working on disavowing every wolf from the Blackwood Pack and integrating them into ours, or letting them go as rogues. I’ll be back every few days. Right now, another alpha is helping me keep things in control over there, but I can’t just let other people do my work for me, even

the lines on his brow. “You’ll do great,” I assure him. “But before you go, I have to tell you S~ᴇaʀᴄh

317

the

something.”

twists. The “other alpha” must be Clayton; that’s why he called. Maybe Clayton doesn’t realize

yet, but they’ll figure it out soon. I have

checks his watch. “I only have a few minutes. There’s a flight

need you to promise to

but his face is admirably calm with my words. “Whatever you have to tell me, don’t

odd, but I don’t have time to worry about them. “When I was taken from

has his fingers going slack against mine, and his brows come together in thought. “No?

“There were some rogues in Cedarwood who caught my scent. I was going

417

Ava: Clearing the

into heat

and I freeze.

you know

meet mine, unwavering. “At the Gala, I’d been under the impression

that’s why he looked at me with such

time. to get someone into the pack to get the information, but I

his thumb rubs over the back of my hand,

contrition.

my ass, I would have brought you back with me that night. You would have been safe. I was so focused on how I felt about your alpha that I didn’t stop to think that I