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.”

from me, I nod

Alpha Renard escaped, but the territory

I nod again.

pack,” he says, as if I’m not

you.” I tilt my head. “I don’t care what

critical condition due

the Air (1)

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

of vengeance in my soul that is happy at his words.

psychopath. He’s treating me so carefully as he tells me all these things, and not a single one has me fazed.

his rough fingers between mine. He must think I need comfort, and I’m not sure how to break it to him.

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

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

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Clearing the Air (1)

something.”

must be Clayton; that’s why he called.

out soon. I

few minutes. There’s a flight tonight that

few minutes is all I need. I just need you to promise to listen without

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

about them. “When I was taken from Cedarwood, it wasn’t by

fingers going slack against mine, and his brows come together

were some rogues in Cedarwood who caught my scent.

417

the

go into heat without a wolf?” Lucas

and I freeze.

do you know about that?”

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

that’s why he looked at me with such

pack to get the information,

all over his face, and his thumb rubs over the back of my hand, over

contrition.

I would have brought you back with me that night. You would have been safe. I