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.”

input from me, I nod

Alpha Renard escaped, but the territory is under our control.”

I nod again.

pack,” he says,

I tilt my head. “I don’t care what happens to them.” Too bad all the important

mother is in the hospital. She’s in critical condition due

Clearing the

think I’m probably supposed to feel a lot of things right now. Like sadness, anxiety, worry, or other emotions

a huge demon of vengeance in my soul that is

that I’m a raging psychopath. He’s treating me so carefully as he tells me all these things, and not a single

sliding his rough fingers between mine. He must think I need comfort, and

go as rogues. I’ll be back every few days. Right now, another alpha is helping me keep things in control over there,

great,” I assure him. “But before you go, I have to tell you S~ᴇaʀᴄh the (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in

317

Ava: Clearing the Air

something.”

twists. The “other alpha” must be Clayton; that’s why he called.

but they’ll figure it out soon. I have to head this

few minutes. There’s a flight tonight that I have to

need you to promise to listen without getting too upset.”

you have to tell me, don’t worry, Ava. I won’t think less of you.”

to worry about them. “When I was taken from Cedarwood, it wasn’t by my family.”

has his fingers going slack against mine, and his brows come together

a deep breath. “There were some rogues in Cedarwood who caught my

417

Ava: Clearing the

go into heat without a wolf?”

and I freeze.

do you know

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

why he looked at me with such intense hatred.

get someone into the pack to get the information, but I heard that you were wolfless and not treated well because of

thumb rubs over the

contrition.

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