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.”

of input from me,

family and Alpha Renard escaped,

I nod again.

he says, as if I’m

don’t care what happens to them.” Too bad all the important people escaped.

in critical condition due to the wolfsbane I injected her

the Air

right now. Like sadness, anxiety, worry,

huge demon of vengeance in my soul that is

I don’t want to show my possible future mate that I’m a raging psychopath. He’s treating me so carefully as he tells me all these things, and not

reaches for my hand, sliding his rough fingers between mine. He must think I need comfort, and I’m not sure how to

be back every few days. Right now, another alpha is helping me keep things in control over there, but I can’t just let

the lines on his brow. “You’ll do great,” I assure him. “But before

317

Ava: Clearing the

something.”

be Clayton; that’s why he called. Maybe Clayton doesn’t realize

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

“I only have a few minutes. There’s a flight tonight

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

admirably calm with my words. “Whatever you have to tell

time to worry about them. “When I

and his brows come together in

rogues in Cedarwood who caught my scent.

417

the Air (1)

you go into heat without a

and I freeze.

you know

been under the impression you were working with your family–with the alpha of

he looked at

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

his thumb rubs over the back of my hand, over

contrition.

sorry, Ava. If I had just kept my head out of 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 should have trusted in