Tangled

92 Ava Clearing the Air (1)

92 Ava: Clearing the Air (II)

My stomach churns, and I get through the rest of the words as quickly as I can. “My heat was uncontrollable, and I had sex with the alpha there. He took care of me and Phoenix kidnapped me when I was shopping with his sister. No, we aren’t mated, but we aren’t strangers, either.”

There.

It’s out.

I peek at Lucas to see his reaction, but he’s just sitting there, his eyes unfocused.

It’s obvious that he’s taking some time to process everything.

My eyes drop to our linked hands, and I wonder if I should pull away before he does.

“Huh,” he says, and squeezes my fingers.

Of all the responses I’d been expecting, that one isn’t on my list.

“Lucas?”

13.27 C

17

92 Ava: Clearing the Air (II)

He smiles at me, a lopsided little one. “I’m going to need a little time to process all this. I don’t understand how you can go into heat without a wolf, for one. But I’m not angry, Ava.”

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. “That doesn’t seem right.”

to xx

He sighs. “I’m… disappointed. In the situation, in how I put you there. In the way things could have gone but didn’t, because of me. I’m angry at myself, and I have

bit. But I’m not upset with you, Ava. I don’t want to leave with you thinking that this changes

linked hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against my knuckles that has my belly fluttering. “I know that you haven’t chosen us yet. I know that there’s a lot more that you haven’t told me. I know that I fucked up. And I’m not going to do it again, not when you’re right here. I’ve

to his voice, his words

Ava Clearing the

I nod.

of the

isn’t angry

have to punch Clayton for

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke, Ava.”

like he’s joking, so I stare at

him in doubt.

kisses my fingers again. “Ava.

on Gøøglᴇ to access

to give

I nod, again.

not expecting anything to happen overnight. I know that we’re both pushed together by this bond, but I want more than that. I want you,

37

Clearing the

us. I

no secrets, and

through my body, and tears to my eyes.

can’t have that if I’m going to run around like a feral wolf, snarling about how some other guy touched my mate. I’m the one who lost the right to call you that. I’m the one who pushed you into a situation where you

the anger.

as a tear escapes, feeling a little like a puppet on a string. I don’t know how else to

with me. Don’t feel obligated toward me, toward us, just because I took you out of that place. I want more than obligation

he presses another kiss against my fingers, before turning my hand over to

13.27

the Air

sweet, but his actions are

far from innocent.

“Lucas-”

core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve gone

my palm. “But if I want to keep that promise, I’m going to

hand, gently touching his

Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I