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

not upset with you, Ava. I don’t want to

“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

Despite the roughness to his voice, his words are calm and unhurried as

Clearing the Air (II)

I nod.

you,” I whisper, finally feeling some of the stress ease from my body.

angry with me.

have to punch Clayton for touching what’s

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke, Ava.”

sound like he’s joking, so

him in doubt.

again. “Ava. I fucked up,

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to give me a

I nod, again.

overnight. I know that we’re both pushed together by this bond, but I want more than that. I want you, heart and soul, with everything inside of you begging to be mine. I

37

Clearing the Air

between us. I want there

no secrets, and no regrets.”

a quiver of longing straight through my body, and tears to

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 were alone, vulnerable, and in heat. I’m the one who

the

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

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

flushing into my cheeks as he presses another kiss against my fingers, before turning my hand over to nuzzle his

13.27

Ava Clearing the Air

but his actions are

far

“Lucas-”

sends quivers straight into the very core of me. I shift beneath the

going to have to walk away from you right now. Fuck. My wolf is going insane. He doesn’t want to

reach out with my other hand, gently

for control. Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I feel empty with the extra space between