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 leave

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

eyes are intense. Despite the roughness to his voice, his words

Clearing the Air (II)

I nod.

finally feeling some of the

angry with me.

punch Clayton

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke, Ava.”

doesn’t really sound like he’s joking, so I stare

him in doubt.

again. “Ava.

nod. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the

to give me

I nod, again.

want you, heart and soul, with everything inside of you begging to be mine. I want to know that you would choose me even

37

Clearing the

bond between us. I

no secrets, and

quiver of longing straight through

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

all the anger. Okay?”

a string. I don’t know how else to respond except to nod

obligated toward me, toward us, just because I took you out

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

13.27

Clearing the

are sweet, but his

that’s far from innocent.

“Lucas-”

very core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how

going to push you,” he murmurs against my skin, pressing kiss after kiss into my palm. “But if I want to keep that promise, I’m going to have to walk away from you right now. Fuck. My wolf is going insane. He doesn’t want to talk anymore. He’s been crazy about you since the

out with my other hand, gently touching his ‘disheveled hair. “Don’t go yet.”

a yellow glint in his amber eyes. His wolf is here, straining for control. Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and