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

things a bit. But I’m not upset with you, Ava. I don’t want to

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 already lost you twice. I’ll never let it happen again. Do you understand?”

to his voice, his words are calm and unhurried as he

Clearing the Air

I nod.

I whisper, finally feeling some of the

isn’t angry with

have to punch Clayton for touching what’s

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke,

he’s

him in doubt.

and kisses my fingers again. “Ava. I fucked up, right?”

on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels

you willing to give me

I nod, again.

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

the

bond between us. I

secrets, and

send a quiver of longing straight through

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

the anger. Okay?”

string. I don’t know

toward us, just because I took you out of that place. I want

presses another kiss against my fingers, before

13.27

Ava Clearing the Air (II)

sweet, but his actions are stirring

far from innocent.

“Lucas-”

and his groan sends quivers straight into the very core of me.

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

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

in his amber eyes. His wolf is here, straining for control. Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I feel empty with the extra