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

want to leave with you thinking that

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.

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

the

I nod.

of the stress ease from my body.

isn’t angry with me.

to punch Clayton for touching what’s mine, though.”

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

a joke, Ava.”

like he’s

him in doubt.

again. “Ava.

to access chapters of

give

I nod, again.

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 want to know

37

Ava: Clearing the Air

no bond between us. I want there to be

secrets, and

longing straight through

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

all the

a puppet on a string. I don’t know how

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

against my fingers, before turning my hand over to nuzzle his mouth against my open

13.27

the

are sweet, but his

that’s far

“Lucas-”

my skin, and his groan sends quivers straight into the very core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve gone from emotional admissions two seconds ago to this.

I want to keep that promise, I’m going to have to walk away from you right now. Fuck. My wolf is going insane.

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

amber eyes. His wolf is here, straining for control. Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with