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

you, Ava. I don’t want to leave with you thinking

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

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

Ava Clearing the

I nod.

some of the stress ease

angry

might have to punch Clayton for touching what’s

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke, Ava.”

sound like he’s joking, so I stare

him in doubt.

sighs, and kisses my fingers again. “Ava. I

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willing to 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,

37

Clearing the

bond between us. I want there to

secrets, and

send a quiver of longing straight through

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

the anger. Okay?”

tear escapes, feeling a little like a puppet on a string.

you. I hurt you a lot. You need to have your -chance to 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

presses another kiss against my fingers, before turning my hand over to nuzzle his mouth

13.27

Clearing the Air (II)

but his actions are stirring a

that’s far from innocent.

“Lucas-”

sends quivers straight into the very core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve gone from emotional

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.

other hand, gently touching his ‘disheveled hair.

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