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 with you thinking that this changes anything on my

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

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

the Air (II)

I nod.

feeling some of the stress

angry

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

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke, Ava.”

really sound like he’s joking,

him in doubt.

fingers again. “Ava. I fucked up,

Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of

give

I nod, again.

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

37

Clearing the Air (II)

between us. I want

no secrets, and no

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

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 a situation where you were alone, vulnerable, and in heat. I’m

the anger.

on a string. I don’t know how else

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

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

13.27

Ava Clearing the Air (II)

sweet, but his actions are stirring a

far from

“Lucas-”

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. He doesn’t want to talk anymore.

out with my other hand, gently touching

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