Tangled

93 Lucas: With Clayton

93 Lucas: With Clayton

LUCAS

Challenge him. Rip him apart.

My wolf’s snarling has occupied the majority of my short flight to White Peak, getting closer to the man who’s tasted my mate in ways that he never should

have.

My phone’s off, because I don’t know what I’ll do if he

calls.

The primal part of me is incensed, wanting to sink my teeth into his throat and tear it out, savoring every drop of the blood that spurts, content in knowing his soul has departed this world.”

But the rest of me recognizes that Clayton is my friend and ally.

What am I supposed to do with all these fucking feelings tripping me up inside? Having Ava back is supposed to make everything easier. Make things simple.

In my absence, will she begin to doubt my words?

15.20

1/7

93 Lucas With Clayton.

If she sees Clayton, would she choose me over him?

I don’t have that confidence.

The fated bond between us is my only advantage. That, and the distance I can maintain between her and the

alpha I trust with the honor of my entire pack.

I can never let her return to Cedarwood.

There’s no way in hell I’ll lose the little advantage I

have.

will be waiting at the airport to personally escort me to the Blackwood pack lands. I can’t let him see the turmoil

to maintain

a losing battle. Every step I take through the terminal feels like a countdown to an inevitable confrontation. My wolf paces restlessly beneath my skin, eager for blood. I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fight to keep

growls. She is ours. No one else

11:28

Lucas: With Clayton

look at other alphas with respect, but he never looks

so, he usually knows better than

nothing to be done. She is not our mate yet. We

with her.

that he’s unsatisfied with my reasoning, but he stops snapping for Clayton’s blood, giving me some reprieve from all the unsettled emotions swirling

Blackwood was easier than all the bullshit I have to deal with in my head and

heart.

airport crowds my nostrils as I exit the terminal, an overwhelming assault on my sensitive nose. Sweat, perfume, fast food–it all mingles into a nauseating miasma that makes me want to

Clayton.

13-20

317

With Clayton

our mate, my wolf snarls, hackles raising.

growl back, wrestling my

to

a mask of calm. But as our eyes meet, I can see it in his face, in the tense

knows. He knows who Ava

greets, his voice

name feeling like gravel in my mouth. Anger flares hot in my veins, the urge to lash out, to demand answers, nearly

her? Why did it have

We have more

attention.

words hanging heavy between us. As we pull out onto

13.28

With

can’t take it anymore.

ask, my voice deceptively calm. “As soon as you found out, why didn’t

me?”

his grip tightening on the steering

myself. I came as soon as I could to help here, because I

about it

here to get a chance to see her. Like he has any right. to be involved in

is here to help. He’s been helping this entire time, hasn’t he? There’s no point trying to assign ulterior motives to his actions. We can’t get past

growls again, the memory of Ava’s confession ringing in my ears. He had his hands on

to overtake me, I can’t lose control. Not

coming to haln with

13:20 –