108 Lisa: Ava’s Absence (I)
LISA
Lucas is bigger than I thought he’d be.
The thought comes randomly as I stare at him across Ava’s bed. He never spares me a glance; he’s attuned to her every breath. There’s pain etched across his face that makes my heart ache for him.
I’m hurting, too. But this fated mate connection that
shifters have…
It’s on another level.
Kissing the back of Ava’s hand, I lower my head to pray for the hundredth time today.
Dear Lord, please hear my prayer. I know I don’t go to church and I don’t follow your commandments. I know
I’m a terrible Christian. I’m not even sure I am
Christian. But I know you’re supposed to care about all of us, so please–if you’re listening–please, save Ava.
She deserves so much more than this.
Of course, there’s no answer. Half of me is hoping for a miracle, but the other half knows the prayer’s
15:25
1/9
108 Lisa Ava’s Absence (1)
pointless.
There’s nothing any of us can do.
The doctors are confused. All they can say is that she’s stable and should wake up when she’s ready.
But why is she even in this bed in the first place?
We didn’t do anything extra strenuous.
She’s been healing fine.
So why?
Vanessa’s words about Ava’s wolf have me worried, but
can’t just tell them about Selene. These
secrets.
wakes up? the logical side
I don’t know.
stay silent, because there
group chat name from My Happy Randalls to Empty Nest Randalls with a sad emoji, and she
16-20
2/9
Ava’s Absence
her I
in my bank account every week. He’s not thrilled, but he’s
and now I’m terrified that she won’t be here
Maybe. But there’s been so much lately…
about being
Wait. Pregnant.
get an answer on that?
be pregnant?
that be
a lead weight in my stomach as I glance toward Lucas. His presence is intimidating on a good day, but right now, with Ava unconscious in the hospital bed between us, it’s suffocating. The urge to ask him about shifter pregnancies rises
up that kind of question? Hey, Alpha of the Westwood Pack, you don’t know me,
15:20
3/0
Ava’s Absence (1)
a werewolf, who by the way wasn’t you, cause a girl to go into
no. That’s not happening.
my mind. Ava mentioned worrying about being pregnant, but we never really circled back to that topic. There was always something else going on, some new crisis. to deal with.
pale against the white hospital sheets, I can’t help but wonder if that could be the
to ask Lucas directly. He looks like he’s barely holding it together as it is, his eyes never leaving Ava’s
put this on
has to be someone else who can help, someone who knows about
Vanessa.
15.20
Lisa Ava’s
She’s the healer who’s been taking care of Ava, the one
Ava’s hand. “I’ll be right back,”
aware of my every move. It’s unnerving, but also strangely comforting. At least
click shut softly behind me. The hallway is quiet, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glare against the white walls and tiled floor. I take a moment to orient myself, trying to remember which way Vanessa’s
Or maybe right?
can always backtrack if I need
Ava’s Absence (1)
mind churns with questions and worries,
what is it? What could possibly cause her to just collapse like this?
my arms around myself, trying to ward off the sudden cold
Ava. Please wake
round a corner, and nearly collide with someone coming from the other direction. I stumble back, an apology already forming on my
Vanessa.
I feel, her eyes widening as
Suddenly, all of my carefully planned questions seem
throat.
16:26
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!