Tangled

117 Ava: Her New Normal

Living in Westwood becomes routine again quickly.

Training with Jericho starts again only two days after my return, and the grizzled old shifter doesn’t say a word about my long absence.

Lucas and I text every night, but I refuse to call him. The sound of his voice is going to make me regret things.

And Selene settles into our daily life as though she

were never gone.

The only downside?

Kellan.

I have yet to speak to Selene or Lisa about anything important, because the beta is always around. He sleeps on the couch every night, no matter how many protests Lisa and I hurl his way.

Even Lucas is on board with it. I thought utilizing his possessiveness would go my way; it didn’t.

He just said Kellan would be the one wolf he could trust to keep me safe.

15:35 C

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117 Ava: Her New Normal

Lisa’s worse off than I am; she spends a good chunk of her day glowering at the friendly beta.

I watch Kellan as he washes the dishes, his broad

shoulders filling out his t–shirt in a way that would be appealing if I wasn’t so annoyed by his constant

presence. Lisa mutters beside me, “It isn’t fair that my apartment’s been taken over.”

I sigh, the sound heavy with frustration. Selene huffs little woof of agreement from her spot on the floor.

“You know I can hear you two, right?” Kellan says without turning around, his voice tinged with

amusement.

her eyes. “Good. Maybe you’ll take

and leave.”

He turns, leaning back against the counter as he dries his hands on a dish towel. “Sorry, no can do. Alpha’s

do. But having Kellan here 24/7 is driving me insane. I can’t even have a

15:35 –

Ava: Her New

need a babysitter,” I say, crossing

over my chest.

brow. “After everything that’s happened, I beg

mix of anger and embarrassment. I know he’s right. I’ve been kidnapped, attacked, and goddess knows what else

it sounds petulant even as the words leave my

softens. “I know you can, Ava. But let

tears. Pack. The word feels foreign on my tongue these days. The Blackwood pack was never really mine, no matter how much I tried to make it fit.

pack…

really sure where I stand with them.

him.

it’s superficial stuff.

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Ava: Her New Normal

than that, and

not letting me be as free as I’d like, because despite having won

here.

Let us have our space? I can’t breathe without one of you watching me, and

of it.”

is not something I can get used to, and I never want

used to it.

baleful gaze in Kellan’s

direction.

groan in unison. The sound is loud and long,

it. It’s everything. The bond with Lucas, the fact that my father and Alpha Renard still haven’t been

15

A/T

Her New Normal

of it.

furrowing as he seems to wage some internal battle. Finally, he nods, as if coming to a decision. “I can give you tomorrow afternoon. But you have to promise me you won’t leave the

her dark eyes sparkling with excitement. “Really? You mean

“Really. But I mean it about staying put. No exceptions. Especially as Alpha Westwood is gone again.” He’s back in the Blackwood territory, dealing with things that happened while

thumping against the floor in a steady rhythm. I can feel her excitement thrumming through our bond, a warm pulse of energy that makes me feel lighter than

Lisa, our palms connecting with