Tangled

125 Ava: Negotiating the Invitation

125 Ava: Negotiating the Invit tion

The ominous text halts me in place, and Lisa peers over my shoulder.

“A candle?” she asks, confused.

Oh, right–I haven’t spoken to her yet about my revelation of Sister Miriam’s words at our parting. Only

Selene knows.

Catching Lisa’s eye, I give a quick shake of my head and slide the phone into my pocket. Kellan’s in the distance, walking toward us.

Lisa, as quick–thinking as ever, grabs onto my arm again and returns to her ruminations about the party. By the time the beta’s near us, his face is

thunderclouds and lightning.

“No way,” he announces, before Lisa can even say anything.

Undeterred, Lisa stands straight, toe–to–toe with him in a way I see far too often. These two will never get along. “I’m not asking, Beta Ashbourne. I’m informing you. Friday will be busy. We’re going to a party.”

125 Ava: Negotiating the Invitation.

“Absolutely not.”

“Stop treating us like prisoners!”

“You aren’t prisoners,” he refutes immediately. “We’re doing our best to keep you safe. A party? That’s not safe.”

“That’s not safe,” she mimics, rolling her eyes. “So, what, we’re going to be stuck in my apartment forever? We can’t live at all? Can’t do anything? Because to me, it sounds like you’re saying Westwood is a bunch of weak–ass wolves who can’t protect two little girls in their own territory.”

She’s a spitfire, Selene approves, back in my head again. Her marathon must be over.

sets in a way that I see far too often these

Blackwood…”

the best way. While I’m doing better at standing up for myself, I’m not great at arguing when they

13:43

Ava: Negotiating

be compared to

and things need to change. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet

away forever. It’s worse than being home. At least I used to have

flinch and agonized look bring that familiar

mind soft and soothing. You are not wrong in the words you speak. Do not walk them back. It’s okay to feel the way you

were with me, I would pet her and hug her with gratitude. But she’s not, so I settle for sending her my intense

kill me,” he mutters under his breath, but I catch it

through me. “He has no

13.43 –

Negotiating the Invitation

alpha’s mate,” Kellan

sandpaper. “I’m not his mate,

“Denial only goes so far,

Ava.”

I’m sick of this. I’m sick of constantly being thought of as his mate

him.”

asked for. First, it was my father and my pack, dictating my every move. Now, it’s Lucas and his pack, treating me like I’m fragile, like I’m someone’s possession. Even Clayton’s people had thought of me as

just want to be Ava. A me without

13:43

Negotiating the Invitation

by the standing

in my mind, her presence a comforting warmth.

bolsters me, straightening my spine. I meet Kellan’s

fine. I’m trusting you to back me up

knows I’m right. He knows I’m more than just his… whatever

between us is undeniable, a

me. I refuse to let it be the only thing that matters.

little about myself when I

Negotiating