Tangled

134 Ava: The Party (V)

134 Ava: The Party (V)

He seems nice, Selene says.

Yeah, he does. When we part so I can return to Lisa’s side, he doesn’t cling or say anything, just waves me off

and wanders back into the crowd.

Feeling buoyed by my success at dancing with a stranger and managing a conversation with someone. in the pack, I hunt Lisa down. The dance with Teddy has cemented something inside of me; no matter how handsome another man is, he doesn’t bring about the flutters that a single word from Lucas can stir in my belly.

I need girl advice tonight.

Trying to find Lisa in the throng of shifters is impossible. She’s nowhere to be found. My skin prickles with the sensation of being watched, assessed. Whispers hiss through the air, just quiet enough that I can’t make out the words. But I can imagine well enough what they’re saying.

Mia and Chloe are holding court with a group of male shifters. Mia’s dark hair tumbles over her shoulder as

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134 Ava: The Party (V)

she laughs, leaning into the broad–shouldered man beside her. Chloe’s green eyes flick to mine, a smirk curling her lips. I quickly look away.

I don’t know what their goal was in bringing me here,

but I don’t need to know.

They’re not on my side. That’s enough to know I want nothing to do with them.

Someone jostles me from behind and I stumble, barely keeping my balance. A red plastic cup is shoved into my hand, sloshing sticky–sweet punch over the side.

“Oops, sorry!” a male voice calls, but when I turn to look, he’s already disappeared back into the crowd.

I stare down at the cup in my hand, the sickly artificial scent of fruit and alcohol wafting up to my nose. My stomach churns. I don’t want to be here anymore, suffocating under the weight of shifter superiority and teenage hormones. I just want to find Lisa and go

home.

Clutching the cup, I weave my way through the mass of bodies, heading for the refuge of the kitchen. It’s quieter there, only a few people milling about. I set the cup down on the counter with a shaky hand and pull

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134 Ava: The Party (V)

out my phone.

you? I can’t

the counter, watching the three

get

like

make out in a shadowy

can blame

then I stare at her text, a sinking feeling in my

never uses text

I’m fine. Think I might head out soon though. Not really feeling the

where r u?]

[AVA: Kitchen.]

on the counter draws my gaze, the sticky–sweet scent of punch mingling with

beside it.

still don’t understand why

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Ava. The

hands. Did they think I wanted one? Did

that parties aren’t my scene. I feel

my mind, her presence a comforting warmth. Stay

sudden use of text speak and that odd wrong feeling that’s been plaguing me since I

back of my neck prickle, a shiver

room.

tugging at the corners of his mouth as he weaves his way through the

he takes in my expression. “You look a little…” He

on my tongue.

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Ava: The Party

too quick for me to catch, but it makes my stomach twist.

that,” he says, his voice light but his expression serious. “It’s probably better if you don’t

a sudden

but

expression is carefully neutral. “Just trust me on this one, okay? There’s

at him, my mind racing. What does he mean? What kind

me?

I ask, hating that I’m suspicious of the one person

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The Party (V)

a wolf who cares about his pack,” he says, with a faint smile. “The alcohol level in the punch is a bit

nose wrinkles every time you look at a drink.”

sounding small even to my own

“No problem. You sure you’re

head, still feeling uneasy. “Thanks, but I’m good. My friend’s meeting

of yourself, okay? And if you need anything, just let me know. I know how it feels

here.”

New?

mentioned it, even when he talked about his job and aspirations. It might be private, and I don’t want him to feel the

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