Tangled

172

172

172 Ava: Boiling Point

The jarring melody blares out of my phone, startling me nearly out. of my skin.

Selene's ears flick as I grab it, seeing Lucas' name flash across the screen. Both butterflies and dread swim through me; butterflies, because it's Lucas.

Dread, because I'm hiding things from him again.

"Hello?"

"I miss you."

H

His greeting is so him, and my lips curl up immediately. "I miss you,

too."

"Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?"

Of course, he knows about the riot. "I'm fine. Not hurt at all. Everyone kept me safe."

When he sighs, I can imagine his face, how his brows furrow as he inspects me. "I wish you hadn't come outside."

"I held my own, though, didn't I?" There's a little pride in my voice over that.

"So I hear. It would have been better if you weren't in danger, though."

Vanessa's stopped pacing to stare out the window, still in thought. Selene flops into my lap, and I scratch behind her ears absently. "You can't shelter me from everything."

17:42

11) Asa ng Pers

"I should be able to."

my heart and send my hackles up. "I'm not

Ava." Immediately into that soothing tone. He's always trying to calm me down, and for some reason that

The begrudging approval in

fur beneath my hands, I force myself to relax. It's Lucas. He's done so much for me, and

in mind, the words

an idea, and you're going to hate

Shit.

dead for a few seconds, and I close my

as well tell

try talking to Mom's wolf. She might be more willing to give us

The silence continues.

is strong enough to force

interrupts me with a grim note

little. "You can't. You

3/5

Leaving in this situation..."

is trying to do crazy bullshit again, and you expect me to stay here and let you

eyes wide as Lucas' fury lashes through the speaker. What the hell? My heart races, confusion

this. I've given in to you too many times. What are you going to do when Alpha Renard realizes you aren't defective af His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I physically recoil, curling in on myself. Selene growls low in her throat, hackles rising as

anger

teeth. "I'm

can't keep yourself out of trouble for one goddamn second! How long have you been in Blackwood? And there's already a riot on your front lawn. You need to be safe, not taking unnecessary risks "That's not fair! I'm trying to help Lisa, or

17:42

12 Ava Boting Point

take care of it?

your safety? How did that go for you? I gave in to you and there was an entire massacre on pack lands, Ava. Do you know how many families I had to speak to? Do you know how many bodies are Bile rises in my throat. "I thought we were safe on pack grounds. I never

he cuts in harshly. "You know now. And you're aware of how much effort I'm making in trying to get Lisa back, even when she isn't my pack. But you have to throw all my efforts. in my face, don "I don't trust you? I told you my secrets." Blinking away

no idea how hard it was to

"You might

secrets, but you don't trust me to bring Lisa back. Or that I'm doing things with your best interest in mind. You don't think about me, and the lack of respect absolutely

best friend,

situation. It's too dangerous,

need you to treat me like glass! I can handle myself." Even as I say the words, doubt coils in my

174

40

172 Ava Boding Point