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."

his words both warm my heart and send my hackles up. "I'm not a child,

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

of his mate, Selene murmurs, The begrudging approval in her voice helps soothe that vague restless feeling inside of

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

the words come out before

and you're going

Shit.

few seconds, and I

as well tell

wolf. She might be

The silence continues.

is strong enough to force

there Lucas interrupts me with a grim note in his

a little. "You can't. You have so much

3/5

Leaving in this situation..."

do crazy bullshit again, and you expect me

from my ear, my eyes wide as Lucas' fury lashes through the speaker. What the hell? My heart races, confusion and shock warring inside me.

time for you to grow up and realize you're in too much danger to be doing anything like 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

at my eyes, but anger flares hot on

my teeth. "I'm not under

risks "That's not

17:42

12 Ava Boting Point

take care of it?

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

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 tears as rapidly as they fill my eyes,

idea how hard it was to

"You might

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 blows my fucking

from trying to help my best friend, especially if you won't

to your situation. It's too

handle myself." Even as I say the words, doubt coils in my stomach.

174

40

172 Ava Boding Point