Tangled

175

175

175 Ava: A Wolf's Identity

If Vanessa was here, I'd love to talk to her.

Unfortunately, she's not. We're on a plane, and she's still in Blackwood, plotting on how to force answers out of my mom's wolf.

So I look at Kellan...

"If your mate kept secrets from you, even if it's for the best of reasons, in order to accomplish a goal-how would you react?"

"Furious." His answer is swift, and his eyes suspicious. "What are you up to now, Ava?"

"Nothing. Shame twists my gut as I turn back to the window. His immediate reaction is to think I'm up to something, bringing trouble to those around me. It's not like I blame him, but the feeling I'm left with is...

Sticky. Gross. Awful.

A few days ago, I would have chafed at such a response, frustrated over Kellan treating me like an errant child.

But now?

His uneasy stare bores into the back of my head, and I rest my

head against the window with a sigh. "Do you ever argue with your wolf?

"Not anymore. I used to. Why, are you having problems with yours?

175 Ava A Woll's identity

My head snaps around faster than should be possible. "What do you mean, mine? I don't have a-

"Yeah, yeah," Kellan leans back, closing his eyes. "You don't have a wolf. But I've seen that look on your face a thousand times. We're all shifters, Ava."

I can't help it; I touch my cheeks in confusion. "What look?"

Cracking open one eye, Kellan looks exasperated. "The look. Talking to her. You do it when you think we aren't watching, and half the time you do it out loud. You're better about it in the open, but in not in the a Shit. Really?

didn't you

trying to get comfortable. "Some things are yours

confirmed his

says in approval, the first real glimmer of energy I've seen since Vanessa

whisper, and he

motion with his

listening to that

1. on. You're fine."

from my darker thoughts by this new surprise. Overall, I'm relieved. I won't have to

17. 17.

70

A Wolf's

"So, what's the secret?"

long period of

"What secret?"

mate," he says impatiently. "You asked how I

that

"Ava..."

this morning." "Wolves and the babes? Didn't

shoulder shrug, I just say,

don't know if he understands that she's my wolf, but I

now, he sighs. "When we're young, we fight with our wolves a lot. They're more instinctual than we are. Fighting over perceived

sometimes."

doesn't help my situation.

17:44

Ave. A

Am I not?

Guess it's harder

his wolf even convinced him he'd be better off running. away and starting a new pack. Of course, we don't really do that kind of thing when we're thirteen, but his wolf was

with him. We camped in the

rogues."

of negative thoughts in my head, I turn a little more in my chair, pulling

grins openly now, opening his eyes to meet mine. "It rained. We found out that we could either

doesn't sound so