Tangled

177

177

177 Ava: Accepting Her Pack

During the few funeral rites Alpha Renard held in Blackwood, he spent a lot of time pontificating. Especially during the rites for h

sons.

Here, Lucas says nothing. Does nothing. Only stands there, his arms crossed over his chest, as he watches the pyres burn.

The amount of human bodies decreases as they all take to their wolf forms, standing and waiting. When I glance at Kellan, I can see that unfocused look in his eyes.

Lucas must be talking through the pack link.

That's why it's quiet.

There are wolves to either side of him, and I don't recognize any them. Then again, I know very few members of the pack.

I'd chafed over that, used it as an excuse to go to the party. But how much effort had I made to get to know these people? At every turn, I felt stifled by their regard for me as Lucas' mate. Did I ever engage the

If I can't even get to know the bodyguards sent to keep me safe at the cost of their own lives...

What kind of person doesn't even try, and just complains about her lack of freedom? a

If I had gotten to know them, perhaps things would be different.

17:44

177 Ava Accepting Her Pack

Instead of complaining that I couldn't go anywhere without them, maybe outings would have been fun with them. Maybe the other pack members would have seen me trying to be friends...

Ah.

All those people watching me during training take on a different meaning in my head now.

Who would welcome an aloof wolf into their midst, knowing she's made no effort to assimilate into the pack?

My whining is a sour taste in my mouth, especially knowing that some of those people have now lost their lives because of me.

Despite understanding the tragedy, despite feeling terrible over the loss of life and injuries, I'd never once put a single one of their lives as a priority. I'd focused instead on Lisa.

They deserve more from us, Selene murmurs, sitting beside me with her ears flat against her skull. I once led my pack. I would

have never...

in confusion once more, and I

head without

the smoke covering the

lose more people. I don't know what to do. I don't know what's right. But I know that this... This was

Selene stiffens. Ava.

20

in her voice catches me off guard. She's no longer starring toward the bodies burning in front of us. She's staring into the

What is it?

her nostrils flaring as she scents the air. I'm not

to notice anything. No one here does, and

Lucas, Kellan, and I remain

the clearing, his amber

between us is a warm weight, a comfort in my

until his eyes meet mine. Not wanting to cause panic with words, I jerk

body language and turns in the same direction

familiar, unfocused look hits his eyes

wolf breaks away from

Selene, but I can hear

if she's struggling not to

her, but she presses her body against my shins, even as she

focus on

Accenting Her

isn't like every member of

massive wolf, larger than any of the others. His fur is so dark it's nearly black, but the flickering light of the funeral pyres highlights the

fade into the oncoming night. A

other wolves join in the lament until the entire area echoes with their song of grief and loss. Tears streak down my cheeks, but I make no move to wipe them away. The weight of the lives lost

spend the night in their wolf forms," Kellan murmurs in my ear, his voice

fallen."

I heard him, but my eyes are locked on Lucas' wolf.

pulses, and I want nothing more than to

tenses beside me, a low whine escaping her. Ava, we should get

can even respond, Lucas bolts. His powerful legs

Now! Kellan barks, shoving me none-too-gently

for simple hunt. Fear claws at my throat. Another

a vampire." Kellan practically throws into the backseat

hunt.".

from the scene, I twist in my seat to stare out back window at the blazing pyres

A vampire? Here?

for not remembering sooner. "Kellan, Margot mentioned something abo a vampire at Blackwood when she bulldozed her way to my room I'm sorry. I was so f Kellan curses under his breath and pulls out his phone, punching i a number. "Vester? Is everything okay there? Any sign of a vampire?" He's silent for a moment, listening.