Tangled

185

185

185 Ava: Can't Sacrifice the Pack for One

Person

"I don't mind sacrificing my life for Lisa's. But I can't sacrifice this pack for her. I'm struggling to know how to juggle these feelings."

The truth has my shoulders sagging, but he only nods.

"Responsibility will always be a shackle to your decisions. It's a good lesson to learn."

"Better if I'd learned it before lives were lost," I mutter, full of

self-deprecation.

"Sit up straight," Jericho snaps, his voice cracking like a whip. "Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't help anyone."

My spine stiffens even as I flinch, scrambling to obey the older wolf before my brain catches up to his demands.

Training is a scary thing.

Selene's ears perk up, and his head swivels toward the door. A few seconds later, I hear the thud of approaching footsteps. Jericho grunts, "That alpha sure took his sweet time."" The door bursts open, and Lucas strides in, Kellan at his heels.

Lucas's amber eyes lock onto me, wild and desperate, and he rushes to my side. His hands skim over my arms, my face, as if reassuring himself I'm unharmed.

"Are you okay? Did the vampire hurt you?" His words tumble out in a frantic rush, even though I'm sure he's been informed of my

↑ Devacho summarizes the situation in clipped tones. Skuter Mirams

cryptic warning, the oddly incapacitater guarde acas's face darkens with each

couldn't trust her," he sparis, pacing the room like a caged predator. "She's toying with

under his breath, "Raised an impulsive beast, I

but I can't deny the truth in them. Lucas

conclusions without evidence.

his

know that for sure,"

are unclear, but

means us harm."

whirls on me, his eyes flashing. "How can you say that? With

of opportunities to hurt me, but she hasn't, I argue, my voice gaining strength. "She's cryptic and dustring, but I don't believe she's our enemy. She's

nor frindering us ve

throat, drawing our attention. "Ava's right. We can't afford to make assumptions. We need

before we act"

fight drains out of Lucas, and his shoulders sag a little beneath the weight of this past week. Running a hand through his hair, he growls, "I know. I just- fuck. These damn bloodsuckers keep coming onto my lands,

become complacent in the power of the pack. Get

curls as he eyes Kellan, a low

and dominance radiates off them in waves. Lucas steps between them, his own power flaring to life. "Enough." he

time for this."

back down, but the animosity lingers, simmering just beneath the surface. One day, I'll learn more about this history between

to Jericho, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean, we're too

porous as a sieve, and you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Vampires aren't like shifters. They're not

works."

suggest?" Lucas asks,

need to use every resource at

my chest. He means me. My connection to Sister Miriam, to the

gaze, his expression darkening. "No.