Tangled

Unshift 204

Unshift 204

204 Ava: You Know About the Fae?

My phone rings just as Kellan pulls into the driveway of the alpha lodge, waking me from a light doze

"Hello?"

"Ava."

Lucas' voice is warm and soft, despite the edge of exhaustion I can

hear within it.

"Hey, handsome." My lips curve even as my cheeks heat; being flirtatious doesn't come naturally.

Kellan's stare in my direction doesn't help the embarrassment churning in my gut, and I hop out of the SUV as quickly as I can.

Of course, I stumble, my foot somehow catching in the seatbelt in my hurry, and the phone clatters out of my grasp, skittering across the driveway as I shriek, falling onto half my face and scratching up both hands.

My knees are somehow spared, but there are a lot of people helping me to my feet.

Too many people. All of them careful not to make eye contact, even as Kellan rushes over to check me for injuries.

"My phone. I need my phone." Lucas is probably freaking out.

"Marcus has it. He's talking to him." After reassuring himself that I haven't broken anything and am-more or less-intact, Kellan steps back and Marcus slides my phone into my hand.

"Ava? Are you okay?"

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204 Ava: You Know About the Fae?

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just got tangled up in the seatbelt and fell."

Having to actually say it out loud somehow makes the entire

situation even worse.

land on your damn face," Jericho barks from behind the crowd, and Lucas laughs quietly in my

voice is way too

tomorrow morning," my

I mutter into the phone, feeling my cheeks burn. I can practically hear the old wolf's smirk,

more humid than outside. Comfortable silence settles between me and Lucas over the phone all the way to my room, though I can feel Kellan's gaze on me every few steps, as

grey fur barrels into me, nearly knocking me off my feet. Selene's tongue is everywhere, her entire body wiggling with the force of her wagging tail. No one would

overreaction to my return.

"Oof. Hi, Selene."

You smell weird.

you." And she does. Kind of like pot roast. And potatoes. "Have you

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Ava: You Know

sneak it. They

around, because the list of people feeding Selene food

Selene?"

just got to

misses her. He's been whining about it. He misses you,

"I miss you, too."

like that come much easier after having said

times before.

a sigh, I realize

"Oh, that's weird.

phone. "No one wants to eavesdrop when I'm on the phone with you. They know

you're in a good mood.

I can feel the shift in his demeanor, even through the phone. He sighs heavily, the sound crackling in my ear. "Negotiating with alphas is much like negotiating with children. They're all so

settle onto the bed, Selene curling up beside

to his laugh. "I've done

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Know

good of my

permission because I knew they'd

I can argue with him. Before I can formulate a response,

Talon of Whispering Pines. He's been an

neutral and fair alpha." Though, granted, it's not like I know that much about

met him, love. Trust me, he's anything but neutral. I need

say without hesitation. "I have no reason to go near them