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.

I taught you how to fall. Never once did I teach you to land on your damn face," Jericho barks from behind the

old shifter's voice

falls again tomorrow morning," my

into the phone, feeling my cheeks burn. I can

phone all the way to my room, though I can feel Kellan's gaze on

off my feet. Selene's tongue is everywhere, her entire body wiggling with the force of her wagging

overreaction to my return.

"Oof. Hi, Selene."

You smell weird.

like pot roast. And potatoes.

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Ava: You Know

it. They

to like having a dog around, because the list of people feeding Selene food is

Selene?" Lucas

got

saying, "My wolf misses her. He's been whining about it.

"I miss you, too."

much easier after having said

times before.

bed with a

the room. "Oh, that's weird. Where's Marcus?"

on the phone. "No one wants to

"Sounds like you're in a good mood. How did the Council

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

Selene curling up beside me. "You're

There's a bitter edge to his laugh. "I've

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Know About

of my pack, Ava. I

for permission because I knew they'd

like I can argue with him. Before

Alpha Talon of Whispering Pines. He's been an absolute fuck during these

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

Trust me, he's anything but neutral. I need you to promise me you'll

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