Tangled

Unshift 226

Unshift 226

226 Ava: War is Here (1)

Magister Orion personally escorts us up the mysterious spiral staircase to two adjoining rooms, promising to begin my training in the morning. O

The moment the door closes behind him, I pull out my phone, unsurprised to see no new texts or phone calls. Sister Miriam did say only the occasional ones text would come through.

So I call Lucas.

He answers on the first ring.

"Are you okay?"

His question is more of a shouted demand for an answer, and I hold the phone several inches away from my ear, blinking at the force of his volume. "Yes. I'm fine. Did you get Kellan's messages?"

"Do you need help? When can you come home? Why won't our phone calls connect? Is everyone treating you okay? Are you in danger? Have you eaten?"

"No. Soon. I don't know. Yes. No. Not yet." My lips curve at the way his questions barrage my ear. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, Ave. So much." Lucas's voice softens, the rough edges smoothing into something tender that wraps around my heart. "I understand why you're there. I do. But I don't like it."

As if sensing the shift in conversation, Vanessa catches my eye, tilting her head toward the adjoining room. Marcus follows, the door clicking shut behind them, leaving me alone with Lucas's

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220 Ava. War is Here (1)

voice in my ear.

Questions pepper through the phone, rapid-fire, all with the same ultimate theme: Is the city safe? Can Alpha Renard or my family

find me?

different from the rest of the city somehow. Only accessible by portal, I think. They don't have access here, Lucas. Sister Miriam promised. Even Sister Miriam can't come here." I settle onto the edge of the bed, the plush comforter dipping beneath my weight. "Vanessa

his words is both legitimate and something that makes

"No, Actually-"

tell someone to enter. I try to listen in, but

and wounded, which has ice forming into an anxious ball in the pit

Exhaustion roughens his tone, grim and heavy. The ball of ice transforms into a lead weight that drops my stomach straight to the floor. "What

by the static crackle

of the other alphas separated from the Council.

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bounds, abused our authority by allowing the

timed perfectly. We lost a few people,

my legs turn to jelly. Sliding onto the bed, I whisper, "What does that

war is

hit like a punch. War. The weight of it steals my breath, leaves me reeling. "What do you need

haven't attacked there yet. Our forces

throat, fierce and unyielding. "Westwood is my pack

might be a blessing in disguise that you're there. It was the last place I wanted you

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longer, before groaning. "Ava, you can't. You aren't strong enough. You've worked hard, but you'd be a liability to any of my teams. I can't send

more than I thought it would. Biting my lip, I say, "I

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War

opinion isn't on

them even died under the care of the nurses. I'm

on my shoulders. Too weak. Too self-centered. Too many bad decisions. And now my mate is fighting the real war brought to his

can't keep

concerns than dealing with a whiny teenager of

your way. But Lucas, promise you'll be

voice cracks a little.