Tangled

Unshift 275

Unshift 275

275 Ava: Visitors

"Ava." D

My head feels like it weighs a million pounds. My ears feel stuffed and woolly. And Kellan's hands. dragging me to my feet are like burning embers pressed against my skin.

"What?"

"You passed out."

Staring at him blankly, it takes a while for my brain to catch up to his words. "Oh. Shit. I guess that's one way to deal with stress; just let your body shut down.

Don't really recommend it.

and Kellan doesn't ask questions about my visit with Lucas, just escorts me back to the cottage a makes sure I'm taken care of. Brings lunch I don't want to eat and promises to check on me in

another hour or two.

Of course, lunch is out of the question. My stomach's too queasy for that. And until Sister Miriam and Selene return, I don't have a great way to get information on what happened to Lucas' wolf. I'm definitely not going to tell people he doesn't have one; the pack needs stability, not another

blow.

I'm not even sure Kellan knows.

I

The thought that Lucas may have trusted me with a little secret buoys my depressed spirits by a

millimeter or two.

he can't feel it, there's a part of him wanting to trust me.

to see

Fuck.

waiting patiently for me, delivered express mail with cash on delivery. Now it's my turn to wait and

cascades over my skin, hot to turn it pink. It's my second shower in hours, but I can't shake the

scrub hard, until my skin is raw and angry red, as if I can wash away the memory of Lucas

It doesn't work.

out. Dressing in the clothes I was just wearing-they're still clean. -I flop

to reset my brain and maybe wake up and find

hair leaves wet spots on the pillow, leaving them for me to discover as I flop from left to right, then from belly to back, struggling to find a position that

13

275 Ava: Visitors

constant replay in my mind, of every moment of my encounter with Lucas. The confusion in his eyes. The way he spoke like

side. Minutes stretch into what

soft knock at the door startles me from my restless attempt at sleep. Before

gentle voice

I'm on my

across the room and into her

The solitude of the past few

she murmurs, rubbing soothing circles

"Sorry, I just... it's

as she

I admit, my voice barely above a

dart to the side before meeting mine again. "About Alpha,

holding

Vanessa's gaze

front door, then to the windows. Her voice rises slightly as she says, "I'm so glad he's

my brow until she pulls a small notebook from her pocket. She scribbles something quickly, then turns it so I can read: / know

We're being watched, listened to. There might even be a traitor somewhere. We can't talk about

break down crying out of sheer relief in the hallway? I heard rumors