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.

even if he can't feel it, there's a part of him wanting to trust me. Knowing I'm his

want to see me for

Fuck.

patiently for me, delivered express mail with

hours, but I can't shake the depression clinging to me like

and angry red, as if I can wash away the memory of

It doesn't work.

clothes I was just wearing-they're still clean. -I flop

reset my brain and maybe wake up and find this has

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

13

275 Ava: Visitors

come. Instead, there's a constant replay in my mind, of every moment of my encounter with Lucas. The confusion in his eyes. The way he spoke like none of our

side to side. Minutes stretch into

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

Vanessa's gentle voice calls

I'm on my

flying across

desperately I needed human contact until this moment. The solitude of the past few hours weighs on me, making

rubbing soothing

my eyes. "Sorry, I just...

grim as she asks, "How

voice barely above a whisper. "How

side before

nod, holding my

Vanessa's gaze

she says, "I'm so glad he's

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

eyes widen. Of course. We're being watched, listened to. There might even be a traitor somewhere. We can't

cheerful as she asks, "Did you break down crying out of sheer