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

to see me

Fuck.

for all the time he spent waiting patiently for me, delivered express mail with cash on delivery. Now it's

it pink. It's my second shower in hours, but I can't

if I can wash away the memory

It doesn't work.

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

what I need. Just a few hours to reset my brain and maybe wake up and find

leaves wet spots on the pillow, leaving them for me to discover as I flop from left to right, then from belly

13

275 Ava: Visitors

I screw my eyes shut, sleep doesn't 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

Minutes stretch into what feels like hours. My

at the door startles me from my restless

gentle voice calls

I'm on my

practically flying across the room and into her

contact until this moment. The solitude of the past few hours weighs on me, making Vanessa's presence a lifeline

murmurs, rubbing soothing circles on my

back, wiping at my eyes. "Sorry, I just... it's been

grim as she asks, "How are you holding

Not great," I admit, my voice barely above a

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

nod, holding

Vanessa's gaze

to the windows. Her voice rises slightly as she says, "I'm so glad he's doing well. Such

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

to. There might even be a traitor somewhere. We

unnaturally cheerful as she asks, "Did you break down crying out of sheer relief in the hallway? I heard rumors