Tangled
185

185 Ava: Can't Sacrifice the Pack for One

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"I don't mind sacrificing my life for Lisa's. But I can't sacrifice this pack for her. I'm struggling to know how to juggle these feelings."

The truth has my shoulders sagging, but he only nods.

"Responsibility will always be a shackle to your decisions. It's a good lesson to learn."

"Better if I'd learned it before lives were lost," I mutter, full of

self-deprecation.

"Sit up straight," Jericho snaps, his voice cracking like a whip. "Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't help anyone."

My spine stiffens even as I flinch, scrambling to obey the older wolf before my brain catches up to his demands.

Training is a scary thing.

Selene's ears perk up, and his head swivels toward the door. A few seconds later, I hear the thud of approaching footsteps. Jericho grunts, "That alpha sure took his sweet time."" The door bursts open, and Lucas strides in, Kellan at his heels.

Lucas's amber eyes lock onto me, wild and desperate, and he rushes to my side. His hands skim over my arms, my face, as if reassuring himself I'm unharmed.

"Are you okay? Did the vampire hurt you?" His words tumble out in a frantic rush, even though I'm sure he's been informed of my

↑ Devacho summarizes the situation in clipped tones. Skuter Mirams

gason, her cryptic warning, the oddly incapacitater guarde acas's face darkens with each word, a growl rumbling in his chest.

"I knew we couldn't trust her," he sparis, pacing the room like a caged predator. "She's toying with us."

Jericho mutters under his breath, "Raised an impulsive beast, I did:

wince at the harsh words, but I can't deny the truth in them. Lucas is letting his emotions cloud his judgment, jumping to

conclusions without evidence.

seems to be his weakness when I'm involved.

"We don't know that for sure," I say softly, reaching for Lucas's

hand. "Sister Miriam's motives are unclear, but I don't think she

means us harm."

Lucas whirls on me, his eyes flashing. "How can you say that? With this timing?"

"Because she's had plenty of opportunities to hurt me, but she hasn't, I argue, my voice gaining strength. "She's cryptic and dustring, but I don't believe she's our enemy. She's warning us.

nor frindering us ve

Kellan clears his throat, drawing our attention. "Ava's right. We can't afford to make assumptions. We need more information

before we act"

The fight drains out of Lucas, and his shoulders sag a little beneath the weight of this past week. Running a hand through his hair, he growls, "I know. I just- fuck. These damn bloodsuckers keep coming onto my lands, and I don't know how."

Jericho snorts. "I've told you both a thousand times, never become complacent in the power of the pack. Get too proud, and you'll be brought to your knees.” "Jesus, Dad, not now-"

Jericho's lip curls as he eyes Kellan, a low growl rumbling from his chest. "Watch your tone, boy."

The air crackles with tension, their wolves bristling beneath the surface as Kellan stiffens, his shoulders squaring. He meets his father's gaze head-on, and dominance radiates off them in waves. Lucas steps between them, his own power flaring to life. "Enough." he commands, his voice ringing with authority. "We don't have

time for this."

The two men back down, but the animosity lingers, simmering just beneath the surface. One day, I'll learn more about this history between them, but now isn't the time.

Lucas turns to Jericho, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean, we're too complacent? We've been on high alert since the attack."

Jericho scoffs, shaking his head. "High alert? You call this high alert? Your borders are as porous as a sieve, and you're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Vampires aren't like shifters. They're not like h guards around and hope it

works."

"Then what do you suggest?" Lucas asks, his jaw clenched.

Jericho's gaze slides to me, a calculating gleam in his eye. "You need to use every resource at your disposal. Including the ones you're not comfortable with."

I swallow hard, my heart hammering in my chest. He means me. My connection to Sister Miriam, to the vampire's world.

Lucas follows his gaze, his expression darkening. "No. Absolutely not. I won't put Ava in danger."

"She's already in danger," Jericho retorts, his voice sharp. "You're just too blind to see it."

Selene whines softly, pressing her nose into my hand. I can feel her concern, her fear for me. But beneath that, there's a steely resolve. A determination to do whatever it takes to protect our pack.

My pack. The thought has settled deep into my bones, a weight and a warmth all at once. These people, this place-they're mine now. My responsibility. My family.

And I'll be damned if I let anyone hurt them,

I square my shoulders, meeting Jericho's gaze head-on. "What do you think we should do?"

Lucas whirls on me, his eyes wide. Ava, no. You can't-

Tm not saying I'm going to run into danger again," I assure him, grabbing his hand. "I'm just willing to do things. Within reason. Without hiding. Without secrets. The reality is that I have a connection to the vamp "We don't," he snaps. "It's not safe."

"And how would you have kept her safe if this Sister Miriam had spirited her away, right out of this room?" Jericho interjects. "I think it's better to learn a little more about our opponents. How much do you know a do you know about their cities? You've been throwing lives there, what have you gotten in return? It's time to set aside pride and

look at the bigger picture. There's a war coming, and we'll all lose if you can't open your damn eyes."

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