Page 1 of Ava: Part Two

Chapter 1

Avahidinherroom for the rest of the weekend.

She had waited in her room, watching from her window to see if Ezekiel and his friends would come back okay. Why had the wolves been watching her? Had Claire sent them? Was it Jared? His threats were still clear in her mind. She had not chosen any side, but it was clear she was now involved in whatever issues these packs had.

She’d heard howling and then silence. Ezekiel’s friends had returned alone, but she hadn’t seen him until much later. She’d waited by her window the entire time and still couldn’t understand why she had been so scared for him. But the moment she saw him, she stepped back from her window with her heart in her mouth. Ezekiel had strolled casually out of the woods, naked and with blood all over him.

Blood.

It was the beginning of another school week, and she still felt the icy fear rolling down her spine. This was the man she had almost mindlessly given herself to. A dangerous man. A murderer?

What had he done to the other wolves?

Had he done the same to Claire?

She couldn’t get this thought out of her mind as she snuck out of the house early on Monday morning.

She was halfway to the dining hall when Ezekiel’s car slowed beside her. The window rolled down, and she met those dangerous amber eyes. He wasn’t pleased. She looked away from him quickly and continued walking. She had challenged him too many times before; she could have been the unlucky one on the receiving end of his wrath at any time.

“Get in,” he growled.

“I... I wanted some air. It’s okay, I’m almost there,” she stammered.

“I wasn’t asking, Ava.”

A little bit of anger bubbled up inside her. He was an Alpha, so she was supposed to automatically do as he said. It would always be this way in this place. This wasn’t like her home where everyone was treated equally, even her, though most of the pack didn’t like that.

“I can manage walking to my lessons by myself,” she tried again.

“Yes, because you can defend yourself against a wolf,” Ezekiel said sarcastically.

She could. This place had messed her up with all the rules she had to follow, and being scared and anxious all the time, but she had always managed to defend herself before. It pissed her off that Ezekiel didn’t think so.

“Get in, Ava, before I stop the car and strap you in myself.”

She didn’t want to challenge him any further so she stopped walking and went to open the back door of the car. Ezekiel’s friends were in the back, and they were both looking at her as if she was pissing them off. She sighed as she closed the door and got into the passenger side instead. If anyone saw her getting out of Ezekiel’s car, the whole school would talk about it all day.

“You skipped breakfast,” Ezekiel said as he started driving.

“I’m going to the dining hall,” she muttered.

“I guess that’s where we’re all going, then.”

Would he expect her to sit with them, too? She had sat with Jared several times, but she had a feeling that sitting with Ezekiel would be something else entirely.

“Alpha Michelson—”

“Zeke,” he cut in.

“I can’t call you that.”

She had broken enough rules already. She had to play it smart now until she found a way out of this place.

She didn’t say anymore as he drove into the parking lot and parked the car. As she had expected, the place was swarming with students, and they all turned to watch Ezekiel’s car. She couldn’t be seen coming out of his car and then sitting with them as well.

“Thank you for the lift,” she said as she unbuckled herself and quickly got out of the car.

The other students gave her a wide berth as she rushed past them. Always whispering, always staring at her. She kept her head down as she walked into the dining hall. She would have skipped breakfast altogether but was ravenous. All the lost time she’d had the past week was causing this, but she couldn’t seem to eat enough.

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