Page 25 of Ava: Part Two

He frowned as he thought about their next move. If the Council was coming to cart them both off instead of just him, he needed to mark her quickly so she could protect herself.

“No. I kept them out of my head,” Ava sighed. “I don’t know how they know.”

She only thought she kept them out of her head. He sighed as he sat back in his chair.

“Why don’t you tell me everything that happened in that meeting.”

If he left the academy, he would never graduate and then would never be officially recognised as an Alpha. Would he have to plan to escape with his mate? Where would they go where the Council couldn’t reach them?

Chapter 16

Blood.Screams.Crunchingsounds.Claire lying dead in the forest. Blood. Screams. Crunching sounds. Claws ripping through so many bodies. Blood. Screams. Crunching sounds. The vampire, witch and werewolf circling her, ready to rip her apart.

She sat up with a jolt and saw the darkness in the room. She was sure she had left the light on again, but... Her heart pounded out of her chest as the darkness seeped through the windows, inching closer to her. The sticky, burning feeling covered her whole body, licking her skin like she was still in the forest. She was paralysed on the bed, unable to jump off and run to safety.

She felt the tingles start rippling through her body as the pain increased, almost like the day Claire had been beating her up in town. She wanted to scream, but her throat wasn’t working. Her breath was stuck in her lungs.

The darkness inched closer and closer, ready to swallow her up. She couldn’t go back into it. She wouldn’t be able to escape a second time.

Light flooded her room, banishing the darkness instantly. At that same moment, she let out a long, shaky breath. Ezekiel burst into the room, dressed in nothing but his boxers. Her heart didn’t start to calm down until he got into the bed and wrapped his arms around her. He was alert, his gaze going over every inch of the room, but she knew there was nothing there. Her fear was from something inside her.

“Shh,” he whispered. “I’m here.”

After a few moments, he laid her back and settled on the bed behind her. She didn’t protest. His arms comforted her in a way she couldn’t understand, but she was desperate to chase her nightmares away. His body heat and muscular arms created a haven for her, securing her in his protective bubble. Her nightmares had never been that bad, reducing her into a damsel who constantly needed saving.

Was it the academy? Something in the air?

Wrapped in his arms, it didn’t take long for her to drift back to sleep.

When she woke, her legs were entangled with his, and she felt the nudge on her back. In the early morning light, she remembered why being so close to Ezekiel was such a bad idea. She needed to come out of his arms and put some distance between them, but there was just something...

Maybe because she knew how much he wanted her, her mind seemed to push back the fact that if she pursued anything with Ezekiel, she would be nothing more than his playing.

His arms tightened around her, drawing her closer against the heat of his body. Her eyes fluttered closed again as Ezekiel brought his head to her neck and pressed his groin against her.

“Ava...” he whispered.

There was so much need in his voice that it instantly set her body on fire. She didn’t protest when he rolled her over and then lowered his lips to hers. She didn’t protest when he instantly deepened the kiss and sent her mind whirling. Ezekiel groaned against her lips as he settled himself between her legs.

She was lost. There was no thought in her head except for this.

“Zeke...”

She was in trouble. Her legs wrapped around him, and he groaned as he pressed himself against her. Only his boxers and her pyjama shorts separate them, but even that felt like it was too much. She was ready to explode as he continued to ravish her mouth and rub himself against her.

The need to breathe made him break away from her mouth, and his lips trailed down her neck instead. And, like the other day, she tilted her head and gave him access. When he licked, she felt it. A shiver went down her spine as she trembled in his arms, aching for him to give her some relief. And then, when he sucked again, she came apart. Her mind seemed to fracture as the most intense feeling rippled through her body and had her tightening her legs around him.

And then Zeke was calling her name as he tensed above her.

It took a while for her sanity to return as she breathlessly clung onto the huge Alpha on top of her.

“Mine,” he whispered.

She tensed.

What the hell was she doing? The last thing she needed right now was a possessive Alpha wolf. She pushed against his naked chest, and he rolled over easily. She avoided his gaze and didn’t dare look lower on his body as she clutched the bedding over herself.

“I’m sorry,” she started. “I have to shower and get dressed.”

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