Page 84 of Ava: Part Two

The panic in her father’s voice made her pull herself together and straighten her body. There was no explanation that she could give him that would make sense. The best thing to do was to get through the weekend and then leave with him.

Because she couldn’t count on Zeke now.

“I’m fine. Let’s go in.”

Zeke’s house was impressive, as were all the Alpha houses. Her house at home could fit in it a couple of times.

“I always forget how fucking huge these houses are,” Alpha Roland said as he followed behind her.

She led him into the lounge and hoped she would be able to check if somebody had returned her things to her room. It was bad enough that she would have to explain why her door was off its hinges.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

How was she even functioning? She felt like millions of knives were stabbing her in her heart.

“No, but I could do with a drink. You sit down, I’ll go and get us something.”

She didn’t argue. She sat and tried to stop the thoughts in her head. Though the pain was crippling her, something in her wanted to go back and face that woman. Tell her Zeke was hers, that he had publicly claimed her. That he hadn’t been able to hide his feelings for her in front of the whole school. Rip her throat out for even daring to stand there and call herself his mate.

She had felt like this before with Claire, but it had never been this strong, this violent. And it was a death wish. That woman was an Alpha, the same as Zeke. Not a weak one like Dexter, a real Alpha who would break her in half if she tried anything.

But she had just accepted that she couldn’t fight whatever was between her and Zeke. She had just decided to let fate take her along that crazy ride. She had accepted that she was his.

How could Zeke do that to her, knowing he already had someone waiting for him at home?

“Ava!”

She looked up to see her father standing over her, and he had probably stood there a while.

“Speak, girl. Tell me who did this to you,” her father growled.

“I just want to go home, Dad,” she whispered, blinking back her tears. “Tell me you can take me home.”

Alpha Roland frowned down at her for a moment before he sat next to her. He put the drinks on a side table and wrapped his arms around her as he sat back. It felt like forever since she had been in his protective arms. She burrowed against him and took in the scent of his cologne. It always comforted her.

“I didn’t think they would send you here,” he said. “I tried to get information from so many campuses, but this was the last place... They usually have all the future Alphas with their Betas and Gammas here, and all the people who will serve them in their packs. I was sent here, and Caleb was. I never thought they would have you here without a wolf.”

She thought of Dexter and snorted.

“Yeah, I don’t think they’re following that anymore. Otherwise, the future is in big trouble.”

“It’s always been in trouble, Ava,” her father sighed. “But why don’t you tell me what’s really going on? This is the original academy, so it was the Council’s first base. The protection around it is more formidable than at the other places, so I have to rethink how we’re going to do this.”

She lifted her head and looked up at him.

“Are you saying you might not be able to get me out?” she asked, meeting his gaze.

She had survived everything she’d been through only because she’d been sure her father would save her. That he would never leave her here to suffer. But her heart started to pound, and her already fracturing mind threw in all the scenarios of her life here if she didn’t escape this weekend.

She would have to live with the consequences of what she had done in the matches and before. She would have to live with the other students calling her Zeke’s plaything. She would have to see Zeke every single day...

“I’ll get you out,” Alpha Roland said.

Maybe he could still sense whatever he had felt from her before because she saw more than worry in his eyes for the first time. She saw fear. It was brief, but it was there.

“What have they done to you, my baby?” he whispered as he pulled her back into his arms.

She held her tears back this time. By the end of the weekend, her father would know the full extent of how she had messed up. He would be told of Isolation and that her progress had been invalidated. He would be told that she was insolent and disobedient and couldn’t follow the rules.

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