Page 67 of Ava: Part Three

She didn’t miss the look the councillors gave each other before Alpha Diego slid a drink across to her.

“Relax, Ava. You’ll be one of us soon. Let’s get to know each other a bit better.”

Chapter 40

Avadidn’tknowwhatto think.

Her anxiety had hit the roof as she had waited for them to do whatever they had brought her there to do, but the Council members had just been drinking and talking about people and things she had no idea about.

Like normal people. It was as if in this house, they weren’t the psychotic people who’d clapped when she'd stood in the puddles of blood.

This was a mind game; she was sure of it.

To make her drop her guard before they swooped in? Make her trust them and spill her secrets? It would never happen. She could still feel Mr Patrick’s magic protecting her from their probing, but she didn’t think they had even tried.

“Hey, you haven’t touched your drink,” Andrei said, pulling himself away from Iulia. They had been disgustingly affectionate with each other the whole time.

“I... I don’t really drink, and it’s still too early in the day.”

Plus, she wasn’t going to put anything from them into her mouth.

“There’s no one here to see you break any rules, Ava. This is our space. Live a little,” Andrei continued.

And that was when she felt his allure. Andrei studied her as if to watch her reactions closely, but there was no way she would do what he wanted. For all he knew, there was something in that drink that would make her do something stupid.

“Leave her alone,” Alpha Diego said as he came back with some more drinks.

The men had discarded their suit jackets, and Alpha Diego had rolled up his sleeves. His muscles bulged under his shirt as he sat back beside her. Like Zeke’s. If his wolf was indeed like her and Zeke’s, then his huge frame supported that. Not like hers. Nobody would expect something like that to come from her.

“So why couldn't you and Ezekiel wait until after graduation to mate?” Alpha Diego asked. “College is the last place you want to get hitched; you kids should have been having fun first.”

“I guess when you know, you know,” she answered with a shrug, looking away from his gaze.

“Tell me, Ava.”

She felt the power in that command. It rolled over her skin and made her open her mouth to confess. But she snapped her mouth closed and kept her gaze away from the Alpha. That had been too close. Was the protective magic wearing off?

“I think I should go. It’s almost lunchtime,” she said as she stood and picked up her blazer.

Andrei laughed and looked at Alpha Diego.

“You see? Now you’re going to drive yourself insane thinking about her.”

She popped her blazer back on and picked her bag up. Her ribs felt completely fine now.

“I’ll take you back,” Alpha Diego said, standing, too.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just—”

“I insist,” the Alpha said as he walked to the door.

“Bye, Ava. See you soon,” Iulia said.

Like they were friends.

The car was still outside, so Alpha Diego opened the door for her again. She sat as far away from him as she could and held her bag against her like a shield as they drove back towards the Administration building. This was surreal; she still couldn’t figure out what they hoped to achieve.

"Do what he asks, Ava," Alpha Diego said quietly. "It's better that way. You’ll get to stay with Zeke, and your father will go home to your brothers."

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