Page 88 of Ava: Part Three

He looked at his mate. She needed to snap out of this and prepare for war. It was why her father had told her he was okay even though they had done a number on him. Did that mean they had Mr Patrick as well?

It would be up to them to save everyone.

“I think we need a drink,” he said to her.

Ava turned her head to look at him as if she couldn’t believe he was suggesting that. But she was in shock, and that was the best he could do. He had just the thing, too.

“Trust me,” he whispered and got out of the car.

When he walked around to open the car door, he could see the guards were watching his every move. He had killed several of them today, but none of them seemed affected by that. None of them seemed angry or upset. They were just... lifeless. But they were better off than the monsters Hansson wanted to create. They couldn’t allow any of those out into the world.

He helped Ava into the empty house and headed straight for the kitchen. He pulled out a nondescript bottle and a couple of glasses from one of the cabinets before he took Ava to the basement.

He poured them both a shot once they’d sat down.

“Drink up,” he said.

Ava tipped the shot down before she coughed and spluttered.

“What the hell, Zeke?” she asked. “This burns; what is it?”

“A special mixture. Guaranteed to give wolves a buzz,” he said before tipping his shot down.

“This isn’t what we need, Zeke,” Ava growled.

“No, we need you to snap out of this and prepare to fight.”

Ava looked away from his gaze.

“We are monsters, Ava. You have to embrace who you are because that’s the only way we will save your father. He needs you to be the monster you were meant to be,” he urged.

“But my wolf...”

“Have another shot of this and speak to her again. She knows what’s at stake; she’ll speak to you. I have faith in her. But you need to loosen up, Ava. Stop thinking of what might happen and who we might lose. You need to think like your wolf. Understand each other. Become one. We don’t have any more time left.”

There could be no more excuses.

“But he expects us to give him his soldiers tomorrow.”

“We will give him something else,” he said as he poured another shot. “Now, have another and then let’s speak to your beautiful wolf. Most mentors always think you have to focus, but getting drunk works just the same.”

Especially when trying to reason with wolves like theirs.

He looked pointedly at the glass she hadn’t picked up, and Ava rolled her eyes and took it. They clinked their glasses, and then he downed his shot.

Ava spluttered and coughed again, but he knew she’d had more this time. This drink wasn’t for amateurs, and it would have probably damaged her liver in one shot if she’d been human. But his baby was just like him, and it was time he showed her.

When they finally walked back up the stairs, he decided maybe a change of scenery was what she needed. Somewhere peaceful, like the lake.

He went to open the door but paused with his hand on the handle.

What the... How the hell had he missed this? He’d been so focused on his mate that he hadn’t sensed the invasion. Did he know they were in there?

There was a soft knock from the other side that made him tense. Ava sucked in a breath, and then he saw the look on her face as if she could sense him on the other side, too.

“How did he know?” she whispered. “You said this room is protected.”

The knock came again.

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