Ava saw Cynthia standing with a baby carrier, her back to Ava as she looked at Ivy. Ivy, who looked even smugger than before if that was possible.
“–you framed Gabrielle because she went against you, didn’t you? Not that I can blame you. She was pretty annoying. Which means you were behind that entire Primo pack case and the attempt on Adrian’s life, right? You have made my life very comfortable, Cynthia. If you really think about it, we should have partnered up from the start.”
Ava rocked back in betrayal. Cynthia had been behind everything? All of it? How much more had she done that Ava didn’t know about?
*Ava, how are you sure she isn’t lying? She is pregnant so you can’t even detect a pulse shift because she has two constantly overlapping each other… I just hope we don’t end up regretting this.*
She thought of what Adrian had told her so long ago when she wanted to return Cynthia to the pack. Begged to have the exile cancelled.
*Do you really trust that she has changed? I don’t think she is all she seems, Ava. She is hiding something from us.*
She thought about what Jenny had told her about Cynthia.
How could she have made so many terrible decisions about the people to trust so easily and effortlessly?
Gabby had betrayed her, Adrian betrayed her, Jenny betrayed her and now even her friendship with Cynthia felt like a twisted joke.
A part of her wanted to cross the distance between them and demand an explanation from Cynthia but most of her just felt naive and gullible. How many times could one person be lied to?
She felt so disoriented and lost. She stumbled away from the discussion feeling her ears ring. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.
She somehow found herself on the path to Anya’s house. Yes. She wanted to sit in her chair, sip soothing tea while discussing everything with her and feel ensconced away from the chaos that was now her life and– she couldn’t find Anya’s house. She must have gone for ‘meditation’. And of course, it would have to be today of all days.
Troubles always came in pairs but Ava’s seemed to come in a pack. How fitting. Ava fought the urge to laugh maniacally.
She turned to go back home. Home to a mate who had betrayed her, a mate that had broken her heart. But where else could she go? Her empty parents’ house?
The hospital where no doubt everyone would be staring at her and whispering about her and Ivy. Contemplating why her true mate had taken a consort. Her still flat belly wouldn’t help but worsen everything.
Neither option was appealing so she started back to the pack house, her mind heavy with thoughts.
“Luna Ava.”
As if the day couldn’t get any worse, Elder Elvis was next to her with his smarmy face.
“Elder Elvis.” What did he want with her? He had already won. He and Ivy had finally come between her and Adrian. “Have you come to gloat? Because I’m sincerely not in the mood for any of that.”
Elder Elvis looked at her like she was beneath him.
“You would do well to watch your tongue.”
He sniped.
“Watch my tongue?” Ava was incredulous. Had he forgotten who she was simply because his daughter had fallen pregnant? “How dare you!”
“You seem to have forgotten something, Ava. The only relevance you have in this pack is in relation to Alpha Adrian. Before your mating ceremony, you were nothing. Your father, retired and powerless. And now that my grandson will lead this pack, you will become nothing once more. You will live in this pack quietly and under my mercy.”
You will live in this pack quietly and under my mercy.
Ava saw red, this was only happening because without a child she was all but useless and like the bastard he was, Elder Elvis was rubbing it in. Ava raised her hand to hit him but he caught it easily.
“Don’t test my patience, Ava. Once Adrian has discarded you, we shall speak again. Maybe then you will know your place.”
He flung her hand away and walked away from her without a backward glance.
Ava didn’t want to cry again. She really didn’t but she felt so tired and in pain. Elder Elvis had gotten her mind moving in a direction she had been scared to contemplate all this while.
If Adrian was already taking Ivy’s side so soon after selecting her as his consort. Once she was put to bed, Ava would be out of Adrian’s life for good. As Elder Elvis put it so eloquently, she would sit and be quiet as her entire life unravelled.
No, Adrian wouldn’t do that to her. He wouldn’t just discard her like that. He loved her.
But a voice that she couldn’t quiet down reminded her that she had also thought that he would always be loyal to her and that even though he loved her it hadn’t stopped him from being disloyal.
She imagined the life that lay ahead of her playing second fiddle to Ivy. She imagined a life without Adrian. She couldn’t imagine it.
She made a decision.
*******
When he had gotten a call from Ava, Adrian had been surprised. He was even more surprised when he heard the location she wanted to meet him.
It was by the lake. The same lake where he had seen her naked for the first time and touched her, it was also the place they had met for the last time before she left. Before he sent her away.
He shouldn’t have yelled at her the way he had. He knew that now. He should have trusted that Ava must have had a reason but the problem was that when he had seen her she looked anything but reasonable.
She looked so angry that he’d known that if he hadn’t come in time, no one would have been able to help Ivy. And whether he liked it or not, it was his child Ivy was carrying. His flesh and blood and Ava had threatened its life the moment she hit Ivy.
But at the same time, he understood that she was hurting and he was the cause. He wanted to kiss her, fall at her feet, apologise and erase all of her pain but how could he really do that when he was the cause?
When he reached the lake, she was sitting on the boulder, her legs swinging and her dark hair loose instead of in the messy ponytail it had been in before. She looked beautiful, she also looked sad and wistful.
“Ava.”
She looked at him and smiled. It was a grim smile that set him on edge.
“Do you remember the last time we were here? I was so certain I would never see you again. I wanted nothing more than to stay with you even if I knew I couldn’t betray Gabby like that. That she already had you.”
The way she spoke, made him even more on edge.
“Ava, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I just–”
Ava shook her head. “You did what you had to. You will soon be a father after all. I can’t expect you to sit down and watch while someone puts the unborn child at risk. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry as well.”
The fact that even now she understood him so well humbled him.
Ava crossed the space between them and took his hands, Adrian was so stunned that he was silent for a second.
“I love you, Adrian. I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone as I do you. I love you so much it scares me because I would do anything for you.”
Adrian embraced her, his eyes tearing up.
“Then forgive me. I promise Ava, it was a mistake. We can get through this.”
“Of course I forgive you. How could I not?”
Ava pulled back slightly and kissed him softly on his lips and for a moment, he was lost in her. It was the first guilt-free kiss he had shared with her in a month and he wished they could freeze the moment till forever. For the first time since this saga began, he had hope for a tomorrow for them.
Ava pulled away and looked at him, tears in her beautiful blue eyes.
“I’m leaving.”