Chapter 91
Ava’s POV
Ifore at Sephia’s bedmom doo, it become of the fancy digs–alter werks at Ward, Ed gutten used in the stupid expensive everything. It was because she was Jackson’s fiancée, and hanging out with her felt like stepping into quicksand
Sophia glanced up from her cleart, sunlight ratching her blonde hair.
“Dat give you the third degree?” she asked, eyeing my stiff shoulders…
I straightened up. Blake’s warning still rang in my ears–head courfully with Sophila’s situation.” Like I on some criminal mastermind instead of a glorified babysitter with a knife collection,
Nah, just Lucas staff.” I lied throgh my teeth.
Sephia’s mouth garked, clearly not trying it, but she let it allide. She tumed back to her closet, holding clothes against me.
This one you she decided, tossing me a silver–gray top and dark pants, “Let’s hunt out of here like normal girls for once.”
I caught the clothes. My stomach knotted thinking about Jackson. My feelings for him had curdled into something bitter, but seeing Sophia still made me feel like crap. She was so dann genuine while being completely clueless her soon–to–be hubby was my ex
I ducked into her bathroom to change. The top hugged tight–Sophia was built like a dancer while I had more of a “could–snap–your–neck–with–these–biceps” thing going on. I yanked my hair free, splashed water on my face, and raided Sophia’s perfume to cover up my “just threw fifty punches smell
When I came out, Sophia sat by the window, sunlight outlining her. She smiled–that open, no ulterior–motives unile that doubled my guilt. She had zero clue her fiance Gas obrised with controlling me instead of loving her.
“Danin, that looks good on you,” she nodded. “Makes your eyes pop.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, thrown by the compliment. Why was she being so nice?
“Just to your staff in there,” she pointed at a basket. “Staff will handle it.”
1 besitated, not used to others doing my laundry, but dropped my gear in the basket.
“Cmon,” she looped her arm through mine like wed been besties for years, before Dad locks me in a tower or something
In the main hall, Blake and Tyler stood by the entrance. Blake turned, his storm–gray eyes scanning us like security cameras. His jaw tightened. I automatically stepped back.
“What now?” Sophia sighed, crossing her arms.
“Tyler’s driving you,” Blake stated, his tone leaving room for debate
Sophia rolled her eyes. “I was gonna take my horse. I’m twenty–four, not twehre.”
“Not happening,” Blake’s eyes flashed gold–Alpha temper rising to the surface
I felt his power ripple through the air and kept my mouth shut, not eager to get caught between Alpha dad and frustrated daughter
“Whatever.” Sophia huffed, surrendering to her father’s Alpha mojo. She turned to Tyler, “Ready!”
Tyler modded. “All art
I raked glancing at lake. His face couldve been carved from se, pe calculating as they locked on mine. It threw me back to day one in his office–being
up like a threat rather than a perio
31/3
Chapter 91
I spun away, following Sophia who son streedy streming toward the door, Hated that
Geared what he thought. He was just the pay signing my checks,
Outside, a Silverpeak–crested canlage waited. I’d ridden in these before–mally for prisen visits or Blake’s missions. Weird how different it felt this time.
Following Sophia inside, my brain kept spinning. Was this a terrible idea? Would Jackson ip if he found out I was al with his fiancéer Then again, Sophia had always been decent to me, never treating me like Shadow Creek trash. Saying no felt like kicking a puppy, especially with how excited the seemed about tonight.
The carriage lurched forward, dragging me toward whatever mess waited ahead, my thoughts ping ponging between loyalty, friendship, and secrets I wasn’t wee I could keep.
I sat by the window with Sophia across from me, while Tyler demer up font lehind a carved divider,
“Tyler, privacy please? Sophia’s voice was sweet but had steel underneath.
Tyler hit a button that raised the wooden partition. Once sealed off, Sophia’s shoulders dropped like she’d ditched a heavy backpack.
We rode in silence, passing through Silverpeak territory with its fancy houses and patrolling guards. Normally, a Shadow Creek wolf–especially a “traitor” daughter–would get death glares here. But inside a Morgan carriage, reality blamed, like I’d accidentally stumbled into someone else’s dr.
you hanging in there? I finally asked. Sephia looked miles away, nothing like her usual sunshine self.
She turned, chewing her lip, her eyes showing cracks. I’d never seen before.
Just needed to breathe without being watched for five minutes,” she said quietly. “Hard to do when Dad’s got his wolves tracking my every move.”
“It’s just Tyler,” I shrugged. “He’s practically furniture.”
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