The jarring melody blares out of my phone, startling me nearly out of my skin.


    Selene''s ears flick as I grab it, seeing Lucas'' name flash across the screen. Both butterflies and dread swim through me; butterflies, because it''s Lucas.


    Dread, because I''m hiding things from him again.


    "Hello?"


    "I miss you."


    His greeting is so him, and my lips curl up immediately. "I miss you, too."


    "Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?"


    Of course, he knows about the riot. "I''m fine. Not hurt at all. Everyone kept me safe."


    When he sighs, I can imagine his face, how his brows furrow as he inspects me. "I wish you hadn''t come outside."


    "I held my own, though, didn''t I?" There''s a little pride in my voice over that.


    "So I hear. It would have been better if you weren''t in danger, though."


    Vanessa''s stopped pacing to stare out the window, still in thought. Selene flops into my lap, and I scratch behind her ears absently. "You can''t shelter me from everything."


    "I should be able to."


    It''s weird, the way his words both warm my heart and send my hackles up. "I''m not a child, Lucas."


    "I never said you were, Ava." Immediately into that soothing tone. He''s always trying to calm me down, and for some reason that makes me even more agitated.


    He''s always going to be protective of his mate, Selene murmurs. The begrudging approval in her voice helps soothe that vague restless feeling inside of me.


    "I know. I''m sorry." Focusing on the soft feel of Selene''s fur beneath my hands, I force myself to relax. It''s Lucas. He''s done so much for me, and yet I''m the one holding secrets.


    With that thought in mind, the words come out before I realize.


    "I have an idea, and you''re going to hate it."


    "You might trust me with secrets, but you don''t trust me to bring Lisa back. Or that I''m doing things with your best interest in mind. You don''t think about me, and the lack of respect absolutely blows my fucking mind, Ava. I''ve done my best and bent over backward for you, to the detriment of my own pack. And now you''re going off with this hare-brained fucking scheme—"


    "You can''t stop me from trying to help my best friend, especially if you won''t even listen to me!"


    "I am listening, but you''re being blind to your situation. It''s too dangerous, Ava. I''m trying to protect you!"


    "I don''t need you to treat me like glass! I can handle myself." Even as I say the words, doubt coils in my stomach. Can I really? I''ve never proven that.


    The vampire didn''t kidnap me, but he got Lisa.


    That''s not a win, no matter how you look at it.


    Lucas scoffs, a harsh sound that crackles through the phone. "Right. Because your past has proven that you can take risks like this without something terrible happening to you. You don''t know how far their power reaches, and yet you''re going to jump in head first—"


    His words are like a slap, stinging and brutal. I can''t breathe past the lump in my throat, hot tears spilling down my cheeks. A small, broken sound escapes me before I can stop it. "If all you''re going to do is yell at me, I''m hanging up."


    Selene nuzzles against my hand, her ears flat against her head.


    "Ava, wait—"


    I hit the button, cutting off his words. The phone tumbles from my numb fingers, bouncing on the bed. I wrap my arms around myself, hunching over as sobs wrack my body.


    Selene whines, pressing close and nosing at my hands. He''s just worried, Ava. He let his fear control his words.


    "He''s right though, isn''t he? I''m a walking disaster." The words are bitter on my tongue, voiced on a shuddering exhale.


    No. Selene''s voice is fierce in my mind. You''re not a disaster. Having powerful enemies does not mean you''re a disaster.


    I want to believe her, but Lucas'' accusations ring in my ears, insidious and haunting. Am I really so blind? So thoughtless in my actions?


    Vanessa sits beside me, tentatively resting a hand on my shoulder. "Ava? Are you okay?"


    I shake my head, not trusting my voice. She sighs, rubbing soothing circles on my back. We sit in silence for a long moment, my sniffles the only sound in the room.


    "He''s scared," Vanessa finally says, quiet but certain. "He lashes out when he''s terrified of losing you."


    "That doesn''t make it okay," I whisper, even as doubts run through my head.