Chapter 10: Fire
Ava groaned dramatically as sunlight attacked her face with the force of an overenthusiastic morning person. Her calves felt like they had been personally cursed by every ancient dancer who ever existed. Still, last night had been fun, the kind of fun that made her forget she was supposed to be miserable.
Then reality hit. The room smelled like coffee and authority.
She cracked one eye open and immediately regretted it. Standing beside the bed, was Alpha Lucas, holding a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a large hoodie in the other.
Ava pushed herself up on her elbows. "Did you kill me? Is this my heaven where you get to serve me coffee?"
Lucas exhaled sharply, "Would you be this mouthy if you were dead?" he muttered, setting the coffee down.
"Are you planning to kill me, then?"
"Get dressed. We leave in ten minutes." He threw the hoodie at her.
Ava caught it but narrowed her eyes. "Is this yours? I thought you preferred me with nothing on."
Lucas's lips twitched—was that amusement? Nah. Definitely irritation. "You want to walk through town in last night's torn dress? Be my guest. But you'll be walking back. Can't have people thinking I pick lunatics as concubines."
"Aha! So you do care what people think."
"You have eight minutes." He flicked a glance at her legs as she pulled the hoodie over her head before walking out.