Novels by Ava Reed

Kent POV:I watched Corie shut the door behind her, my limbs frozen, making no move to stop her.I knew her stubborn heart all too well.Though small and frail, she carried a fierce, unyielding pride that ran deeper than anyone in this pack realized.Besides... after what I did last night, I knew I had shredded her world to pieces.My mind went completely blank for a moment, hollowed out by a strange, creeping dread, until my gaze settled on the coffee table.Wait—A picture frame had always rested there.Now it was gone.Her books on the shelf—gone.Her personal items and clothes—all stripped away.A few trash bags were piled up by the door.I yanked them open; sure enough, everything was dumped inside.I picked up the picture frame and set it back on the coffee table.In the photo, Corie was leaning into my chest, flashing a peace sign at the camera with a brilliant, glowing smilethat used to light up my darkest days.A sudden thought flashed through my mind, sending a cold shiver st

Corie POV:The cab pulled up near Linda's place, and I spotted her waiting in the distance."Corie, oh God, are you okay?"The moment I stepped out, she rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace."I'm fine. Don't make me out to be that fragile."She drew back half a step, pressing her palm against my forehead."Corie, You're burning up."I offered a pale smile."Just a fever. Nothing to worry about."The fever was merely a dull dizziness in my head.It was the raw wounds on my feet—screaming in pain with every single step—that truly tormented me.Her eyes drifted down to my duffel bag."You're leaving?""Yeah. Can I leave this bag with you for a while?"She took the heavy weight from my hands without hesitation."Where are you going?""Not sure yet.""Are you really ready to leave Kent behind?"My grip on the strap tightened."He and I... are nothing to each other now."Deep inside, Mia let out a low, mournful howl, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes.Linda's eyes turned red

Corie POV:I returned to my rented cottage, staring at the ceiling and not sleeping a single wink all night.When I dragged myself up early the next morning, my head throbbed with a dizzying, sickening ache.I pressed a palm to my forehead—I was burning up with fever.Every tiny movement pulled at the shredded soles of my feet, swollen and radiating waves of raw heat.I crammed a few essential pieces of clothing into a duffel bag, then ruthlessly swept the remaining clutter of my past life straight into trash bags, piling them by the door to be thrown away.The front door suddenly swung open, and Kent rushed inside, his breathing uneven."Corie, why the hell didn't you answer my calls?"A jolt went through me, and the glass in my grip slipped, shattering into a sharp burst of shards across the floor.I cast an icy glance at him, fetched a small trash can, and picked up the broken glass piece by piece.He crossed the room in two strides and crouched beside me."Let me do that.""No need

Corie POV:Linda ran over, wrapping her arms around me so tight I could barely breathe."Has Kent completely lost his damn mind?" she hissed, her voice shaking with rage."And Sarah—that backstabbing bitch! How could she do this to you?"I let my heavy head sink onto her shoulder, my body trembling."Save it, Linda. Please... I don't care anymore."All my strength had been violently drained; even standing straight felt like an impossible luxury."You fool, how could you not care?""Just give me a second of quiet. Please."Linda's shoulder was the only thin shield keeping me from collapsing entirely.After a long moment, I forced my head up, willing my trembling knees to lock into place."What are you going to do now, Corie?""I'm fine. Don't waste your tears on me."I reached up, ripped the white veil off my hair, and slammed it into the dirt.Without another word, I stumbled away from the blinding party lights."Corie!"Linda's cry called out behind me.I blindly raised a hand, waving

Corie POV:I sat in front of the vanity mirror, unable to hide the smile tugging at my lips.The reflection staring back at me was the most beautiful version of myself in twenty years.The white wedding gown, off-the-shoulder with long sleeves, was simple yet breathtaking.My best friend, Linda, was applying the final touches with her makeup brush.I stole another glance at the door—lost count of how many times my eyes had strayed there.Still, Kent hadn’t shown up."Corie, you are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," Linda sighed, her eyes beaming."And you're marrying our insanely handsome Alpha. Do you have any idea how many girls in this pack are dying to be you right now?"My smile widened, though a tiny flicker of unease danced in my chest."Why hasn't he shown up yet? Not even a call."Linda smirked, nudging my shoulder. "Did you guys sneak out for a midnight quickie or something?"I pressed my lips together, fighting off a blush."No."Last night, he had pressed me into t