Barely Winging It by Tigertalez Read Free Book Online Page B

need to cool off or risk making things
worse. But what you should have done, however, was set yourself a time limit
and returned to him to at least start talking things out with him before he had
to roost. Remember this isn’t just about you. It’s about him, too. It isn’t
just about your emotions, your hurt, and your worries. It’s about his, too, so don’t
be at fault for his. You can’t control what he does to you, but you can control
what you do to him.” Kace’s voice was serious. Even
his southern accent had smoothed out a bit, proof he was trying to choose his
words carefully.
    “Whoa, Kace , that’s deep. Especially for you.” She snickered.
    Kace shrugged. “I may be a
flirt and have the reputation of a playboy, but I grew up in a huge family. My
parents are true mates, and I have eight siblings.”
    Havana let out a whistle. “Wow, and I thought it was
bad enough with the two brothers I’m stuck with.” Everyone around her laughed.
    Kace smiled at her. “Well, I’m
family oriented, as my mother likes to say.”
    “You mean she wishes you were. What you are is a …” Marley started to say but was cut off when Kace pushed him over a log.
    “Hush, none of that now.” Kace’s southern drawl was back.
    As the guys bantered, Havana thought about what the
guys were convey to her. She couldn’t argue that she was childish for storming
off into the woods like she did. It had hurt her deeply that he would reject
her. And at my own birthday
party. When she stripped to shift, instead of just stripping and
shifting, she paused to give a dramatic look at her mate. She had done it as a
way of lashing out to deliberately hurt him. She had wanted him to charge out
there and stop her or shield her from the others, but he didn’t. That had only
angered her further.
    Kace is right. I shouldn’t have
deliberately tried to hurt him. Her father’s words echoed
in her head. “There is never a right
reason to do something wrong, because it will always be the wrong thing to do . ”
    Ranting and storming off only made things worse. She
was an adult now, so she had to drop the dramatics and communicate. Ok, so I was in the wrong. Now I just need
to figure out how to achieve my goals the right way . Because having her
mate was now on the top of her list of goals, and she didn’t want to fail in
achieving any of her goals, especially
that one.
    As they approached the house, she said determinedly,
“Ok.” She spoke more to herself than to the others. “I see where I was at
fault. I won’t let that failure, or anything else, stop me from achieving my
goals.”
    Havana felt happy at her resolution. “I’m not going to
die some slow, pining death,” she said with relief as she opened the door.
Suddenly she froze as she was confronted by her mate, and the look on his face
wasn’t a happy one.
    “It was not my intention to hold you back. I will
leave and let you accomplish your goals.” He sounded tortured.
    “ Dultyn , no! Wait!” Havana called for him as he charged past, but
he whipped open his wings and leapt into the air before she could say anything
else.
    Havana felt her heart die has her mate turned from her
and ran. Confusion mixed with pain at seeing him run from her. Where’s he going? When will he come back ? . She fought back the sob that threatened to overtake
her from the intense grief she felt. It
was hell not being with him the last few weeks. I can’t do this for who knows
how long.
    The last of her thoughts caught up with her, and
Havana crumpled to the ground in agonizing sorrow. She had never felt such
emotional pain as intense as this, not even from the death of her parents.
She’d always thought she was pretty strong, but after her parents’ deaths, and
now this, she had discovered she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was. She
was finding her breath hard to come by between sobs.
    Havana felt more than one body press against hers as
more than one set of arms warmly wrapped around