Tangled

21 Ava: Paranoia and Secrets (II)

[LISA BURNER: Your brother’s looking for you. I think he believes me that I don’t know anything, but I’m not sure. I’m deleting everything off this phone just in case. I have a bad feeling about this]

[AVA: Be careful. It might be better if we don’t talk for a few weeks. I just heard two shifters talking earlier today; it looks like they’re finally searching.]

[LISA BURNER: I love you, Ave. I’m worried. Have I been watching too many crime documentaries? Anyway, I’ll text you when it’s safer.]

I clutch my phone in fear, the plastic case digging into my palm as I rush out of the lecture hall. My heart pounds with a frantic rhythm, echoing the chaos in my mind. The two shifters‘ words replay in an endless loop, fueling the fear that coils tighter with each passing second.

Escape. I need to escape.

I weave through the throngs of students, desperate to put as much distance between myself and those who might be searching for me. The world around me blurs

14:45

17

21 Ava: Paranola and Secrets (1)

into a kaleidoscope of colors and faces, each one a potential threat. I can’t shake the feeling that eyes are watching my every move, that danger lurks in every shadow.

The bus stop offers a brief respite, and I collapse onto the bench, gasping for air. My eyes dart back and forth, scanning the crowd for any sign of pursuit. The minutes crawl by, each one amplifying the tension coiled within me.

Finally, the bus arrives, and I board with a sense of urgency, clutching my bag close to my chest. As it lurches forward, I sink into a seat near the back, my gaze fixed on the window, searching for any suspicious figures or movements.

signs that might give away their true nature. But all I see are ordinary people,

my stop, I practically leap from my seat. Relief washes over me as I spot Selene waiting patiently, her bright blue

• 14:45 — ).

217

Ava: Paranoia and

on my shoulders eases. Together, we hurry towards the safety of my apartment, my steps quickening

against the door, burying my face in my hands as sobs wrack my body. Fear, frustration, and a deep sense of isolation crash over me in waves, threatening to

my side, her warmth a comforting presence in the midst of my turmoil. I cling

The tears flor

me. I cry for the life I’ve lost, for the family that has turned their backs on me,

the last vestiges of a nightmare cling

Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in

and Secrets

sleep, taking in the familiar surroundings of my apartment, lit only by

of affection washes over me as I reach out to

in my body begins to uncoil, my stomach rumbles, reminding me that I haven’t eaten properly since breakfast. With a groan, I push myself up from the

Selene a weary smile as I

are soothing, a welcome distraction from the

the motions with practiced ease, the sizzle of the pan and the aroma of

filling the air with a comforting warmth.

and

into a panic. The fear that had gripped me so tightly begins to loosen its hold, replaced by a steely resolve. I

turn to find Selene sitting in the doorway, the unmistakable glimmer of the purple crystal clenched between her jaws. A surprised laugh escapes my lips as I cross the room, reaching out to gently pry the object from her mouth. She’s obsessed with it, and

her several times over the past

this, you little troublemaker?” I chide, holding

alight with a tingling sensation. I gasp, nearly