Tangled

76 Ava: Saved

Lucas‘ scent hits me after I’ve already tried to murder him.

An unmistakable blend of the outdoors, of amber and

campfire smoke, of something so uniquely mate that it draws me in even through the pain of our past.

It’s him. He’s here.

The knife clatters from my trembling hand as every muscle in my body goes lax with relief. I’d been so tense, coiled tight like a spring ready to snap, terrified of losing my life tonight. But now Lucas is here.

He came for me.

“Lucas,” I breathe out, hope and prayer all in one, the sound barely more than a whisper. My entire body crumples, overworked in its stress.

He’s really here. I’m not dreaming. He’s not a

hallucination. This is real. Real.

My mate.

My savior.

10:07

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Strong arms wrap around me, drawing me in against an embrace both hard and warm, filled with assurance

and yearning. His hands hold me as if I’m some tender, precious thing, going from my back, up to the back of my head, brushing gently against my hair. He’s dropping kisses over the top of my head, against my eyebrows, then my eyes, whispering my name in a ragged chant before crushing me to him once again.

“Ava. Ava. Sweet Ava. You’re safe now. Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you, Ava. You’re safe now.” His voice rumbles, vibrating his chest against my cheek. One hand cradles my head, the other runs soothing lines down my back.”

I want to respond. I want to ask him why he’s here. To thank him for coming. To tell him how terrified I was. To explain everything. But only a choked sob comes out as all the emotions of the last few days takes over, gripping my body in a cold–fingered grip of horror and

distress.

Tears pour down my face, soaking into the fabric of his shirt as I cling to him, as if letting him go means I can never see freedom again.

me closer. “It’s alright, sweetheart. Let it out. I’m here now. No one’s

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need to move,” a shifter

behind

firmly against his chest, rubbing me in that soothing rhythm as I try with desperate gasps and sobs to gather some semblance

do you need to bring with you?” Lucas asks, and I shake my head.

Nothing.

nothing here

you, Ava. We need to go fast, before anyone notices you’re gone.”

my head, blowing

Another breath out.

his arms, sliding one under my legs and lifting me as though I

to feign modesty, or worry if I’m too heavy. I just lean against him, trying to breathe in a way that sounds less…

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shoulder, so I close my eyes and relax against him.

he carries me out of the room, I fight the urge to think about the past–his rejection, my complicated feelings for Clayton, or the tangled

and I jerk slightly

to find my voice. “I think there’s a tracker

one of the shifters accompanying us. Without blinking, the strange shifter crushes the device in his

he produces a small canister and sprays me down with a fine mist. The scent is earthy and familiar, very neutral–seeming. “This will help conceal your scent for a while,” he explains, before handing me a

76 Ava: Saved

you by scent.”

without question, trusting Lucas and his team implicitly. The pill leaves a bitter

much suspicion when Clayton came to my rescue, but with Lucas–despite our

bonds are crazy like that,

at a clipped pace. Lucas leads the way, his strides purposeful and determined, and the strange shifter with the scent diffusing drugs is

shadows as we leave the house.

filtering through the canopy above. The humid summer air is heavy with the scent of earth

one

diffusers are amazing.

15:08 — .‘

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the trees and underbrush. Lucas never falters, his grip on me secure and unwavering. I press my face against his chest, focusing on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the

him I can walk, but my entire body protests at

seems to blur as we navigate the labyrinth of the forest, putting as much distance as possible between us and the

feels like hours. Lucas‘ breathing has never faltered, even

answers, his words soft. “We have cars. From there, you’ll be taken straight to Westwood. I have to stay here-” there’s agony on his face as he says this,

to understand that this is