Tangled

77 Ava: Running

The haunting howls of wolves echo through the night, sending fear deep into my soul.

I shudder.

The strange shifter with the drugs curses under his breath. “They’re on the hunt,” he says, his voice low and urgent.

Lucas‘ arms tighten as he runs. It’s not the most comfortable, with all the jostling, but he manages to run while holding me as though my extra burden

doesn’t affect him at all.

How long has it been? Hours? That he’s maintained his pace without faltering. I can’t help but admire it, even

as I worry.

“It’s going to be okay,” he murmurs, his tone cold with

determination.

We pick up the pace, the shadows of the forest

seeming to press in around us as we hurry along. The howls grow louder, closer, sending icy tendrils of fear slithering through my veins.

377

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77 Ava: Running

“How much farther?” I ask, my voice a hushed whisper.

Lucas‘ subordinate’s response is grim. “Too far to be comfortable.” There are a few grunts of agreement among the other wolves. “We should have shifted. We would be there by now.”

Lucas just growls. “Not an option.”

The weight of his words settles over me, and I realize with a pang that he knows–he knows I can’t shift.

I swallow hard. How long has he known?

It isn’t as though it was a secret in our pack.

But it still hurts.

the trees, the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I cling to Lucas, drawing

rustling sound comes from our left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals

1. us.

crackles in the air, thick and palpable, as we

hold its breath with

13.08

217

Ava: Running

this

glowing like

motion, he sets me down and steps forward, planting himself between the wolf and

he growls, his voice laced with

raised, but something in Lucas‘ unwavering presence seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they

slowly, the wolf’s snarl fades, and it lowers its head in

to me, his

says, like

me down. “I can’t shift, but I can run. I’m fine.

13:08

3/7

77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t holding me.”

of it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will stay on your other

I

haven’t caught our trail, but

squeezing it in reassurance. My lips quirk into a

this. I have

heart pounds, but not from exertion–not yet. Terror still grips me, its icy tendrils constricting my lungs with every rasping breath. But each footfall on the forest

Freedom.

men around me struggle to keep pace, their harsh pants filling the air.

10.08

77 Ava Running

warns, his brow

concern.

unable to spare the breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in my ears, a silent chorus urging

sound like

if I did.

And it is.

can feel it now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my

that I’m right. “We’ll be faster

me -to an abrupt halt.

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into a blur of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged

finally, he nods.