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 sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I cling

He signals to the others, and they fan out, forming a protective circle

1. us.

thick and palpable, as

seems to hold its

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217

Ava: Running

this agonizing moment.

figure emerges from the shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like

me down

he growls, his voice

presence seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other, locked in a silent battle of wills.

slowly, the wolf’s snarl fades, and it lowers its head in a grudging show of

second glance. He turns back to me, his expression softening ever

he says, like that’s nothing.

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

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77 Ava: Running

make better time if you aren’t

but he thinks better of it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava.

I

trail, but they’re getting

hand, squeezing it in reassurance. My lips quirk into a small smile as I

this. I have

sneakers is a distant concern. My heart pounds, but not from exertion–not yet. Terror still grips me, its icy tendrils constricting my lungs

Freedom.

with every stride, fueling my legs to push harder, faster. The men

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77 Ava Running

warns, his brow

concern.

shake my head, unable to spare the breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in my ears, a

run. She’d made it sound like it would

if I

And it is.

now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my

need to shift,” I say, knowing deep inside that I’m right. “We’ll be

-to an

emotions swirling in their golden depths–disbelief, confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels

world around us fading into a blur of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged breaths intermingling in the

finally, he