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.

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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.

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

our left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals to the others,

1. us.

crackles in the air, thick

seems to hold

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77 Ava:

this

a figure emerges from the shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls, baring wicked fangs, I

down

down,” he growls, his voice

seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other, locked in

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

his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops me up once

rogue,” he says, like that’s

say, pushing at his arms until he lets me down. “I can’t shift, but

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77 Ava: Running

better time if you

that he wants to protest, but he thinks better of it. “Fine. Let’s

I nod.

our trail, but they’re

reassurance. My lips quirk into

I have

distant concern. My 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 floor kindles

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his

concern.

reply. Selene’s words ring in my ears, a

She’d made it sound like it would

if I did.

And it is.

it now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my veins.

deep inside that I’m right. “We’ll be faster if you do.”

falters, and he grips my arm, pulling me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes

emotions swirling in their golden depths–disbelief, confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt

moment, we’re frozen, the world around us fading into a blur of shadows and

he