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

<

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.

itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse

sound comes from our left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals to the others, and they fan out, forming a protective

1. us.

thick

seems to hold its

13.08

217

Ava:

in this agonizing

its eyes glowing like embers in the

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

he growls, his voice laced

pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other, locked in

and it lowers its head in a grudging show

a second glance. He turns back to me, his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops me up

a rogue,” he says, like that’s

me down. “I can’t shift, but I

13:08

3/7

77 Ava: Running

if you aren’t holding me.”

he wants to protest, but he thinks better of it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will stay on your other side. We’ll keep

howl. I nod.

caught our trail, but they’re getting

grabs at my hand, squeezing it in reassurance. My lips quirk into a small smile

I

yet. Terror still grips me, its icy tendrils constricting my lungs with every rasping breath. But each

Freedom.

fueling my legs to push harder, faster. The men around me

10.08

77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his

concern.

reply. Selene’s words ring

it sound like

if I did.

And it is.

my skin, like electricity crackling through my

I say, knowing deep inside that I’m right. “We’ll be

me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes bore into mine,

Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ

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

he