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.

grow louder still, echoing through the trees, the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I

head whips around. He signals to the others, and they

1. us.

thick and palpable, as we

The forest seems to hold its breath with

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217

Ava:

this

glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls,

a fluid motion, he sets me down and

his voice laced with an unmistakable command.

to give it pause. For

fades, and it lowers its head in a grudging show of submission.

his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops

he says, like

at his arms until he lets me down. “I

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77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t

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

howl. I

but they’re getting closer. We’re still five

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

I have

still grips me, its icy tendrils constricting my lungs with every rasping breath. But each footfall on the forest floor kindles a tiny

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

his brow

concern.

Selene’s words ring in my ears, a silent chorus

made it sound

I did.

And it is.

beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my veins.

deep inside that I’m right.

arm, pulling me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes bore

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

he nods.