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.

louder still, echoing through the trees, the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety

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

1. us.

in the air, thick and

The forest seems to hold its breath with us.

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77 Ava: Running

in this agonizing

eyes glowing like embers in the

a fluid motion, he sets me down

growls, his voice laced with an unmistakable command.

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

and it lowers its head

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

he says, like that’s

can run,” I say, pushing at his arms until he lets me down. “I can’t shift, but I can run. I’m fine. We’ll

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77 Ava: Running

better time if

it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will

howl. I

still haven’t caught our trail, but they’re getting closer. We’re still

lips quirk into a small smile as I squeeze back.

this. I

feet from the ill–fitting sneakers is a 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 a tiny spark of

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

warns, his

concern.

breath for a reply. Selene’s words

made it sound like it

I did.

And it is.

thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity

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

-to an abrupt halt. His eyes bore into

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

he