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.

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

sound comes from our left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals to the others, and they

1. us.

in the air, thick

forest seems to hold its breath

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217

Ava: Running

in this agonizing

the shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It

he sets me down and steps forward,

down,” he growls, his voice laced with

something in Lucas‘ unwavering presence seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they

snarl fades, and it lowers

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

he says, like

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

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77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t holding

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

I

our trail, but they’re getting closer. We’re

My lips quirk into a small smile as I squeeze back.

this. I have

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

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

Lucas warns, his brow furrowed

concern.

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

She’d made it sound

I did.

And it is.

now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity

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

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

swirling in their golden depths–disbelief, confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ

shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged breaths intermingling in

finally, he