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.

heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and

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

1. us.

thick and palpable, as we

seems to hold its breath

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77 Ava:

this agonizing moment.

its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls, baring

doesn’t flinch. With a fluid motion, he sets me down

down,” he growls, his voice laced with an unmistakable

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

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

He turns back to me, his expression softening ever

rogue,” he says, like

say, pushing at his arms until he lets me down. “I

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77 Ava: Running

better time if you aren’t

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

I nod. “Okay.”

but they’re getting

reassurance. My lips quirk into

this. I

start running, the ache in my 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

Freedom.

word echoes through my mind with every stride, fueling my legs to push harder, faster. The men around me struggle to keep pace, their harsh

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77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his brow furrowed

concern.

my head, unable to spare the breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in

it sound like it

I did.

And it is.

feel it now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling

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

pulling me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes

Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt

moment, we’re frozen, the world around us fading into a blur of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged breaths intermingling

he nods.