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.

sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I cling to Lucas, drawing

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

1. us.

the air, thick

The forest seems to hold

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77 Ava: Running

in this agonizing

shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls, baring wicked fangs, I tense.

a fluid motion, he sets me down and steps forward, planting himself between the wolf and me.

voice

seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other, locked in a

fades, and it lowers its head in

his

he says, like

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

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77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t holding

it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will stay on your other

howl. I

trail, but they’re getting

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

this. I

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.

The men around me struggle to

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77 Ava Running

Lucas warns, his

concern.

the breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in my

She’d made it sound like

if I did.

And it is.

feel it now, a thrumming beneath my

need to shift,” I say, knowing deep inside that I’m right. “We’ll be faster if

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

confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest

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

he nods.