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 I cling to Lucas,

rustling sound comes from our left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals to the others, and they fan out, forming a protective circle

1. us.

thick and palpable, as

hold its breath

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217

Ava: Running

this

eyes glowing like embers in the

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

voice laced

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

slowly, the wolf’s snarl fades, and it lowers its

turns back to me, his expression softening ever so

rogue,” he says,

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

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77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t

he thinks better of it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will stay on your other side. We’ll keep you

howl. I

grimaces. “They still haven’t caught our trail, but they’re getting closer. We’re still five miles

squeezing it in reassurance. My lips quirk into a small smile as

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

Freedom.

The men around me struggle to

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77 Ava Running

Lucas warns, his brow

concern.

Selene’s words ring in my ears, a

She’d made it sound like it would

I did.

And it is.

beneath my skin, like

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

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

Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on

of shadows and silence.

he nods.