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.

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

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

1. us.

crackles in the air, thick and palpable, as

forest seems to hold its breath

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77 Ava: Running

this agonizing

from the shadows–a massive wolf, 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

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

and it lowers its head in a grudging show of submission.

it a second glance. He turns back to me, his

a rogue,” he says, like that’s

he lets me down. “I can’t shift, but I can run. I’m fine.

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77 Ava: Running

time if you aren’t holding me.”

“Fine. Let’s go. Stay

I

our trail, but they’re

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

this. I

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

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his brow

concern.

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

run. She’d made it sound like it would

I did.

And it is.

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

that

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

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a blur of shadows

he nods.