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.

howls grow louder still, echoing through the trees, the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I cling to Lucas, drawing strength from his solid

left, and Lucas‘ head whips around. He signals to the others, and

1. us.

in the air, thick and

forest seems to hold

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77 Ava:

in this agonizing

shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like

motion, he sets me down and steps forward,

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

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

the wolf’s snarl fades, and it lowers its head in

turns back to me, his expression softening ever so slightly as

a rogue,” he says, like that’s

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

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77 Ava: Running

if you

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

howl. I

our trail, but they’re getting closer.

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

this. I have

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

Freedom.

men around me struggle to keep pace, their

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77 Ava Running

warns, his

concern.

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

sound like

if I

And it is.

it now, a thrumming beneath my

say, knowing deep inside that

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

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

finally, he