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.

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

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

1. us.

in the air, thick and palpable, as

The forest seems to hold its breath

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77 Ava: Running

in this agonizing

eyes glowing like embers

sets me down and steps forward, planting himself between the wolf and

growls, his voice laced with an

it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other,

and it lowers its head in a

to me, his expression softening

says,

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

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77 Ava: Running

better time if you aren’t holding me.”

Let’s go. Stay close, Ava. Vester will stay on

I nod.

caught our trail, but they’re getting closer.

my hand, squeezing it in reassurance. My lips quirk into a small smile as I squeeze back. I can

this. I have

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.

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

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77 Ava Running

Lucas warns, his

concern.

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

made it sound like

if I

And it is.

thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling

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

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

their golden depths–disbelief, confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website

around us fading into a blur of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged breaths intermingling in the

finally, he