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.

377

<

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.

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

He signals to the others, and they fan out, forming

1. us.

in the air, thick and palpable,

The forest seems to hold its breath with us.

13.08

217

Ava: Running

in this

shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like embers in the

doesn’t flinch. With a fluid motion, he sets me down and steps forward, planting himself between

growls, his voice

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

the wolf’s snarl fades, and it lowers

He turns back to me, his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops me up once

says, like that’s

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

13:08

3/7

77 Ava: Running

if you aren’t holding me.”

face says that he wants to protest, but he thinks better of it. “Fine. Let’s go.

I nod. “Okay.”

grimaces. “They still haven’t caught our trail, but they’re

lips quirk into a small smile as I squeeze back.

this. I

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

Freedom.

mind with every stride, fueling my legs to push harder, faster. The men around me struggle to keep pace, their harsh pants filling the air. But I’m just getting

10.08

77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his

concern.

to spare the breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in my ears, a silent chorus urging

it sound like it

if I did.

And it is.

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

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

grips my arm, pulling me -to

worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters

of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our

he nods.