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, drawing

around. He signals to the others, and they fan out, forming a

1. us.

thick and palpable, as we

to hold its breath with us.

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77 Ava: Running

this

its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls, baring

a fluid motion, he sets me down and steps forward, planting

growls, his voice laced with an unmistakable command.

seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard

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

to me, his expression softening ever so slightly

he says, like that’s

he lets me down. “I

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77 Ava: Running

if you

of it. “Fine. Let’s go. Stay close, Ava.

howl. I

haven’t caught our trail, but they’re

lips quirk into a small smile as I squeeze back.

this. I have

not from exertion–not yet. Terror still grips me, its icy tendrils constricting my lungs with every rasping breath. But each footfall on

Freedom.

The men around me struggle to keep pace, their harsh

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77 Ava Running

yourself,” Lucas warns, his brow furrowed

concern.

head, unable to spare the breath for a reply. Selene’s words

made it sound like it would be

if I did.

And it is.

thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my

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

falters, and he grips my arm, pulling me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes

worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt

frozen, the world around us fading into a blur of shadows

he