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.

still, echoing through the trees, the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my pulse and I cling to Lucas,

around. He signals to the

1. us.

crackles in the air, thick and palpable,

to hold its breath with

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77 Ava: Running

this agonizing moment.

figure emerges from the shadows–a massive wolf, its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It snarls, baring wicked

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

down,” he growls, his voice

hesitates, its hackles raised, but something in Lucas‘ unwavering presence seems to give it pause. For a long, tense moment, they regard each other, locked in a silent battle of

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

it a second glance. He turns back to me, his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops me up

rogue,” he says,

can run,” I say, pushing at his arms until he lets me down. “I can’t shift, but I can run. I’m

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77 Ava: Running

if you aren’t holding me.”

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

howl. I nod. “Okay.”

trail, but they’re getting closer.

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

I

ache in my feet 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

Freedom.

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

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77 Ava Running

Lucas warns, his brow furrowed

concern.

the breath for a reply. Selene’s words

it sound like it

I

And it is.

now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity

that I’m right. “We’ll be faster if you do.”

me -to an abrupt halt. His eyes bore into

of emotions swirling in their golden depths–disbelief, confusion, worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and

a blur of shadows and silence. It’s just us, our ragged breaths intermingling in the scant space between us.

finally, he