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.

the sound itself nipping at our heels. Anxiety spikes my

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

1. us.

crackles in the air, thick

forest seems to hold its breath with

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Ava: Running

this agonizing moment.

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

With a fluid motion, he sets me down and steps forward, planting himself between the wolf

voice laced with

pause. For a long, tense moment,

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

doesn’t spare it a second glance. He turns back to me, his expression softening ever so slightly as he scoops

a rogue,” he says, like that’s nothing.

pushing at his arms until he lets me

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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

our trail, but they’re getting closer. We’re

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

this. I have

start running, the 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.

Freedom.

stride, fueling my legs to push harder, faster. The men

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77 Ava Running

warns, his brow furrowed with

concern.

breath for a reply. Selene’s words ring in

She’d made it sound like it would be

I did.

And it is.

it now, a thrumming beneath my skin, like electricity crackling through my veins.

need to shift,” I say, knowing deep inside that I’m right. “We’ll

me -to an

worry. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website

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

finally, he