Tangled

107 Lucas: Panic

LUCAS

“What the fuck do you mean she’s unconscious?” My voice rises in the back of the cab, drawing Vester’s alarmed glance in the rearview mirror of the SUV.

Kellan’s voice crackles through my phone. “Her vitals are stable, but she’s not waking up. Doctors can’t find anything physically wrong.”

“Then why the hell is she in the hospital?” Fury pounds through my veins, my wolf snarling to hunt down whoever dared harm our mate. “What did Jericho do?”

“It wasn’t him. She collapsed at home after training.”

“Training?” The word comes out in a growl. “She’s still recovering! She shouldn’t be-”

“Boss.” Vester’s gruff voice cuts in. “Nessa’s with her

now. Should be able to tell us more soon.”

I rake a hand through my hair, jaw clenched. “I want guards on her room. No one gets in besides pack and medical staff.”

“Already done.”

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107 Lucas: Panic

“Good.” I glance out the window at the darkened streets whizzing by, leg bouncing with impatience. Vester’s watching cautiously, and the husky’s panting in the back, still crated. “The dog. Get her to Lisa’s place.”

“Dog?” Kellan grunts. “Since when-“.

“Don’t worry about it.” I end the call, pulse hammering in my throat.

Ava. My Ava. Lying in a hospital bed. Again.

No. I won’t let anything else happen to her. Whatever this is, whoever is responsible, I’ll destroy them. Rip them to shreds with my bare hands if I have to.

The SUV screeches to a halt outside the hospital, but I’m already flinging open the door, barely registering

Vester’s shout to wait. Selene whines from her crate,

right now. All

against the linoleum as I make a beeline for the front desk. The receptionist looks up,

Ava’s

107 Lucas Panic

Westwood,” I growl, slamming my hand on the counter. “Alpha of the Westwood Pack. Ava Grey is under my protection.

her keyboard. “R–room 305, Alpha. Third

on my heel and head for the elevators. The ride up is agonizingly slow, the

worst–case scenarios.

let on? What if

I’m moving, long strides eating up the distance to Ava’s room. Two of my

not

change, Alpha,” one of them says. “Vanessa’s

with her.”

And there she is. Ava. Lying still and pale against the white sheets, an IV dripping into

hodaido ovnraccion

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317

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107 Lucas Panic

human girl on the other side

Must be Lisa.

“I wish

news.”

in three strides, my hand finding hers, careful of the wires and tubes. Her skin is

and I have to swallow past the

throat.

with her, Nessa?” I ask hoarsely. “Why won’t she

Exhausted and a bit dehydrated, but nothing

unconsciousness.”

“Then what-”

it’s her wolf,” Vanessa

the lack thereof.”

“What do you mean?”

now, with everything she’s been

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A7

107 Lucas Panic

Her healing has been at an exceptional rate recently, and there was

wolves.”

down at Ava’s still face, my mind reeling. Her

This is

Ava. Not like this. Not when I just got her

order. “I want updates every hour. And double the guard on her room. No one gets in besides