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,

can’t think about the dog right now. All that matters

burst through the sliding doors, my boots thudding against the linoleum as I make

demanding Ava’s room number.

107 Lucas Panic

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

fingers flying over her keyboard. “R–room 305, Alpha. Third floor, to the left.”

with thanks, just spin on my heel and head for the elevators. The ride up is agonizingly slow, the numbers crawling by as my

worst–case scenarios.

let on? What if someone got past the guards? What if-

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

not

of them says. “Vanessa’s still in

with her.”

my throat. And there she is. Ava. Lying still and pale against the white sheets, an IV dripping into her arm. Vanessa

ovnraccion crim Thoro’s a

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107 Lucas Panic

the other

Must be Lisa.

Vanessa greets softly. “I wish I

news.”

in three strides, my hand finding hers, careful of the wires and

have to swallow past the lump in my

throat.

with her, Nessa?” I ask hoarsely.

“Physically, she’s fine. Exhausted and a bit dehydrated, but nothing that would cause this level

unconsciousness.”

“Then what-”

wolf,” Vanessa cuts in gently.

the lack thereof.”

“What

carefully. “She hasn’t shifted, despite being of age. And now, with everything she’s been through… I think her wolf

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A7

107 Lucas Panic

something’s blocking it. It’s the only theory I can come up with. Her healing has been at an exceptional rate recently, and there was the incident. during the escape where she had

wolves.”

down at Ava’s still face, my mind reeling. Her wolf. Trying to break free.

This is beyond anything I’ve seen before. We’re

refuse to lose Ava. Not like

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