Tangled

111 Lisa: Ava’s Absence (IV)

LISA

Three fucking weeks.

No matter how many times I count, it’s been three fucking weeks.

The calendar on my wall mocks me, today’s date staring me in the face from any particular point of my

kitchen.

Selene whines when I nearly step on her paw for the third time this morning. “Sorry, girl. Give me a second, and we’ll go see her.”

I’m drenched in sweat. Jericho hasn’t blinked a single eyelash over Ava being in the hospital, and we’ve all settled into a new kind of normal.

It’s not normal at all, but it’s life now. At least until Ava

wakes up again.

I’m stronger. Fastér, though nothing compared to these shifters who surround me. I’m learning some basic self–defense, and Selene has helped with the hands–on training to evade and defend against wolf

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111 Lisa: Ava’s Absence (IV)

attacks.

I have bruises and wounds everywhere, and a few of them have even gotten infected, but Healer Vanessa is a godsend who always has some magical cream on her somewhere. Antibacterial, antifungal, prevents scarring, and smells divine. I have no idea why they

in the human markets.

For all I know, it probably reduces wrinkles, too. Shifters age well, though, so who knows. Maybe they don’t need wrinkle cream. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest

the shower, with Selene’s reproachful blue eyes

I’ve been. I want to scream. I want to cry. I want to punch something.

was even here. He’s not as scary as Lucas, but just high enough

much lately, too busy running the Westwood pack while Lucas plays vigilant mate at the hospital.

Lisa: Ava’s Absence

smoothly. But fuck if I don’t feel like I’m drowning in this new world without any

in the same boat. She hasn’t seen her mate, some high–up shifter in the pack called Vester, in two weeks, not since he left for the Blackwood territory

and step out, wrapping myself in a towel that feels too soft against my skin. Everything in this place

I miss Ava.

here. We should be connected, a trio whose

lying in a hospital bed, unresponsive to the world around her. And

the halls, see them in the sidelong glances thrown my way. The

Ava’s

a Westwood hospital. It’s a

is rallying behind Westwood, but Jericho says there’s a lot of movement in the shadows. He’s been training me harder than ever,

he told me yesterday, his scarred face grim. “And you’re her best

thumping against the floor. She’s been my constant

hospital, the route so familiar now I could walk it in my sleep. The guards nod at me as I pass, their eyes scanning the

be too busy to do the pick ups and drop offs, giving me a

but I’m always followed

Always.

hand clasped tightly around hers. He looks up as I enter, his eyes bloodshot

I ask, though I

his head. “Nothing yet. But she’s strong.

back to

nod, not trusting myself to speak. I take my usual seat on the other side of the bed, reaching out to

just sleeping, and any moment now she’ll wake up and start cracking jokes about how we all look like

She hasn’t for

the bed, curling up at Ava’s feet. She’s been doing that more and more lately, like she’s trying to

a moment. I’m so tired, so fucking tired