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

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

Selene’s reproachful blue

water pounds against my back, a blistering reminder of just how tense I’ve been. I want to scream. I want to cry.

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

hasn’t been around much lately, too busy running the Westwood pack while Lucas plays vigilant mate at the hospital. I get it,

Lisa: Ava’s Absence

running smoothly. But fuck if I don’t feel like I’m

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 to keep things running there. I can’t even imagine how she’s holding up, but she never lets it show. Always the consummate

wrapping myself in a towel that feels too soft against

I miss Ava.

a trio whose first priority is always what fun

unresponsive to the world around

them whispered in the halls, see them

Ava’s Absence

a Westwood hospital. It’s a political nightmare,

but Jericho says there’s a lot of movement in the shadows. He’s been

mamas,” he told me yesterday, his scarred face

by the door, her tail thumping against the

the route so familiar now I could walk it in my sleep. The guards nod at me as I pass, their eyes scanning the hallway for any potential threats. They ignore the guard following

busy to do the pick ups and

around as I wish, but I’m always followed

Always.

in his usual spot by Ava’s bedside, his hand clasped tightly around hers. He looks up as

I

“Nothing yet. But

back

myself to speak. I take my usual seat on the other side

so peaceful, so still. Like she’s just sleeping, and any moment now she’ll wake up and start cracking jokes about how we

she doesn’t. She hasn’t for three

at Ava’s feet. She’s been doing that more and more lately, like she’s trying to protect

chair, closing my eyes for a moment. I’m so tired, so