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

sell it in

with the demand. 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

shower, with Selene’s reproachful

tense I’ve been. I want to scream. I want to cry. I want

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

too busy running the Westwood pack while Lucas plays vigilant mate at the hospital. I get it, I

Ava’s Absence

I don’t feel like I’m drowning in

the Blackwood territory to keep things running there. I can’t even imagine how she’s holding up,

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

I miss Ava.

be here with me. Selene’s finally here. We should be connected, a trio whose first priority is always

the world around her. And the rumors are

whispered in the halls, see them in the sidelong

Ava’s Absence

It’s a political nightmare, even I can see

there’s a lot of movement in the shadows.

mamas,” he told me yesterday, his

door, her tail thumping against the floor. She’s

at me as I

to do the pick ups and drop offs,

as I wish, but I’m always followed by

Always.

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

ask, though I

“Nothing yet. But she’s

back

on the other side of the bed, reaching out

peaceful, so still. Like she’s just sleeping, and any moment now she’ll wake

she doesn’t. She hasn’t for

up on the bed, curling up at Ava’s feet. She’s been doing that more and more

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