Tangled

119 Ava: Her Power

I wish I could share Lisa’s optimism, but the weight of this newfound knowledge settles heavily on my

shoulders. If what Selene says is true, then I’m not just different from other shifters. I’m different from

everyone.

There’s something else you should know, Selene says, her voice taking on a somber note. Your connection to the elements is like a beacon. Other sensitive beings might be able to sense it, to feel the power that lies dormant within you.

My heart sinks at her words. “What does that mean for

me?”

It means that you’ll be in danger if you leave the safety of the Westwood pack lands, Selene replies, her tone grave. There are those who would seek to exploit your power for their own gain, or worse, to eliminate you as a threat. Though most shifters lack any true memory of our time as Great Wolves, as Lycans, the instinct is still there… if they’re strong enough.

I slump back against the couch, my shoulders.

119 Ava Hor Power

drooping under the weight of this revelation. It’s not enough that I’m an outsider among my own kind, or that I’m caught between two powerful alphas—though Clayton has been absurdly kind about giving me the distance I need. Now, I have to worry about being

hunted down by god knows who, all because of some mystical connection to the elements that I never asked

for.

“I can’t even leave?” I whisper, my voice small and broken. “I’m trapped here, like some kind of prisoner?”

Perhaps for now, for your own protection, Selene says, nuzzling her head against my leg in a gesture of

comfort. Until you learn to control your powers, until you can defend yourself, it’s the only way to keep you

safe.

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, hot and stinging. I blink them back, refusing to let them fall.

I’m not going to cry over this.

to do?” I ask, my voice hoarse with emotion. “Just sit here and wait

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29

Ava: Her

her voice filled with a quiet confidence. You’re not alone in this, Ava. You have me, and you have Lisa. We’ll find a way to help you,

to be able to live my life without constantly looking over my shoulder, without wondering if the next person I meet is

kill me.”

I sound like a

a tight hug. “I know, sweetie. But you’re not alone in this. We’ll get through it together, one day at

into her embrace, drawing strength from her presence. It’s a small comfort, but it’s enough to keep me

quiet determination. I promise you, Ava. We’ll find a way to keep

powers.

You’d mentioned feeling as

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Hor

died a few times. What exactly do you mean by that?” Lisa asks when I finally pull

once more.

deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “It was… intense,” I begin, my voice barely above a whisper. “I died, over

with a sickening clarity. “I was burned alive, drowned, buried, and suffocated. Each time, it felt so real. The pain, the

my mind. Your consciousness was trapped in the place

as her expression shifts from shock to confusion. “What does

beyond the physical world, Selene explains, her voice taking on a reverent tone. A place where the souls of our kind go when they are not bound to a physical form. It is a place of great power, but also of

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Her Power

weight of Selene’s words settling heavily on my shoulders. “So, I was basically in

Your soul was lost, trapped between life and death. I could sense your presence there,

voice I heard,” I whisper, realization dawning on me. Of course she was. Who

back.”

says, her voice soft and soothing. I couldn’t bear to see you suffer, to watch as your soul was torn apart by the elements. I had to guide you back, to

the lump in my throat. “Thank you, Selene. I don’t know what I would

assures me, her voice filled with a quiet conviction. Stronger than you

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Her

help.

appreciate her faith in me nonetheless. It’s a small comfort, knowing that I have someone in my corner,