Tangled

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158

158 Ava: From the Past

"Ava, is that you?"

The familiar rasp has me frozen, my heart lurching into my throat. Slowly, I turn around, coming face-to-face with a ghost from my

past.

Our neighbor. Margot Mitchell.

Her once vibrant auburn hair is streaked with silver, her face a

roadmap of wrinkles and scars. It's her eyes that haunt me. Piercing green eyes that see everything and do nothing.

"Margot," I greet, my voice tight with caution. "What are you doing

here?"

She limps

toward me, her gait uneven from some injury she incurred long before I was born. I remember asking about it once, and my mother slapped the back of my head, admonishing me for my rudeness. "Oh, Ava. I'm

I tense as she reaches out, half-expecting her to grab me, to drag me back to the hellscape I escaped. But she merely places a hand on my arm, her touch feather-light.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry for everything. For not intervening when..." She trails off, her gaze flickering to the ground.

The shame she tries to portray leaves me feeling dirty. Unclean from her mere presence.

Memories flash through my mind, unbidden. Margot's face in the

$2.00

150 As from the Pant

window, watching as I was taunted and beaten, even by her own son. Listening at the front door as my parents berated me, their voices carrying through the window. Her figure rushing inside. when I tried beggi I was thirteen.

He broke my wrist.

Until my parents, tired of my whining, finally dragged me

watching. Never

step back. "You're sorry?" Anger surges through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you

You have to understand, none of us could help you. Please." She grabs at my arm again. "We need you to

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

my stomach churns. There's a tiny part of me, almost miniscule, that was hopeful her apology was genuine. It's dead now, like so many other little parts of "How did you know I

hired to clean the lodge. I

From

until I saw you." Her eyes fill with tears. "Please, Ava. Think of your pack. So many of us are separated now. Taken from our

intention of helping you or

twisting into an ugly

the room, her hackles. raised, teeth

For a moment, I think she might actually shift and attack.

demeanor changes instantly. She straightens, smoothing her expression

can talk when you've settled in." With that, she turns

then turns to me,

trying to steady my racing heart. "An old neighbor," I manage, my voice shaking

316

From

to say something, but I don't hear her. I'm already sinking to my knees, burying my face

as I tremble, overwhelmed by the

The jeers and taunts of my packmates. The pain of their blows, both physical and emotional. The sinking realization that no one, not even our neighbors, would help me Breathe, Ava, Selene murmurs in my

right, but it doesn't stop the flood of emotions. Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl inside me, a maelstrom threatening

voice breaks through the chaos. "Are

breath. A few beats of my heart, slowing down. Meeting her concerned gaze, I give the

pauses, then adds, "Therapy isn't something to be ashamed of. If you're interested, just talk to me. Everything will be kept be Gratitude wells up inside me, and I

my attention back to Selene, running my fingers through her

From

edges of my

a gentle caress in my mind. But

"Strength? I'm shaking like a

head-on, even when it