Tangled

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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,

watching.

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

help you. Please." She grabs at my

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

miniscule, that was hopeful her apology was genuine. It's dead now, like

shakes her head. "I am hired to clean the lodge. I

From the

Her eyes fill with tears. "Please, Ava. Think of your pack. So many of us are separated now. Taken from our mates. Forced to cut ties

repeat. "I have no intention of helping you or anyone else. from that pack. Not after everything

face contorts, her features twisting into an ugly mask of rage.

her off. Selene stalks into the room, her hackles. raised, teeth bared. She positions herself between Margot and

growl, her eyes flashing amber. For a moment, I think she might actually shift and attack. My heart pounds against my ribs, adrenaline surging through

She straightens, smoothing

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

then turns to me, curiosity etched on her face. "Who was

to steady my racing heart. "An old

316

Aws: From

eyes, followed by sympathy. She starts to say something, but I don't hear her. I'm already sinking to my knees, burying my face in

me as I tremble, overwhelmed by the unexpected confrontation with my

emotional. The sinking realization that no one, not even our neighbors, would help me Breathe, Ava, Selene

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

Vanessa's gentle voice breaks through the chaos.

slowing down. Meeting her

something to be ashamed of. If you're

running my fingers

Ava: From

edges of

voice a gentle caress in my mind. But you handled

escapes me. "Strength? I'm

absence of fear, Ava. It's facing it head-on, even when it terrifies