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.

day. Hours. Until my parents, tired of my whining, finally dragged

watching. Never

away, taking a step back. "You're sorry?" Anger surges through me, hot and bitter,

us could help you. Please." She grabs at my arm again. "We need you to understand us. To

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

even as 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 was here?" I step back, avoiding

am hired to clean the lodge. I

Ava From the

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 anyone

face contorts, her features twisting into an ugly

low growl cuts her off. Selene stalks into the room, her hackles. raised, teeth bared. She positions herself between

amber. For a moment, I think she might actually shift and attack. My heart pounds against my ribs,

Margot's demeanor changes instantly. She straightens, smoothing her expression into one

you again later," she says, her tone clipped. "We can talk when you've settled in."

to me, curiosity etched

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

316

From

Vanessa's eyes, followed by sympathy. She starts to say something, but I don't hear her.

I tremble, overwhelmed by

sinking realization that no one, not even our neighbors, would help me

but it doesn't stop the flood of emotions. Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl

Vanessa's gentle voice breaks through the chaos. "Are you

of my heart, slowing down. Meeting her concerned gaze,

"Therapy isn't something to be ashamed of. If you're interested, just talk

I turn my attention back to Selene, running my fingers through her soft fur. Her presence is

From

edges of

a gentle caress in my mind. But you

"Strength? I'm shaking

fear, Ava. It's facing it head-on, even when it terrifies you. And