Tangled

158

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.

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

always watching.

through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you even saying that? What does that do for me

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

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

veins, 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

head. "I am hired to clean the

Ava From the

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

helping you or anyone

into an ugly mask of

hackles. raised, teeth bared. She positions herself between

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

She straightens, smoothing her expression into one of neutral

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

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

heart. "An old neighbor," I

316

Aws: From

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

as I tremble, overwhelmed

jeers and taunts of my packmates. The pain of their blows, both physical and emotional. The sinking realization that

flood of emotions. Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl inside me, a maelstrom threatening

Vanessa's gentle voice breaks through the chaos.

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

be ashamed of. If you're interested, just talk to me. Everything will be kept be Gratitude wells up inside

running my fingers

From the

edges of

she says, her voice a gentle caress

laugh escapes me. "Strength? I'm shaking like

head-on, even when it terrifies you. And that's exactly what