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

always watching.

away, taking a step back. "You're sorry?" Anger surges through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you even saying that? What does that do for

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

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

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 her grip, and

hired to clean the lodge. I

From the

you." 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 with the alpha.

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

her features twisting into an

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

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

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

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

watches her go, then turns to me, curiosity etched on

"An old neighbor," I manage, my voice shaking slightly.

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Aws: From

She starts to say something, but I don't hear her. I'm already sinking to my knees, burying my face in Selene's thick

against me as I tremble, overwhelmed by

physical and emotional. The sinking realization that no one, not even our

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

voice breaks through the chaos. "Are you

beats of my heart, slowing down. Meeting her

the other room if you need me." She pauses, then adds, "Therapy isn't something to be ashamed of. If you're interested, just

back to Selene, running my fingers through

From the

of my

she says, her voice a gentle caress

bitter laugh escapes me. "Strength? I'm

facing it head-on, even when it terrifies you.