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.

my parents, tired of my whining,

watching. Never

"You're sorry?" Anger surges through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you even saying that? What does that

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

shakes her head. "I am hired to clean the

From

now. Taken from our mates. Forced to cut ties with the alpha.

you or

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

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

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

in, and Margot's demeanor changes instantly. She straightens, smoothing her expression

clipped. "We can talk when you've settled in." With that, she turns and flees the room, brushing past a bewildered

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

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

316

From the

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

whines softly, nuzzling against me as I tremble, overwhelmed by the unexpected confrontation

me, vivid and visceral. The jeers and taunts of my packmates. The pain of their blows, both physical and emotional. The sinking realization that no

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

gentle voice breaks through the chaos. "Are

slowing down. Meeting her concerned gaze,

eyes. "I'll be in the other room if you need me." She 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

my

Ava: From the

edges of my

her voice a gentle caress in my mind. But you

bitter laugh escapes me. "Strength? I'm

facing it head-on, even when