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.

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

watching.

through me, hot and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you

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.

my stomach churns. There's a tiny part of me, almost miniscule, that was hopeful her apology was genuine. It's dead

shakes her head. "I am hired to

Ava From

from our mates. Forced to cut ties with the alpha. Westwood is tearing us apart. They sh "No." My

of helping you or anyone else. from that pack. Not after everything I

an ugly mask of rage. "You

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

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

demeanor changes instantly. She

tone clipped. "We can talk when you've settled in."

watches her go, then turns to me,

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

316

Aws: From the

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

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

of my packmates. The pain of their blows, both physical and emotional. The sinking realization that no one, not

Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl

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

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

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

my

Ava: From

edges of

sorry you had to face that, she says, her voice a gentle caress

me. "Strength? I'm shaking

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