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.

for hours that day. Hours. Until my parents, tired of my whining, finally

watching. Never

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

You have to understand, none of 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.

that was hopeful her apology was genuine. It's dead now, like so many other little parts of "How did you know I was

head. "I am hired to clean the

From the

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

or anyone

her features twisting into an ugly mask

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

returns the growl, her eyes flashing amber. For a moment, I think she might

instantly. She straightens, smoothing her expression into one of neutral

when you've

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

racing heart. "An old neighbor," I

316

From

Vanessa's eyes, followed by sympathy. She starts to say something, but I don't hear her. I'm already sinking to my knees, burying my face

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

sinking realization

Fear, anger, betrayal-they swirl inside me, a maelstrom threatening to

breaks through the chaos.

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

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 I manage

Selene, running my fingers

From

edges of my

voice a gentle caress in my mind. But you handled it

bitter laugh escapes me. "Strength? I'm

isn't the absence of fear, Ava. It's facing it head-on, even when it terrifies you. And