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

watching. Never

and bitter, fueling my words. "Why are you even

grabs at my arm again.

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 did you know I was here?"

shakes her head. "I am hired to

Ava From the

of us are separated now. Taken from our mates. Forced to cut ties with the alpha. Westwood is tearing us

you or

an ugly mask of rage. "You ungrateful

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

she might actually

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

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

then turns to me,

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

316

Aws: From

dawns in Vanessa's eyes, followed by sympathy. She starts to say something, but I don't hear

me as I tremble, overwhelmed by

of their blows, both physical and emotional. The sinking realization that no one, not even our neighbors, would help me Breathe, Ava, Selene murmurs in my mind.

right, but it doesn't stop the flood of emotions. Fear, anger,

through the chaos. "Are you

my heart, slowing down. Meeting her concerned gaze, I give the faintest smile. "I'm

then adds, "Therapy isn't something to be ashamed of. If

I turn my attention back to Selene, running my fingers

From

edges of my

that, she says, her voice a gentle caress in my mind. But you

"Strength? I'm shaking like a

facing it head-on, even when it terrifies