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.

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

watching. Never

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

could help you. Please." She grabs at my

Ah. She needs something.

No wonder she's here.

bitter anger continues to boil in my veins, even as 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?"

head. "I am hired to clean the lodge.

Ava 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. Westwood is tearing us apart. They sh "No." My voice is cold as I take another

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

contorts, her features twisting into an

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

For a moment, I think she might actually shift and attack. My heart pounds against my ribs,

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

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

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

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

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Aws: From

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

as I tremble, overwhelmed by the unexpected confrontation with

realization that no one, not even our neighbors, would help

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

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

A few beats of my heart, slowing down. Meeting her

in her 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.

Selene, running my

Ava: From

of

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

"Strength? I'm shaking

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