Tangled

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161

161 Ava: Mom (1)

Selene perks her head up before there's a knock rapping against my door.

Vanessa, she confirms before I open it.

"The boys have dialed in," Vanessa announces as soon as she sees my face. "It's up to you. We can head straight to the hospital, or you

can settle in and wait until tomorrow."

My stomach twists, heartburn coming out of nowhere to spread fire through my esophagus. "Oh." I could almost forget why I'm here, distracting myself with everything else. "Tomorrow's just fine-"

"No," I cut in, shaking my head. "I need to talk to her now. The quicker we get answers, the sooner we can get Lisa back."

Vanessa searches my face, her brows drawing together as she weighs the situation in her mind.

After a moment, she steps back, motioning me out of the room. “I'll

let Ves know."

"Ves? Oh. Vester." I've never heard her talk about him before, and their curious interactions earlier have me wanting to ask her what's going on.

But I'm not exactly sure how to casually bring up such a level of gossip.

Is it gossip when you're talking to the person in question?

Either way.

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161 Ava Mom (0)

"You can stop staring at me like that." Vanessa smiles at me as we head out of the lodge, flanked immediately by two burly wolf shifters I don't recognize.

"Like what?" I ask, feigning innocence for as long as I can. It's embarrassing that she caught me.

Once we're both buckled in and Vanessa shifts into reverse, she

aren't exactly on talking

would be perked

"He thinks you should stay in Granite City, on Westwood lands, under

are in disagreement. He thinks it's better to keep you under guard and safe so his alpha is not distracted during this time of crisis. I think he needs to get his head out of his ass. And as for Alpha, w "Lucas is trying," I defend

doing that. However,

his long absences, his search for you, and how he prioritizes you over the pack." She glances at me again, then

she and Vester are also fated mates. "It

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for a red light, she leans back in the seat, glancing in her rearview mirror. "And none of you are hearing a single word borne STD and

I watch the bodyguards in the backseat,

I whisper, even though they can hear every word because...

it great?" She winks at me. "Gotta stop the gossips before

"I'm not your-"

I know. Not

like her, Selene says, but I don't like that she's put me in

can always hop over the seat and come up

mental eardrum. With those hulking brutes? No, thank you. Did

window, watching the familiar scenery

howls in the backseat,

Vanessa asks me in

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181 Aw Mon

cat in heat. "She's just

mirror, shaking her head. "The fact that she's able to be around all of us without slinking away is a sight I've never

the dog in question begins to sing the song of huskies everywhere. "She's

the drive, until one bodyguard finally gives in and

hospital, she's sitting in the middle seat, accepting the pets of both bodyguards

shakes her head. "Your dog

no idea," I mutter, though my mind is elsewhere as

step bringing me closer to the inevitable confrontation

eyes filled with concern. "How are you feeling,

steady my nerves. "Nervous," I admit, surprised

words soothing, a balm to the anxious bubbling of my

off guard What am I afraid