Tangled

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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

exactly on talking

I say, trying to ooze casual, even if my ears would be perked as high as hell

smile in my direction. "He thinks you should stay in Granite City, on Westwood lands, under guard at all times." "Oh." Distaste is about the only thing oozing

of crisis. I think he needs to get his head out of his

However, there has

over the pack." She glances at me again, then back to the road. "It's rough when you have a

fated mates. "It

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back in the seat, glancing in her rearview

I watch the bodyguards in the backseat, who all seem to shrivel at

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

winks at me. "Gotta stop the gossips before they start,

"I'm not your-"

I

that she's put me in the

always hop over the seat and

hulking brutes? No, thank you. Did you know they picked me up and put me

window, watching the familiar scenery pass. You're

backseat, startling all

she hate the car?" Vanessa asks me in confusion. "I heard

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181 Aw Mon

yowl like a cat in heat. "She's

rearview 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 seen. Dogs usually

in question begins to

punctuates the rest of the drive, until one bodyguard finally gives in and reaches into the

we make it to the hospital, she's sitting in the middle seat, accepting

head. "Your

I mutter, though my mind is elsewhere as the

each step bringing me closer to the inevitable confrontation with my

me, her eyes filled with concern. "How

nerves. "Nervous," I admit, surprised at how calm my

Vanessa asks, her words soothing, a balm to

guard What