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

and I aren't exactly

even if my ears would be perked

don't agree about how to deal with you," she adds, flicking a faint smile in my direction. "He thinks you should stay in Granite City, on Westwood

safe so his alpha is not distracted during this time of crisis. I think he needs to get his

been doing that. However, there

you, and how he prioritizes you over the pack." She glances at me again, then back to the road. "It's rough when you have a fated mate. The

and Vester are also fated

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she leans back in the seat, glancing in her rearview mirror. "And none of you are

watch the bodyguards in the backseat,

of power," I whisper, even though they can hear every word

great?" She winks at me. "Gotta stop

"I'm not your-"

I

Selene says, but I don't like that

hop over the seat and come up

it almost blows out my mental eardrum. With those hulking brutes? No, thank

gaze out the window, watching the familiar scenery pass. You're

howls in the backseat, startling

in confusion. "I heard she's great

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181 Aw Mon

a cat in heat. "She's just upset she's in the trunk. Thinks she's a

fact that she's able to be around all of us without slinking away is a sight I've never seen. Dogs

begins to

bodyguard finally gives in and reaches into

make it to the hospital, she's sitting in the middle seat, accepting the pets of both

her head. "Your

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

we approach the entrance, each step bringing me

at me, her eyes filled with concern. "How are

breath, trying to steady my nerves. "Nervous," I admit, surprised at how calm my voice

you afraid of?" Vanessa asks, her words soothing, a balm to the anxious

question catches me off guard What am I