Tangled

Unshift 263

Unshift 263

263 Ava: The Compound

263 Ava: The Compound

My heart thumps hard, trying its best to knock my ribs out of place with excitement. "Is everyone okay?

What's going on?"

Vanessa's eyes unfocus as she communicates with her mate. Waiting is like being bitten by a squad of fire ants, each prickle against my skin beginning to burn as I squirm, impatient for answers.

"He doesn't want to give any answers until we see him, but he said things are stable." There's an uncertain waver in her voice, but I keep quiet as she speaks with Vester, feeling my own unease building.

Stable.

That could mean a lot of things, and they aren't all good.

Marcus stiffens beside me and I glance out the window, expecting to see something on the road.

Nothing.

"There's a few scouts nearby," he says after a long pause. "Vanessa, you sense them?"

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263 Ava: The Compound

"Three," she confirms. "I'm not familiar with them, but I recognize them."

"We're about ten minutes out. We'll run into a few

more waves of scouts, staggered so they can stay in contact." He glances at me. "Like a telephone relay."

"Ten minutes?!" Vanessa frowns. "Vester should have been able to reach me a long time ago."

"I should be able to reach the alpha," Marcus agrees. "But I can't."

"Something's wrong." The healer's look of relief is once again replaced by worry. "This isn't right."

"The area's safe, so just relax until we get there. Someone should be able to give us proper answers then."

I hope he's right.

***

"Shit. Hold on!"

The truck lurches violently, throwing me against the door as Marcus slams on the brakes. Gravel crunches under the tires, and I barely catch myself before my face meets the dashboard.

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curses, her body sliding

a narrow road I hadn't even noticed.

the constant itch of magic

the seatbelts?" I mutter,

doesn't answer, squinting at the winding gravel path ahead. Trees press close on either side, branches scraping against the truck's exterior. It's a small forest here,

sight before us. A cluster of cabins nestles against rolling hills, the structures

the picturesque setting that captures

of pack life?

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263 Ava: The Compound

routines that should animate a community? Instead, a group of wolves

weapons.

know. This is a war

truck rolls to a stop, and I'm out the door before Marcus can fully engage the parking brake. My eyes scan the gathered faces, searching desperately for anyone familiar. Then

"Kellan!"

questions tumbling from my lips. before I can

of questions. "Ava, there's a lot we need to discuss

hospital, but none of these cottages scream hospital to me. And unlike the Fae Ward. I doubt there's

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Ava: The Compound

into a

confirms, but his tone does little

"And he's...

complicated."

been through. I need to see Lucas, to touch him, to know he's

movement behind Kellan catches my eye. Another wolf-it takes me

of brother and sister would be touching if I weren't so

absence of Vanessa's

says, guiding me towards a small cabin set apart from the others. It looks more like a

direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin prickle,

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263 Ava, The Compound

been with me for so

is weird.

demand as we approach

doorknob. "Ava, I need you to understand that everything we're doing

"Protect us from what?"

mine, and the

them is staggering. "From forces that want to tear us

pushes open the door, revealing a spartan interior. A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents. The walls are bare except for a few strategic diagrams and what looks like a