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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"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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Vanessa curses, her body sliding across the

as we careen onto a narrow road I hadn't even

itch of magic

I mutter, rubbing my elbow where it smacked

on either side, branches scraping against the truck's exterior. It's a small

seems like an eternity of bumps and swerves, the forest gives way to a clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us. A cluster of cabins nestles against rolling hills,

the picturesque setting that captures my attention.

the bustle of pack life? The

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a group of wolves emerges to meet us, their expressions grim and their bodies bristling

weapons.

isn't the Westwood I know. This is a war

can fully engage the parking brake. My eyes scan the gathered faces, searching desperately

"Kellan!"

towards him, questions tumbling from my lips. before I can even catch my breath. "Where's

usually so composed, shows the strain of recent days. He holds up a hand, silencing my barrage of questions. "Ava, there's a lot we need to

these cottages scream hospital to me. And

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a giant

Kellan confirms, but his tone does little

he's...

complicated."

the chaos we've been through. I need

eye. Another wolf-it

be touching if I weren't

noticing the absence

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

glance back, seeing Marcus and Vanessa being led in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin prickle, and I scratch at my arms furiously in an attempt to get rid of the

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263 Ava, The Compound

for so long.

is weird.

as we approach the cabin's door. "Why all the

doorknob. "Ava, I need you to understand

"Protect us from what?"

eyes meet mine, and the

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

in maps. and documents. The walls are bare except for a few strategic diagrams and what looks like