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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263 Ava: The Compound

curses, her body sliding across

onto a narrow road I hadn't even noticed. The sudden turn sends a jolt of adrenaline through my

from the constant itch

out the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow

at the winding gravel path ahead. Trees press close on either side, branches scraping against the truck's exterior. It's a small

clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us. A cluster of cabins nestles against rolling hills, the structures weathered but sturdy.

picturesque setting that captures my attention.

the bustle of pack

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263 Ava: The Compound

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

weapons.

Westwood I know. This is

to a stop, and I'm out the door before Marcus can fully engage the parking brake. My eyes

"Kellan!"

can even catch

strain of recent days. He holds up a hand, silencing my barrage of questions. "Ava, there's a lot we need to discuss before I can take you to him." My stomach drops. "But he's

scream hospital to me. And unlike the Fae Ward. I doubt there's magic here

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a giant

confirms, but his tone

me. "And he's... stable.

complicated."

chaos we've been through. I need to see Lucas, to touch him, to

catches my eye. Another wolf-it

sister would be touching if I weren't so focused on my

ask, noticing the absence of Vanessa's mate

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

in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin

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263 Ava, The Compound

for

is weird.

demand as we approach

his hand on the doorknob. "Ava, I need you to understand that everything we're doing is to

"Protect us from what?"

eyes meet mine, and the weight

"From forces that want

spartan interior. A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents.