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

Vanessa curses, her body sliding across the

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

the constant itch

the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my

close on either side, branches scraping against the truck's exterior. It's a small forest here, much more densely wooded than

of bumps and swerves, the forest gives way to a clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us. A cluster

not the picturesque setting that captures my attention. It's the eerie

of pack

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263 Ava: The Compound

animate a community? Instead, a group of wolves emerges to meet us, their expressions grim

weapons.

the Westwood I know.

parking brake. My eyes

"Kellan!"

my lips. before I can even catch my breath. "Where's Lucas? Is he okay?

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

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

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Ava: The Compound

into a giant

here," Kellan confirms, but his

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

complicated."

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

behind Kellan catches my eye. Another wolf-it takes me a while to recognize Ryder, one

Vanessa. The reunion of brother and sister would be touching if I weren't so focused on my own

noticing the absence of Vanessa's mate among

set apart from the others. It looks more like a guard post than a home, and my unease grows with

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

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263 Ava, The Compound

for so long. Being without

is weird.

I demand as we

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

"Protect us from what?"

eyes meet mine, and

staggering. "From forces that want to tear us apart. Both from

A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents. The walls are bare except for a few strategic diagrams and