Tangled

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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

I hadn't even noticed. The sudden

constant itch

hell cut out the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow

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, much more

way to a 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. A creek meanders past, its gentle burble barely audible over

setting that captures my attention. It's the

bustle of pack life? The

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of wolves emerges to meet us,

weapons.

isn't the Westwood I know. This

the parking brake. My eyes scan the gathered faces, searching desperately for anyone familiar. Then

"Kellan!"

can even catch my breath. "Where's Lucas? Is he

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

supposed to be in a hospital, but none of these cottages scream hospital to me. And unlike the Fae

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into a

here," Kellan confirms, but

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

complicated."

we've been through. I need to see

wolf-it takes me a while to recognize Ryder,

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

I ask, noticing the absence of

set apart from the

Vanessa being led in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin prickle, and I

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263 Ava, The Compound

for so long. Being

is weird.

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

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

"Protect us from what?"

mine, and

want to tear us apart.

pushes open the door, revealing a spartan interior. A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents. The