Tangled

Chapter 263

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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263 Ava: The Compound

body

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

the constant itch of magic under my

the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my

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

in the sight before us. A cluster of cabins nestles against

the picturesque setting that

bustle of pack life?

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263 Ava: The Compound

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

weapons.

know. This

the door before Marcus can fully engage the parking brake. My eyes

"Kellan!"

lips. before I can even catch my

the 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

but none of these cottages scream hospital to me. And unlike

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Ava: The Compound

a giant

but his

"And he's... stable.

complicated."

doesn't begin to cover the chaos we've been through. I need to see Lucas, to touch him, to know he's really

my eye. Another wolf-it takes me a while to recognize

deltas-embraces Vanessa. The reunion of brother and sister would be touching

Vester?" I ask, noticing the absence of Vanessa's

with me," he says, guiding me towards a small cabin set apart from

The separation makes my skin prickle, and I scratch at

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263 Ava, The Compound

for so long. Being

is weird.

what's going on?" I demand as we approach the cabin's door. "Why all

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

"Protect us from what?"

mine, and the

forces that want to tear us apart. Both from outside... and

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

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