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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body sliding across the

a narrow road I hadn't even noticed. The sudden turn sends a

constant itch of magic

seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow where it smacked

doesn't 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,

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 structures weathered but sturdy. A creek meanders past, its gentle burble barely audible over the

setting that

the bustle of pack life? The

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

weapons.

know.

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

"Kellan!"

tumbling from my lips. before I can

days. He holds up a hand, silencing my barrage of questions. "Ava, there's a lot we need to

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

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into a

but

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

complicated."

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

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

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

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

a small cabin set apart from the others. It looks more

my skin

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263 Ava, The Compound

for so long.

is weird.

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

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

"Protect us from what?"

eyes meet mine, and the weight

forces that want to tear us apart.

maps. and documents. The walls