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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curses, her body

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

me from the constant itch of magic under my

seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow where

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 densely wooded than

to a clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us. A cluster

picturesque setting that captures

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

weapons.

Westwood I know. This

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

"Kellan!"

can

strain of recent days. He holds up a hand, silencing my barrage of questions. "Ava, there's a

supposed to be in a hospital, but none of these cottages scream hospital to

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Ava: The Compound

into a

here," Kellan confirms, but his

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

complicated."

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

my eye. Another wolf-it takes me a

of brother and sister would be

Vester?" I ask, noticing the absence of

imperceptibly. "Come with me," he says, guiding me towards a small cabin set apart from the others.

being led in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin prickle, and I scratch at my arms furiously in

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263 Ava, The Compound

me for so long. Being

is weird.

on?" I demand as we approach the cabin's

hand on the doorknob. "Ava, I need you to understand that

"Protect us from what?"

mine, and

forces that want to tear us

revealing a spartan interior. A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents. The walls are bare except