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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Vanessa curses, her body

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

from the constant itch

hell cut out the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow where it smacked against the

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

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.

picturesque setting that captures my attention. It's the

of pack life? The

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263 Ava: The Compound

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

weapons.

I know. This is a

I'm out the door before Marcus can fully engage the parking brake. My eyes scan the gathered

"Kellan!"

rush towards him, questions tumbling from my lips. before I can even catch my breath. "Where's Lucas? Is

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

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

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Ava: The Compound

into a

but his

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

complicated."

the chaos we've been

my eye. Another wolf-it takes

sister would be touching if I

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

me," he says, guiding me towards a small cabin set apart from the others. It looks

makes my skin prickle, and I scratch at

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263 Ava, The Compound

me for so long. Being without

is weird.

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

I need you to understand that everything we're

"Protect us from what?"

eyes meet mine,

"From forces that want to tear us

pushes open the door, revealing a spartan interior. A table dominates the small space, covered in maps. and documents. The walls are bare except for a few strategic diagrams and what