Her Vengeance, Their Regret

high window. But it wasn't the dark that terrified Ava; it was the sounds that filled it. Growls rumbled through the concre

ontrollable shaking that started in her core and radiated out to her fingertips. Every shadow seemed to move, morphing into the shape of a snarling bea

-link fence separating their enclosures. The metal rattled violently. Saliva dripped from its bared teeth. Ava screamed, scrambling backward until she hit the opposi

bination of screaming and thirst. The dirty water bowl in the corner remained untouched. She c

on the cage next to hers. The latch on the gate wasn't fully secured. It was hanging loose, held only by a single, precarious notch. It wasn't just negligence. It was deliberate. Liam' s wor

e scanned the small enclosure, her eyes darting around for anything she could use. Her gaze fell on a small, janitorial

st the weak latch. Ava flinched but forced herself to keep going. She pulled the closet door open. Inside, amidst brooms and buckets, was a beat-up

r manager's number, or the police. The only numbers she knew by heart were the Millers'. Her first instinct, des

number. It ra

oggy and annoyed, as if she ha

ou have to come get me. Please. The dog in the cage next

im shifting in bed. "Stop being so dramatic, Ava. You' re not g

ing. "I am telling you, this is dangerous. You put me

what you do, isn' t it? You manipulate situations to get what you want. Li

it made her feel like she was going insane. Then, she heard a

is it,

perated sigh. "She' s trying to we

Chloe' s voice was on the phone, drip

worried about you. We both are. We just wan

ing at her throat. "You have to make him understand.

ground. "You know, while you' re thinking about your mistakes, I was just cleaning up your room a little. I

the one who had seen her potential, who had encouraged her to dream bigger than t

n' t," Ava

ntinued, her voice taking on a cruel edge.

ough the phone. It was unmistakab

ature of innocence. "It slipped. The p

ish. It wasn' t just a photo. It was her hope. It was her pas

quences. Stay there. Don' t call again. We' re going on vacation to celebrate Chloe' s ama

ne wen

gave one final, powerful shove. The latch gave way w

g, its head low, a deep growl rumbling i

the shattering glass echoing in her ears. She looked at the dog, then

og lu