Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 Ava: Day With a Dog

Chapters 11-17 have been rewritten to improve story flow and pacing. [June 27, 2024]

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"Sorry, she isn't normally like this," I apologize, tugging Selene away from the man.

"Such a pretty dog," he says, squinting at me from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.

Something about him sets off my paranoia radar, but I don't scent anything strange. He's dirty, with stained brown pants and shoes that have seen better days.

Homeless, maybe.

Uncomfortable, I step to the side, tugging Selene away as she continues to growl. "Sorry," I apologize again, wondering why he doesn't try to leave.

His head turns to me, and he looks me up and down. "Pretty girl, too," he says, revealing a gap-toothed smile, with yellow teeth and breath that could knock down any wolf shifter within a hundred mile radius.

My stomach flips and I struggle to control the nausea building in my belly. "Thanks," I mutter, not sure how to respond. He's in the way of the dog food, but I don't want to get any closer. Besides, Selene seems ready to rip his face off.

"Come on, girl, let's go this way." This way leads to the birds, but I'd rather be around them than the strange man.

I dart down the side aisle, preferring rudeness over another moment in his bizarre presence, putting some distance between me and the strange man. When I glance behind me, he's still standing there, his eyes boring into me.

Even from this far, his gaze is intense, and it occurs to me I don't even know what color his eyes are.

It's like the pressure in his stare was too much to notice such a minor detail.

A shiver races down my spine.

A store employee approaches the man. Relieved, I take the opportunity to slip away, rounding the corner into another aisle. Selene trots beside me, her earlier agitation gone. At least one of us has calmed down.

After a few twists and turns through the aisles, I find myself in front of the dog food section, having taken a roundabout route.

The man is nowhere in sight.

have no idea what to choose. What

chicken?" I muse aloud, grabbing

little whine. I blink, staring at her. Is she disappointed in my

she can

But still.

the bag anyway. I'm probably just imagining things. It's been a weird day and that creepy

man in the brown hat. Fortunately, he's still nowhere to be seen. I breathe a sigh of relief as I set my items on the conveyor belt—the tags for the leash

the items and I wait for the total, mentally tallying the cost in my head. Leash, probably $20. Collar, maybe $15. The food might be a bit pricier, so let's

I keep an eye on prices. Today, I'm all

$110.67,"

I sputter, staring at

The dog food alone is $75.

a 30-pound

who seems to be smirking at me. "You better appreciate

shake the feeling that someone's watching me. I scan the parking lot, but see no

food, so I call for a rideshare,

* * *

Selene hates dog food.

eyes stare at me as I shove her bowl under her nose makes me feel a little like I'm feeding her something terrible. Like her own

on. The lady said it's a good

of mine, because I didn't think to buy one for the

hadn't expected

your stray

the floor, I grab my phone and peruse the internet,

Huskies are notoriously picky.

have a lot of personality and aren't a great choice for

me, who nudges

Yep, sounds about right.

Fact Three: I'm screwed.

a dog before, but I know one thing. You

shove the bowl closer to her, ignoring the way her paw comes up to halt its process. She

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