Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 22 Ava: Paranoia and Secrets (III)

I try to slip the crystal back into the drawer of my nightstand, but Selene darts forward, her body wriggling between me and the furniture like a furry battering ram. With a huff of frustration, I pull my hand back, the crystal still clutched in my fist.

"Selene, down," I scold, but she remains resolutely in my path, those pale blue eyes fixed on the object in my grasp.

Realizing this is a battle I won't win, I shove the crystal into the pocket of my jeans, ignoring the uneasy weight that seems to settle in my gut at its presence. Selene's tail wags, and she trots back toward the kitchen, pausing every few steps to glance over her shoulder, as if ensuring I follow.

The aroma of the sautéed vegetables greets me as I re-enter the kitchen, and my stomach rumbles in anticipation. But as I move to finish plating the meal, Selene darts underfoot, nearly sending me sprawling. I sidestep her clumsily, shooting her a glare.

"What has gotten into you?" I mutter, stirring the contents of the pan with perhaps more force than necessary.

Selene whines, her nose pointed toward the front door, and understanding dawns.

"All right, all right." I rush over to open the front door.

to the spot, her gaze flickering between me and the door, an insistent whine escaping her.

but her resolute stare tells me she's dead serious. "Fine, but just

the food onto a plate and shove it into the microwave, resigning myself to eating a lukewarm dinner

and she darts out the door the second it's open wide enough,

stuffy confines of the apartment, and I find myself falling into an easy rhythm, my earlier unease fading into the background. Selene trots ahead, her nose twitching as she investigates every nook and cranny, but her path

far from home, but some inexplicable force holds my tongue. Instead, I let Selene lead, trusting in the

going through a small bit of city forest. My food is cold at home, and we have at least a half hour of walking to get back home. I'm hungry and worn out from the day, and I keep looking around like someone's about to pop out of the shadows to

home. I'm starving." I tug at her leash, but she ignores it. "Selene. Come on. Now!" I tug harder and try

barely catching myself before I fall. "You've gotta be kidding me." I sigh. Selene's not usually one for these kinds of shenanigans. "Okay. Okay!

Maybe she

Selene's lead as she veers off the trail and into the shadowed treeline, the crunch of fallen leaves and twigs beneath my boots echoing in the

ahead, her movements purposeful, almost urgent. I

always been a relatively well-behaved companion, her antics limited to the occasional bout of mischief around the apartment. But this? This single-minded determination to lead me deeper into the shadows feels different.

nape of my neck as the air seems to thicken around us, the scent of damp earth and decaying foliage taking on an