Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 30 Ava: Omega? (III)

I groan as searing pain lances through my ribs, fairly certain that at least a few are broken from the impact. Gasping for air, I blink through the haze of confusion, trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding me.

Derek is slumped over the steering wheel, a grotesque trickle of blood oozing from his hairline. In the backseat, Jeremy lies crumpled in a disturbing, bloody mess, unmoving and alarmingly still.

For one hysterical second, I muse that this is precisely why seatbelts exist. Should've worn a seatbelt, Jeremy.

I grit my teeth against a wave of pain as I claw my way into the passenger seat.

My shaking hands fumble with the door handle, but the door remains stubbornly jammed. Peering through the cracked windshield, I realize this side of the car has collided with a tree. A few inches of trunk are all that's blocking my door from opening.

Adrenaline courses through my veins as I muster what little strength remains and kick the door with everything I have. Before I can kick again, the door flies off.

I don't stop to question my luck. As I tumble out of the wrecked vehicle, gasping for fresh air, a strong hand suddenly grips my arm, yanking me upright. I whirl around, my heart pounding, only to find myself face-to-face with a stranger—a tall, imposing man with chestnut hair and piercing green eyes.

His gaze sweeps over me, assessing, before he speaks in a deep, authoritative tone. "Are you injured?"

I sway into him, my battered body screaming in protest as I fight to remain upright. A dizzying wave of nausea washes over me, and I squeeze my eyes shut, willing the world to stop spinning.

That's when the scent hits me—ocean fresh, with a woodsy scent lingering just beneath, along with something that can only belong to one of my kind. A shifter. My eyes fly open, locking onto the stranger's intense gaze, and I instinctively flinch away from him.

A mistake.

brace myself for the unforgiving impact of the ground. But instead of hitting the hard earth, I find myself enveloped in a strong embrace, cradled against a

arms with an ease that belies his impressive stature. I tense, every fiber of my

he studies me intently. "Are you

to respond, but the words catch in my throat. The events of the past few hours have left me reeling,

furrowing as he takes in my silence. "We need to get you to safety," he declares,

and I struggle feebly against his iron grip. I

closer to his

Rowan, take care of the rogues," he orders over his shoulder as he strides away

waves of pain crashing over me. "Who are you?" I rasp out, my voice hoarse. "What's

mine, calm yet intense. "I am Alpha

hesitate, unsure if I should give my real name. I feel safe for the immediate moment, but I know my future is now even more

as he continues walking, heading deeper into the

adrenaline ebbing and leaving me chilled in the crisp evening

you cold?" the

I shudder as another tremor wracks through

pulling me closer against his solid frame as we approach a sleek black SUV. His presence is both comforting and unsettling—a paradox that leaves

of his strength, to lean on an alpha. It's been so long since I've