Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 34 Ava: Overcome (I)

[WARNING: Mature content.]

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Having Selene back makes everything easier. It's as if the mental fog lifts from my brain. Even the loss of the necklace doesn't seem quite as dire, though the issue of my heat worries me.

I have a lot of questions about that, but the ever cryptic wolf-turned-husky doesn't like answering questions, so I'm already resigned to waiting.

When Alpha Clayton finally appears, I'm in good spirits, nibbling on some jello and watching one of the few channels I have access to, watching a true crime documentary.

He walks in as they describe a woman's gruesome death at the hands of an unknown assailant.

I look up from the TV. His presence immediately commands my attention, exuding power and authority in waves.

"Good afternoon, Ava."

"Hello, Alpha Clayton," I say, smiling back despite the butterflies in my stomach. I'm keenly aware of Selene's warning about keeping him away from my scar. It's not like I want anyone near it anyway, but her caution makes me extra wary.

He steps into the room, his presence filling the small space. "Please, just Clayton is fine." His voice is warm, like honey and fresh-baked bread, all things that stimulate my appetite—probably a side effect from only being allowed to eat little cups of jello. "How are you feeling? I apologize for not being able to check on you sooner."

I wave off his apology, setting the jello cup aside. "I'm doing better, thanks. The nurse said I still have a little while before the peak of my heat hits."

Clayton brings a chair to the side of my bed, sitting with the elegant grace most wolf shifters manage without thinking.

I don't have that level of grace, probably because I wasn't raised with my wolf inside of me like the rest of them.

"About that," Clayton says, sounding hesitant. "The doctors are certain that you are, in fact, a true omega."

I nod slowly, waiting for him to continue. We'd already established that.

"True omega heats are…" He claps his hands, unclasps them, and eventually rests them on the side of my bed as rests his elbows on his knees. His fingers brush gently against the side of my hand, and I'm surprised to feel fireworks explode at the contact. "Different."

"Different how?" I ask, distracted by how much I want to grab his hands, to link our fingers together.

Wolves know when one is around, even if they can't directly scent them. So, the unmated wolves tend to

paying attention, or trying to, but I'm also trying not

a hard time controlling myself, so we will do our best to keep only female employees once it's confirmed that you're

I've been staring at his hand without blinking. He reaches out, and I link my fingers through his with

at him as

heat, though a strong beta can also catch her attention," he says, and I realize that he's now sitting on the

at each other, as his thumb caresses the back of my hand in

to nuzzle against my jaw. "Do you need an alpha, Ava?" he asks in that rough voice that makes everything inside me

hands up my thigh, pressing gently down against the top of my

"You smell divine."

hand, pulling my blanket down. He nuzzles down the

Important.

My scar is important.

Why?

when he

And licks it.

And nibbles.

And bites.

And—

Fuck.

returns, and I shove at Clayton's chest weakly. "Wait.

sucking hard in a way that has my entire body jolting off the bed. I

going off somewhere, but I don't care. "Harder," I beg him, and he

it yanks at the bottom of my hospital gown, shoving it up as his hand dives between my legs with unerring precision. I can feel his fingers sliding, parting

"ALPHA CLAYTON!" Someone's screaming.

desperately to keep him there, bucking

through me, only to feel someone holding me gently. Someone's growling and snarling,

"Shh, Ava. Shh."

can't swat it away because

I'm dizzy.

"I feel—weird…"