Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 39 Ava: Her Identity

You have the potential, Selene says, her voice a cautious whisper in my mind. The arcane flows through your veins. But…

My breath escapes me in a giddy rush. Magic. Real magic. Human magic. It's something out of a fairy tale, not something that should exist in my life. Then again, supernaturals exist—and we're pretty nonstandard, ourselves.

It's not that simple, Selene continues, her tone growing more serious. Magic is not a toy, little one. It's a force of nature, raw and untamed. To wield it requires knowledge, discipline, and control.

I swallow hard, feeling the warning in her words. "But how do I learn? I don't even know where to start."

You would need a teacher, Selene explains, her voice tinged with hesitation. Someone well-versed in the arcane arts, who could guide you, show you how to harness and control your power. But magic is a lost art. Magicians were lost to the curse and became shifters.

Talk about a letdown.

"So, I won't be able to do magic." Is that how you say it? Do magic? Cast magic? Spell magic? Cast spells? It all feels weird in my mouth.

It is unlikely, Selene says, but she still has that cautious sound to her voice.

"If I tried, what's the worst that could happen?"

Death.

A simple word, bluntly given, with all the truth in the world behind it. I shudder at the matter-of-fact tone.

were lost to the recklessness of their magical talent. Until magicians began to teach each other, too many lives were lost in the pursuit of the power within them. Do not

of the warmth that fled my body as

of course. But—if Selene says it's too dangerous, I believe her. It

I focus on a question that's been bothering

Of course.

from me? No shifter has a wolf with

bonded with the ancient magic, she explains in that non-explaining way, where nothing is really answered. We are both separate and one

cryptic again. All shifters are bonded with ancient

is something that can't be helped, Selene sighs, and I can almost picture her shaking her

English professor now? And what are we, exactly?

her voice filled with a quiet pride. I

my brain work better. "How

brisk. For now, it's more important that you take a cold shower before your heat starts

down my spine, and I can feel the first tendrils of heat starting to

want to be in a frantic state like yesterday. But I can't let this

can you just choose to be with me? And what do you mean, we're separate and one at the same

understand yet. But trust me when I say that everything will be revealed in time. For

to demand answers, but the heat is building faster now, and I can feel my skin

One humiliation is enough.

hospital gown and tossing it on the ground as I go. Niceties are foregone; I just want to get control of my

can sense the presence of a powerful wolf. I don't know how far they are, but they're close enough that I'm lifting my chin to sniff, trying to get their scent