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.

to the recklessness of their magical talent. Until magicians began to teach each

to regain some of the warmth that fled my body as

loss. Magic would have been amazing to learn, of course. But—if Selene says it's too dangerous, I believe her. It isn't worth my life to try and grasp something

bothering

Of course.

why are you separate from me? No shifter has a wolf with

explains in that non-explaining way, where nothing is really answered. We are both separate

shifters are bonded with ancient magic, and they don't have any 'separate', only 'one'.

helped, Selene sighs, and I can almost picture her shaking her head. It's the nature of what

English professor now? And what are we, exactly? Are you

quiet pride. I

somehow makes my brain work better. "How is that possible? Doesn't the curse

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

mention of the alpha sends a shiver down my spine, and I can feel the first tendrils of heat starting to uncurl

right; I don't want to be in a frantic state like yesterday.

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

trust me when I say that

building faster now, and I can feel my skin starting to prickle with sweat. I need to get this under control before I become

One humiliation is enough.

gown and tossing it on the ground as I go. Niceties are foregone; I just

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