Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 67 Ava: Their Plans (I)

Every day that passes is a slight uptick in my stress level. Mom and Dad are never home, busy with something. I haven't seen Phoenix since the day we spoke in the kitchen. And Jessa has been less than receptive over talking about future plans with me.

The fragile alliance feels like it's crackling away beneath my fingers, like old paper that disintegrates with the faintest touch.

So when Phoenix comes by without Jessa around, dismissing my guards, my heart jumps into my throat. It's hard to swallow the water I'd just sipped out of one of mom's coffee mugs.

"Hi."

"Hey." Phoenix looks me over, rubbing his left brow in a mannerism that's new to me. "They're planning the mating ceremony for next week. Mom's in charge."

"Oh."

What else is there to say? We all knew it was coming.

It's odd how peace flows through me at the announcement. It's like my body understands that I'm either going to escape or die trying, because there's no way in hell I'll ever let Alpha Renard near me like that.

"Have they sent you to the healer yet?"

I shake my head. "I haven't heard a word about any of this."

Phoenix sits at the kitchen table, so I sit across from him, setting my glass of water aside. The tightness in my throat makes it too hard to swallow. "How much do you know about the pack situation, Ava?"

My lips quirk up into a mocking smile. "How often do you think people inform me about anything, Phoenix?"

It's just a clear indicator that he's only here for his own interests. Despite everything, he's not here to save his sister. He's not

just wants to keep

the walls I've built to keep

to the Westwood territory, under the guise of attending college. His plan was for her to mate with the beta or another high-ranking shifter in the pack, but Westwood sent her back home, closing the boundary to all shifters from

shift uncomfortably in my seat. Was this before or

of his actions feel somehow tainted. Was it all pack

been accusing us of attacking their wolves at the border, but all their

the conversation between

their paws off for now as there is no clear evidence of a war brewing between each pack." His brown eyes, cold like Dad's, bore into mine. "That's what's kept peace here so far. This

even as I'm confused

increased since the Lunar

My entire body stiffens.

him in the garden, and

"Nothing. I didn't know who he was, and he was flirting with me. Once he found out

information on you. Once we heard that, we put every

They must have been out searching. The ones in the Novel Grind watching me must have

the alpha told us to leave you alone, that searching for you

my eyes at the blatant gaslighting, but I just keep listening, wanting to know

kicked Jessa out of the territory, things changed, and Alpha Renard developed a keen interest in bringing you back. I was in charge of it all. I even went to

Go, Lisa!

Ava. He thinks they know about our

tell him anything, Phoenix. I never got a chance. The moment he realized who I was, he turned into a different person." That much

even Jessa couldn't find any evidence of you there, we branched out, asking other clans to