Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 85 Ava: Lucas Visits

Lucas strides into the room from behind the wearied nurse. His presence is much as I remember—like a lion surveying his territory, confident in his domination over everything in his sight.

This is the Alpha.

Even after everything that's happened, the sight of him still sends a ripple of attraction and unease through me, a reminder of our complicated history.

But this time, there's a huge part of me that wants to dash over and lift my head, baring my neck to him. To roll and rub against him with whimpers of submission.

I shove that part deep into a dark hole inside of me and close the fucking door.

Lucas moves with such fluid grace, despite his towering height—he's at least six-three, rivaling Alpha Renard's imposing ability to loom.

His hair is tousled, falling into a loose mess around his face and shoulders, and judging by the dark circles beneath his amber eyes, he's been up all night.

And speaking of his eyes…

I try to avoid them, but it's like there's a force that pulls me into his gaze. It's different from any time before. At the Gala, they'd burned with desire and curiosity. In Cedarwood, there was always an aching longing in their depths. Today?

They're intense, smoldering with rage that wars with relief. His jaw is clenched, his face set in a way that I'd have expected him to be a grim reaper instead of a visitor. But his brow settles out of its deep furrow and relaxes a little when he sees me, and the wrinkles around his eyes relax.

As he approaches my bedside, I can't help but lean toward him, into the scent of campfire smoke and something smooth and sensual beneath. A dizzying fragrance that has my heart yearning toward him. It should be comforting, but it sets me on edge as I try to pull myself back, waking myself from the brief intoxication with the man that the fates have deigned to mate me to.

angry with him anymore. I guess that's what happens when you

I say, because he's too busy staring

of the stress fades from his face as he grabs the doctor's stool and takes a seat next to my bed. His gaze lingers on the bandages

a casual gesture, but somehow I know he's fighting his

It's… cute.

don't move around, I don't hurt

the tiny stool. "Ellison's a

years that he's actually good

warned. He

he's taken care of, there will be other wolves with a similar mindset. I'm not stupid enough to think they can

for me." The blanket is soft between my fingers, easy to twist. I can't meet Lucas' gaze as I struggle to convey

anxious tugging

fingers still, quiet beneath

of the reasons I wasn't angry when I learned he was breaking into his apartment is because of this. His scent brings a sense of security, even

burns into the side of my face, and I shift uncomfortably beneath

to touch my hair, which must

chuckles, the rich sound sending a shiver down my spine.

any hint of mockery. But his amber eyes are warm with sincerity, a real smile softening his face. Even his eyes

always seen in

my throat as I take in the rugged angles of his face, the way his dark hair falls in tousled waves around those high cheekbones. Even bruised and bandaged as I am, something in his gaze makes