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.

guess that's what happens when you get rescued before you're wiped from

say, because he's too busy staring at

grabs the doctor's stool and takes a seat next to my bed. His gaze lingers on the bandages on my face and neck, before sliding down to my abdomen. His fingers twitch, and he links

gesture, but somehow I know he's fighting his urge to reach out and

It's… cute.

around, I don't hurt too much. Thank you for

grunts, shifting on the tiny stool. "Ellison's a

I'd have never guessed in a million years that he's actually good at

warned. He won't bother you

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

easy to twist. I can't meet Lucas'

his hands dwarfing both of mine, quelling the anxious tugging of fabric. "I'll

still, quiet beneath

reasons I wasn't angry when I learned he was breaking into his apartment is

the side of my face, and I shift uncomfortably beneath the weight of

of silence, I pull one of my hands away from his and bring it up to touch my hair, which must look terrible after everything I've been

the rich sound sending a shiver down my spine. "You're gorgeous, Ava.

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

always seen in the

face, the way his dark hair falls in tousled waves around those high