Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 101 Ava: Calling Clayton

A plate of mixed greens, topped with an obscene amount of sliced chicken and shredded cheese, is slid in front of me as I wait for Clayton to answer the phone.

There's a lot of sound in the background, and I can hear Vester shouting that I'm on the line.

Stabbing a bite of salad, I crunch at it, the sound grating against my eardrums as I wait.

"Ava?" Clayton's voice, usually so strong and assured, wavers with a vulnerability that catches me off guard. The sound tugs at my heart, a pang of guilt piercing through the layers of confusion that has settled between us.

I should have asked Lucas to let me talk to him a long time ago. He's probably been worried. He's too responsible and caring to have just let things go without wondering how I'm doing.

I'm a terrible person.

I never really thought about him in this time.

"Hey," I manage, my throat tightening around the word. "How... how have you been?"

Lisa's eyebrows shoot up at the sound of my words, her gaze fixed on me with an intensity that suggests she's hanging on every word. I ignore her, focusing instead on the static-laden silence stretching across the connection.

"How are you feeling?" Clayton asks, dodging my question with one of his own. "Are you healing alright?"

There's a lump in my throat at the sound of his concern. Damn. I swallow hard. "I'm fine," I assure him, though the words feel hollow even to my own ears. "I actually called because... well, I was worried about Ivy.

I wanted to know how she's doing. And I wanted to talk to you."

He's silent for a long time. "Ivy's doing well. She's healing, but slowly. She doesn't heal much faster than humans."

I know that pain.

exercise remains stubborn, not disappearing with

wanted to talk to me?" he

phone to my other ear as Lisa watches, her eyes sparkling. She loves a good

since everything happened. I figured you would

I'm still worried. I want to know how you're doing. If you're okay, if you're

I'm not alone. I'm sure you know everything that happened by now, so

has disappeared since he answered the phone, and I wonder what

"I miss you, Ava."

drop the phone. "I miss you, too." How else am I supposed to answer? I don't miss

to

about Lucas very much. Well, not a lot… but

hope in his voice breaks my

Steadfast. He took care of

course, he'd also kept me locked away for my own safety, but it isn't like Lucas has

My mind flashes to other things, like the sound of his voice in

floods my cheeks, and I shake my head at Lisa as her eyes widen. She can't hear him on the other end, so she has no

haven't

tell you about him. Us." It seems like the kind of thing I should apologize for. He

His words are like a caress, and I feel like we're on slightly different wavelengths. It sounds like I've said something that's soothed him

"I know."

his happiness at my response, and that niggling

I guess I'll let you go. I'm

me your number, so I can

nodding enthusiastically, mouthing, YES, YES, YES!

I call