Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 124 Ava: Surprise Invitation

Easier said than done. But I try to clear my head, to let my body take over. Slipping to the side, I evade a vicious right hook. There—an opening. It's classic and obvious and it might be a trap, but I dart forward, inside his reach, and drive my elbow into his solar plexus.

He grunts, doubling over. Not letting up, I grab his arm and pivot, using his own momentum to flip him over my hip. He hits the mat hard, the breath knocked out of him.

For a second, I just stand there, stunned. Holy shit, did I actually just do that? A slow grin spreads across my face.

"Good!" Amara calls out. "That's enough for now."

We break apart, both of us panting and sweaty. I glance over at my opponent, expecting to see grudging respect or even surprise. Instead, fury contorts his face, his eyes flashing with barely contained rage.

A chill runs through me. Did I just make an enemy? Anxiety claws at my throat; I know what it means to have a pack who detests me. Even with the guards Lucas has me under, I have no faith that I'm safe if I'm hated by everyone in Westwood.

I know what happens in the shadows.

Before I can smooth things over, the shifter—I think his name might be Ben or something—bows, his expression smoothing into polite neutrality. "Thank you for the match," he says stiffly. Then he turns on his heel and stalks away, leaving me staring after him in confusion.

Did I imagine that look? I replay the moment in my head, trying to pinpoint what I saw. But with each passing second, I grow less certain. Maybe it was just the heat of the fight, the sting of being bested. Surely he doesn't actually hate me for throwing him once... right?

You did well, Selene says, her voice warm with approval. Don't let one surly pup shake your confidence.

Shaking off my worries, I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the throbbing in my jaw. It reaches deep into my ear. My ribs ache every time I breathe, but I fill my lungs anyway, before consciously relaxing my body, one muscle group at a time.

Selene's right. I can't control how others react to me. I'm here to train. If they want to hate me, there's little I can do about that.

I just have to keep training. Improving. I'm going to get bruised, but eventually, I'll be able to give back as much as I get.

the unease prickling down my neck, making me

pops out of nowhere, which is—as far as I'm concerned—a specialty of hers. "I

she loops our limbs together in a familiar hug. Pain lances through my side, stealing my breath for

sorry!" Lisa's eyes widen as she realizes her mistake. She quickly withdraws her arm from mine, looking

effort. The bruises throb in protest, but I ignore them. "How about you?

as hell, but it's getting better. I think they went a little easier on me today—only a couple new bruises to add to

you," I mutter, only half-joking. My

is contagious, and I find myself smiling back at her, the knot in my chest loosening a bit. It's a relief to see her spirits lifting again after the brutal introduction

eyes sparkling with sudden excitement. "Guess what? We got

party? Us?" Skepticism colors my tone. After the chilly reception from the Westwood wolves, a party invite seems

us!" Lisa links her arm through mine, undeterred, but this time careful not to smack against my injuries. "Chloe invited us. She said it's like a monthly thing, a chance for the younger wolves to

nose. I turn red when I sweat; she does that whole glistening

niggling at me. Is this a genuine olive branch, or some kind of setup? My experience with my birth pack has made me wary of

maybe a party wouldn't be the worst thing. A chance to feel normal for a night, to forget about the threats

Kellan to let

is it?" I ask, throwing concern to the abyss. We have Kellan

"Come on, Ava. It'll be fun! We could both use a break from

think it's time for that to change. It'll be good for

As much as I'd love to be stronger, I'm not sure how many more bruises I can

Selene urges in my mind, her tone encouraging. You've earned a night of fun.

my back, even if I can't fully trust the Westwood

smile for Lisa. "Let's

arm. "Yes! This is going to

we head for the showers, chattering about what we might wear and what to expect. For a moment, the weight of