Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 125 Ava: Negotiating the Invitation

The ominous text halts me in place, and Lisa peers over my shoulder.

"A candle?" she asks, confused.

Oh, right—I haven't spoken to her yet about my revelation of Sister Miriam's words at our parting. Only Selene knows.

Catching Lisa's eye, I give a quick shake of my head and slide the phone into my pocket. Kellan's in the distance, walking toward us.

Lisa, as quick-thinking as ever, grabs onto my arm again and returns to her ruminations about the party. By the time the beta's near us, his face is thunderclouds and lightning.

"No way," he announces, before Lisa can even say anything.

Undeterred, Lisa stands straight, toe-to-toe with him in a way I see far too often. These two will never get along. "I'm not asking, Beta Ashbourne. I'm informing you. Friday will be busy. We're going to a party."

"Absolutely not."

"Stop treating us like prisoners!"

"You aren't prisoners," he refutes immediately. "We're doing our best to keep you safe. A party? That's not safe."

"'That's not safe,'" she mimics, rolling her eyes. "So, what, we're going to be stuck in my apartment forever? We can't live at all? Can't do anything? Because to me, it sounds like you're saying Westwood is a bunch of weak-ass wolves who can't protect two little girls in their own territory."

She's a spitfire, Selene approves, back in my head again. Her marathon must be over.

word is, of course, calculated to sting at the beta's pride. Kellan's jaw sets in a way that I see far too often these days, and he gives up arguing with Lisa to turn to me, instead. "With the situation at

at standing up for myself, I'm not great

not that I disagree. It's just that I can't live like

It's worse than being home. At least I used to have

flinch and agonized look bring that familiar feel of guilt to my

says, her voice in my mind soft and soothing. You are not wrong in the words you speak. Do not walk them back.

her and hug her with gratitude. But she's not, so I settle

his face. "Lucas is going to kill me," he

"He

the alpha's

sandpaper. "I'm not his mate,

me, exasperated. "Denial only goes

frustrating inability to see me as anything other than my supposed rank. The one they've already decided on, despite my own feelings not being clear. I clench my jaw, standing my ground. "No. I'm sick of this. I'm sick of constantly being thought of as his mate instead

name is Ava. Not 'Lucas's mate.' I'm

pour out of me, heated and sharp. I'm so tired of my identity being tied to a man, a bond I never asked for. First, it was my father and my pack, dictating my every move. Now, it's Lucas and his pack,

any other consideration. Someone who isn't judged

presence a

I meet Kellan's gaze head-on, refusing to back

"Fine, fine. I'm trusting you to back me up

"Because he knows I'm right. He knows I'm more than just his... whatever I

undeniable, a living, breathing thing, and I can't