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.

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,

him before he can continue is the best way. While I'm doing better at standing up for myself, I'm not great at arguing when they

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

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

flinch and agonized look bring that

the words you speak. Do not walk them back. It's okay to

she's not, so I settle

down his face. "Lucas is going to kill me," he mutters under his breath, but I catch

through me. "He has no

alpha's mate," Kellan

like sandpaper. "I'm not his mate, Kellan. How many

at me, exasperated. "Denial

feelings not being clear. I clench my jaw, standing my ground. "No. I'm sick of this. I'm sick of constantly being

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

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

want to be Ava. A me without any other consideration. Someone who isn't

my mind, her presence

bolsters me, straightening my spine. I

Kellan holds up his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. I'm trusting you to back me

He knows I'm more than just his... whatever I

my stomach. Lucas and I are complicated. We're fated mates with an awkward history. The bond between us is undeniable, a living, breathing thing, and I can't underestimate it. Like that day at the hospital, it will throw me into his arms