Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 134 Ava: The Party (V)

He seems nice, Selene says.

Yeah, he does. When we part so I can return to Lisa's side, he doesn't cling or say anything, just waves me off and wanders back into the crowd.

Feeling buoyed by my success at dancing with a stranger and managing a conversation with someone in the pack, I hunt Lisa down. The dance with Teddy has cemented something inside of me; no matter how handsome another man is, he doesn't bring about the flutters that a single word from Lucas can stir in my belly.

I need girl advice tonight.

Trying to find Lisa in the throng of shifters is impossible. She's nowhere to be found. My skin prickles with the sensation of being watched, assessed. Whispers hiss through the air, just quiet enough that I can't make out the words. But I can imagine well enough what they're saying.

Mia and Chloe are holding court with a group of male shifters. Mia's dark hair tumbles over her shoulder as she laughs, leaning into the broad-shouldered man beside her. Chloe's green eyes flick to mine, a smirk curling her lips. I quickly look away.

I don't know what their goal was in bringing me here, but I don't need to know.

They're not on my side. That's enough to know I want nothing to do with them.

Someone jostles me from behind and I stumble, barely keeping my balance. A red plastic cup is shoved into my hand, sloshing sticky-sweet punch over the side.

"Oops, sorry!" a male voice calls, but when I turn to look, he's already disappeared back into the crowd.

I stare down at the cup in my hand, the sickly artificial scent of fruit and alcohol wafting up to my nose. My stomach churns. I don't want to be here anymore, suffocating under the weight of shifter superiority and teenage hormones. I just want to find Lisa and go home.

Clutching the cup, I weave my way through the mass of bodies, heading for the refuge of the kitchen. It's quieter there, only a few people milling about. I set the cup down on the counter with a shaky hand and pull out my phone.

[AVA: Where are you? I can't find you anywhere.]

I hit send and lean back against the counter, watching the three dots that indicate Lisa is typing. They disappear. Reappear. Disappear again.

[LISA: sry went 2 get air, u ok?]

snort. Air. Right. More like she snuck off with Brendan to make out in a shadowy corner somewhere. Not that I can blame

then I stare at her text, a sinking feeling

never uses text

I might head out

where r

[AVA: Kitchen.]

cup I'd set on the counter draws my gaze, the sticky-sweet scent of punch mingling with the bowl

Did

clear that parties aren't my scene. I

Selene whispers in my mind, her presence a

myself than to her. She's right. Something is off. Between Lisa's sudden use of text speak and that odd wrong feeling that's been plaguing me since I got

hairs on the back of my neck prickle, a shiver running down my spine despite the warmth

tugging at the corners of his mouth as he

he asks, his brow furrowing as he takes in my expression. "You look a little…"

bitter on my tongue. "Just tired,

to catch, but it makes my stomach twist. He reaches out, plucking the cup from

let me take that," he says, his voice light but his expression serious. "It's probably

confusion warring with a sudden surge

cup into the sink. The sickly sweet smell is stronger for a moment, but he turns on the water and rinses it all down the drain, his movements quick and efficient, before tossing the cup

"Just trust me on this one, okay? There's

at him, my mind racing. What does he mean? What

I ask, hating that I'm suspicious of the one person at

with a faint smile. "The alcohol level in the punch is a bit much for a newbie. You don't drink much, do you? I can tell by

say slowly, my voice sounding small even to my own

a fraction. "No problem. You sure you're okay? You

still feeling uneasy. "Thanks, but I'm good. My

take care of yourself, okay? And if you need anything, just let me know. I know how it feels to be new around

New?

even when he talked about his job and aspirations. It might be private, and I don't want him to feel the way I did when Mia cornered