Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 161 Ava: Mom (I)

Selene perks her head up before there's a knock rapping against my door.

Vanessa, she confirms before I open it.

"The boys have dialed in," Vanessa announces as soon as she sees my face. "It's up to you. We can head straight to the hospital, or you can settle in and wait until tomorrow."

My stomach twists, heartburn coming out of nowhere to spread fire through my esophagus. "Oh." I could almost forget why I'm here, distracting myself with everything else.

"Tomorrow's just fine—"

"No," I cut in, shaking my head. "I need to talk to her now. The quicker we get answers, the sooner we can get Lisa back."

Vanessa searches my face, her brows drawing together as she weighs the situation in her mind.

After a moment, she steps back, motioning me out of the room. "I'll let Ves know."

"Ves? Oh. Vester." I've never heard her talk about him before, and their curious interactions earlier have me wanting to ask her what's going on.

But I'm not exactly sure how to casually bring up such a level of gossip.

Is it gossip when you're talking to the person in question?

Either way.

"You can stop staring at me like that." Vanessa smiles at me as we head out of the lodge, flanked immediately by two burly wolf shifters I don't recognize.

"Like what?" I ask, feigning innocence for as long as I can. It's embarrassing that she caught me.

Once we're both buckled in and Vanessa shifts into reverse, she says, "Vester and I aren't exactly on talking terms right now."

to ooze casual, even if my ears would be perked as high as hell

I don't agree about how to deal with you," she adds, flicking a faint smile in my direction. "He thinks you should stay in Granite

oozing

guard and safe so his alpha is not distracted during this time of crisis. I think he needs to get his

is trying," I defend immediately,

his search for you, and how he prioritizes you over the pack."

are also fated mates. "It is. How

than you and Alpha are." Slowing for a red light, she leans back in the seat, glancing in her rearview mirror. "And none of you are hearing a single word of this, or I will personally inform your mates that you've contracted a terrible, newly

I watch the bodyguards in the backseat, who all seem to

of power," I whisper, even though they can hear every word because… well,

winks at me. "Gotta stop the gossips before

"I'm not your—"

I know.

I don't like that she's

over the seat and come

my mental eardrum. With those hulking brutes? No, thank you. Did you know they

as I gaze out the window, watching the familiar scenery pass. You're the one who showed up as a

in the backseat, startling all

me in confusion. "I heard she's great with

and Selene begins to yowl like a cat in heat. "She's just upset she's in the trunk. Thinks she's

into the rearview mirror, shaking her head. "The fact that she's able to be around all of us without slinking away

quirk as the dog in question begins to sing the song of huskies

* * *

in and reaches into the back, coaxing her up front like he's talking to

it to the hospital, she's sitting in the middle seat, accepting the pets of both bodyguards as her

shakes her head. "Your

I mutter, though my mind is elsewhere