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."

ooze casual, even if my ears would be perked as high as hell if I was a dog

flicking a faint smile in my direction. "He thinks you should stay in Granite City, on Westwood lands, under

Distaste is about the only thing oozing out of me now, and

keep you under guard and safe so his alpha is not distracted during this time of crisis. I think

is trying," I defend immediately,

and how he prioritizes you over the pack." She glances at me again, then back to the road. "It's rough when

she and Vester are also fated mates. "It is. How do you two handle the

mated for six years. We're at a different place 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

watch the bodyguards in the backseat, who all seem to shrivel at

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

She winks at me. "Gotta stop the gossips

"I'm not your—"

I know. Not

that she's put

over the seat and come

so loud it almost blows out my mental eardrum. With those hulking brutes? No, thank you. Did you know they picked me up and

lips quirk as I gaze out the window, watching the familiar scenery pass. You're the one

the backseat,

hate the car?" Vanessa asks me in confusion. "I heard she's

Selene begins to yowl like a cat in heat. "She's

the rearview mirror, shaking her head. "The fact that she's able to be around

quirk as the dog in question begins to sing the song of huskies everywhere. "She's a bit…

* * *

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

the time we make it to the hospital, she's sitting in the middle seat, accepting the pets of both bodyguards

head. "Your dog

no idea," I mutter, though my mind is elsewhere as the tall