Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 165 Ava: Margot's Secrets

A soft knock on the door pulls me out of my hazy morning thoughts as I finish packing my small suitcase. Vanessa must be early to escort me back to the airport.

That's not Vanessa. Selene's hackles rise, a low growl rumbling in her throat. Something's wrong.

I freeze, my hand hovering over the zipper. "What is it?"

Not sure. Her nose twitches. But it doesn't smell right.

Uneasy, I debate ignoring the knock, pretending I'm not here. It's a stupid thought. Any wolf can scent me in here.

I crack open the door, surprised to find Margot Mitchell standing there, her face pinched and pale.

"Ava, thank the Moon." She pushes into the room without invitation, her eyes darting around as if searching for hidden threats. "We need to talk."

"Margot, what—" My words come out in a shout over the audacity of her intrusion.

"The vampire. He's here." She grips my shoulders, her fingers digging in. "You have to keep him safe. You have to be loyal. You can't break the code."

"What secret? What vampire? What are you talking about?" Yanking out of her grip, I take a few steps back. "Why are you here?"

"You have to keep the secret," she hisses, as loud footsteps come thudding, like people are running. "Don't sell your loyalty, defect. Only Renard's promise keeps us safe. Without it, we're all doomed."

"What promi—"

"If you tell them, we all die, Ava. You don't want our lives on your hands, do you?"

My bodyguards burst into the room, their faces hard and unreadable. In a dizzying burst of movement and noise, they seize Margot by the arms, yanking her away from me. She yelps, thrashing against their iron grip as they drag her out.

I gape after them, my mind reeling. What the hell just happened?

"Ava, I'm so sorry about that." Kellan's voice snaps me back to the present. He stands in the doorway, his brow furrowed with concern. "Margot is one of the housekeepers for the lodge. She was here for maid duties. We didn't expect her to rush up to your room like this. If you hadn't shouted…" He pauses.

"Well. She must have fallen through the cracks during the transition. We'll take care of it."

echo in my

this. Kellan watches me, clearly expecting more of a response. I scramble for something

around here?" The question slips out before

vampire? How

he stares at me, obviously remembering that it just happened a few days

who meets

on their senses. The assumption is that they can

Kellan feels that

a soft whisper in my mind. Something's not

instincts. "Actually, Kellan, I've changed my mind. I won't be going back

surprise coloring his features. "Are you sure? I thought you were eager to get back to

stay a bit longer. See

But then he simply

pushing the issue. "And thanks for handling... that." I wave a hand

say more, then shakes his

me alone with Selene and my racing thoughts. I sink down

to like this,

just leave. Margot was talking about vampires and Renard. There's definitely a link." As if Sister Miriam wasn't proof enough of his working with vampires—but she wasn't

nuzzles into my side, offering her silent

my mind still spinning with questions. What secret was

alliance between vampires and

that seems a little

has to be more to

words and try to break them down, the more questions I have. Whatever the secret is, am I supposed to hide it from Lucas and the others? Or am

said

like being handed a key, but being informed

hell am I supposed to do

shiver runs through me as I recall the terror in her eyes, the desperate edge to her voice. Whatever it

a quick text,

you mean

can't explain over text. I