Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 176 Ava: Attending the Rites

Odd? How so?

Selene's soft whine catches Kellan's attention. "We'll be there soon. Will she be okay?"

It doesn't seem that he realizes the dog is not actually a dog. "She's fine."

I thought I had all my memory, but when I try to think back, everything is fuzzy. Even my own name doesn't come to mind.

My head aches at the thought of trying to unravel that. What kind of memories? From becoming a dog?

Not exactly. My past life. My identity. Many things… Things I thought I remembered. Vanessa's words sound familiar, but I cannot access the memories. It feels important.

That just sounds… Yeah. She's right. It's odd.

How long have they been missing?

Silence.

Then, I don't know. Forever.

Leaning down, I rub at Selene's head. It'll be okay. I'm sure we'll figure it out. But we both know my promise is hollow. I have no way of keeping it.

Selene whines again, resting her head on her paws as she stays beneath my chair. Ava, am I a detriment to you?

Of course not. My denial is swift and from the heart. But… I think we might make bad decisions together.

Her mood plummets; I can feel it in the back of my head. Like Lucas and his wolf, as children.

Scratching behind her ears in gentle consolation, my heart is buoyed when she leans against my touch. You have given me much strength by being here. We'll figure it out together.

Together, she confirms, but that insecure edge to her words is still there.

* * *

so weak, my walk resembles the wobbling of a

it to the pack lands as twilight hits. The entire

No lights on.

No people.

signs of life at

make it to a large field deep in the forest, filled with people. Some are in wolf form. A few

ones to drive; everyone else used four paws to

I see so many of them turn in

hadn't wanted

this air thick, she whispers, slinking out of the car

with such insecure body language. She usually struts about with confidence, tail high and

Like I don't belong.

Filled with shame.

Lucas hadn't mentioned that three more

save for the occasional mourning keen. There are no

the pyres, the

close to my side as we make our way to the back of the crowd. His hand rests on the small of my back, guiding me with gentle pressure as he points or tugs me

grimly ahead, his jaw clenched. Even

down on my chest until it's hard

of my blind demand for independence. How many of these deaths are on

All of them.

Every single one.

trapped in the clutches of a madman, but it bleeds for the dead. For the families left behind. For the pack that will never be

caused so much pain. Not when I've been so focused on my own desires that I didn't stop to think about

at him. His face is a mask of stoicism, but I can see the cracks in his armor. The way

voice barely audible over the soft keening of

looks down at me, his

For being so selfish. For not thinking about how my choices would affect

me, anguish clear in his eyes. His face. In how his lips curve down at my

away, staring ahead again. "It's not your fault, Ava. You didn't cause this. We were too arrogant in the safety

in my heart,

at that party, those vampires wouldn't have gone