Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 195

Chapter 195 Ava: A Familiar Face

I never expected to add my former boss being held up by a flock of bodyguards, a solid thousand miles from Cedarwood, to my list of fucked up shit that happened today.

So it takes a minute for me to process what I'm hearing.

"Mrs. Elkins?"

Selene flattens against the ground, her ears going back as she belly-crawls her way to my bench.

Her bizarre demeanor doesn't even register in my head, because—well, frankly, she's been weird as hell for the past several hours.

"Ava! My dear girl."

Those familiar rheumy eyes and her welcoming smile have me so intensely, terribly homesick for Cedarwood that I have to blink like a maniac to keep the tears at bay. "Mrs. Elkins, how did you get here? And on pack lands?"

Vanessa follows behind as I push my way through the bodyguards, who refuse to let me get too close.

"Calm down, boys. She's a friend of our Luna."

Vanessa's at least forty years younger than any of these men, but they respond to her words anyway, letting me through their human barricade.

I've got to figure out how to wield whatever flimsy authority I have. Even Vanessa gets people to listen to her. Granted, she's a healer—no one wants to get on a healer's bad side. Not even the alpha.

Reaching the old woman, I can see that she's carrying a huge parcel, hugging it to her chest.

"Ava, my dear. Are you all right?"

Her hand shakes as she reaches for my face, as though reassuring herself I'm really alive.

"I'm fine."

grasp Mrs. Elkins' hand in mine. It's delicate and fragile, her paper-thin skin soft against my palm. My mind

Elkins? I mean, not that I'm not happy to

sighs, the sound weary and drawn out. "Oh, Ava, it's a story for the ages. But that can wait." Her eyes, sharp despite their age, sweep over me with a critical gleam. "You've lost weight, Ava. Have

my lips. "Actually, I've gained weight. Even though I look skinnier. Must be all

brows knit together in concern. "And you're here of your own will? These people..." She

these people are the

under her scrutiny. Vanessa mutters something about bull-headed men before turning to Mrs. Elkins with a polite smile. "Why don't we head inside? I'm sure you've had a

postures shifting subtly to block the path. Vanessa's eyes narrow, and she takes a moment,

be here shortly," she explains to Mrs. Elkins, her tone apologetic. "But I'm afraid we can't let you inside without approval from the head of

Elkins titters, waving a hand. "Of course, of course. I understand completely." She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small ziplock bag. "Here, Ava. I

Homemade, of course."

with a smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Elkins. You have

around the bag, it's snatched

on the bodyguard in question. "What the

Luna, but we'll have to check these for safety before you can have

Elkins would never hurt me. She saved

guard steps forward, professional and blank-faced as he addresses Mrs. Elkins. "Ma'am, can you explain how you entered pack lands without detection? And how you made

Vanessa tense from the corner of my eye. Mrs.

are you in some

alert and intent on saving me

reasonable, and I'm wondering the same things. Not to mention—Selene's hiding under the bench

feeling that I'm about to hear answers I'll

how I look at this situation, for an old woman to have accidentally stumbled onto me here,

more

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