Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

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 is still working at wrapping itself

not that I'm not

the ages. But that can wait." Her

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

together in concern. "And you're here of your own will?

her quickly. "None of these people are the ones

at the bodyguards, their impassive stares unwavering under her scrutiny. Vanessa mutters something about bull-headed men before turning to Mrs. Elkins with a polite smile. "Why don't

shifting subtly to block the path. Vanessa's eyes narrow, and she

will 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

course, of course. I understand completely." She reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small ziplock bag.

Homemade, of course."

for the bag with a smile.

can close around the bag, it's

the bodyguard in question. "What the

glare with a stoic expression. "I'm sorry, Luna, but

I echo, disbelief coloring my tone. "Mrs. Elkins would never hurt me. She saved me in Cedarwood. She's a genuinely

can you explain how you entered pack lands without detection? And how you made

the corner of my eye. Mrs. Elkins looks around at the hostile faces,

you in some sort of

alert and intent on saving me even from a

things. Not to mention—Selene's hiding under the bench is

I'm about

to have accidentally stumbled onto me here, a thousand miles

more going