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."

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 around her being here, in the flesh,

did you get here, Mrs. Elkins? I mean, not that I'm not happy

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 you been

tugging at my lips. "Actually, I've gained weight. Even though

"And you're here of your own

no, Mrs. Elkins," I assure her quickly. "None of these people are the ones who took me from Cedarwood.

unwavering 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

Vanessa's eyes narrow, and she takes

here shortly," she explains to Mrs. Elkins, her tone apologetic. "But I'm afraid we can't

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."

and I reach for the bag with a smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Elkins. You

fingers can close around the bag, it's snatched

in question. "What the

but we'll

Elkins would never hurt me. She saved

you entered pack lands without detection?

Vanessa tense from the corner of my eye. Mrs. Elkins looks around at the hostile faces, bewilderment plain on

are you in some sort

all on alert and intent on saving me even from a little old woman, I

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

I'm about to hear answers

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

more going

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