Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 216 Ava: Going to Sister Miriam Again (II)

"What do you mean, consume her?" Jericho demands, his eyes narrowed.

Sister Miriam sighs, flicking ash from the end of her cigarette. "Magic is a living thing, wolf. It has a will of its own. And right now, Ava's magic is wild, untamed. If she doesn't learn to control it, it will control her."

When they still stand there, waiting for more, she rolls her eyes, making even that seem almost elegant, even if the rest of her face is too blank to make it seem natural. "Your girl will go boom, wolf. And everything around her will pay the price."

"What's the difference between now and before?"

Sister Miriam's brows draw together slowly, just a little out of sync. Sometimes, she acts so naturally. Other times, it's like she can't control her entire face. This is one of those times, and the wrongness of it causes shudders of repulsion. "Before?"

It's a struggle to find the correct wording. "When I first got my powers. I went into heat. It was painful."

"Ah." Her brow smooths out almost instantly, and it's fascinating. Like there was something beneath her skin, and it just dashed out, leaving it flat and expressionless. "Yes. It was more of a half-awakening." She holds out her hand, tight as a fist.

"Once, you were empty. Then, small cracks appeared, allowing the power to flow within." She opens her fist a little, spreading her fingers, as though holding onto an invisible ball. "This is the state of most of you as children. You have power coursing through you. Some of you will tap into this power in times of immense stress."

Memories of running through the forest, almost as fast as Lucas in his wolf form, flash through my mind. Sister Miriam nods, seeing whatever expression on my face tips her off.

have experienced this. But you cannot feel it,

I can even nod, she opens her palm flat. "And now, you have made a connection with the power inside

hearing her say what only I've

it. But, Ava," and she snaps her fist closed, before bringing it back to her side. "You have no

that is still enough to level several houses around

I can barely see over their shoulders. "You're doing a lot of talking but no real explanations. You know too much for someone

a violent intent coming from her direction. "Your land. That is what you are taught, isn't it? That your wolf territory is sacred. That any

asserts coolly. "It has been approved by the Council and by the highest level of human government. Until such a time as a new leader has been

she mocks.

onto his elbow, squeezing hard in a reminder for him to

from Sister

They don't let

once again calm toward me, with no hint of the

because I'm more

disappeared. The building she was in doesn't exist anymore.

Child, what were you thinking? You don't know enough about this world to step foot in

a frown. "We haven't even