Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 231 Ava: Water

The rune for water swims before my eyes, its curves and lines blurring as I try to focus. My mind, however, has other plans. It drifts to Vanessa, her soft smile as she spoke of Vester. The ache in her voice. The longing.

I know that feeling all too well now.

Lucas. Where is he? Is he safe? Is the pack safe? Do we have more funeral rites coming? Are people hurting?

Are our hospitals inundated?

Your brain is so loud I can't sleep, Selene's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Rolling my eyes at her nonexistent self, knowing she can feel it, I drawl mentally, Let me just turn down the volume on my anxiety for you. Wouldn't want to disturb your beauty rest.

Selene huffs, a sound somewhere between amusement and exasperation. Worrying about things you can't control is a waste of time. You'd be better off focusing on what's in front of you. The sooner you master this, the sooner we can leave.

She's right, of course. Doesn't make it any easier, but she's right. I take a deep breath, trying to center myself. "Okay, okay. You're right. Let's do this."

"Is it Selene?" Vanessa asks in amusement. "Whenever you talk to her, your entire face scrunches up."

Damn. Really? I've watched them all go a little vacant-eyed when they're talking to their wolves or pack members, but no one's ever screwed up their whole face to do it.

That's embarrassing.

Still, I nod. "Yeah. She's giving me a pep talk."

"You can do this, Ava. Look what you accomplished earlier today." Giving me two thumbs-up that couldn't be more cheesy if she tried, Vanessa grins. "I have faith in you."

Heat flushes in my cheeks. No matter how much care and attention I've been given in my time at Westwood, it still feels awkward and wrong to have someone so enthusiastic in their praise of me.

Good, too.

Really good.

little of how I'd begun to feel a little like I should stay with Clayton, all because he was kind to me and

back to my pack or anything—I can see how he was just an alpha struggling

But he is not the one who stirs

No, he isn't.

way I wanted to lean on him and rely on him? They're the same ones I feel toward Vanessa, who's been in my corner from the first moment we met. Someone who's willing to help me, to talk to

bonded to me. And aside from

was. And it's

in return. I'm weak to that. I see that now, and it only gets clearer

appreciating those who care for

me. I'm going to need to be smarter in the future. Make sure I'm not trusting the wrong people, all because they treat me

person to trust. Or maybe that Magister Orion isn't the best choice of teacher. Maybe being here in

again, Selene says, affection from her coming through our bond to soothe my ragged mind. You're going through everything you can to avoid what's in front

Right.

The magic.

my head as best as I can, turning my attention back to the

where I felt the fire magic, but when I reach for it, it's like hitting a wall. I push against it, trying to find a crack,

it before, why not now? Visualizing the magic as a door that I need to open doesn't feel right. I tug at an imaginary handle, knock on its surface,

Nothing.

My shoulders slump.

legs shake with exhaustion, just like they did after I accessed the fire magic. But this

burst of power, no flickering flame. Just the trembling of overexerted

me with its stillness.

more to myself than to Selene. "Maybe

Magic isn't something you can

to say," I grumble. "You're not the one sitting here feeling

watching you act like one, she retorts, but

curve, some of the tension easing from my

to shake off the frustration. Vanessa is still and silent in her corner, and I can't even feel her gaze on

than ever, I'm convinced

through it again, maybe I'm approaching this all wrong. Fire came to me in a moment of intense