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.

few simple words and encouragement is a little scary. It reminds me a little of how I'd begun to feel a little like I should stay with Clayton, all because he was kind to me and gave me a place to live, despite knowing that it

have any sinister designs to throw me back to my pack or anything—I can see how he was just an alpha struggling to do the right thing, and maybe a little too clouded by the heat-mating that

like him, Selene murmurs. But he is not the one who stirs your heart, is

No, he isn't.

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 me, to listen. To get to know

And aside from Lisa, who—despite being my best friend—doesn't

Mrs. Elkins, who didn't know who I was. And

expecting anything in return. I'm weak to that. I

in appreciating those who care

going to need to be smarter in the future.

Magister Orion isn't the best choice of teacher. Maybe being here

through our bond to soothe my ragged mind. You're going through

Right.

The magic.

my head as best as I can,

lines with my eyes. There's that place deep inside me where I felt the fire magic, but when I reach for it, it's like hitting a wall. I push against

magic as a door that I need to open doesn't feel right. I tug at an imaginary handle,

Nothing.

My shoulders slump.

feels like I'm just leaning against this invisible barrier now, too exhausted to keep fighting. My arms and legs shake with exhaustion, just like they did after I

Just the trembling of

the spots dancing in my vision. The water rune sits there, mocking me with its stillness. I want to crumple it up and throw it

mutter, more to myself than to Selene. "Maybe I'm just

isn't something you can

not the one sitting here feeling like an

like one, she retorts, but there's no real bite

curve, some of the tension easing from my shoulders

the frustration. Vanessa is still and silent in her corner, and I can't even feel her gaze on me. She's probably looking anywhere except at me, knowing

I'm convinced she's

this all wrong. Fire came to me in a moment of intense emotion, a