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.

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

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

he is not

No, he isn't.

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,

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

I was. And it's

someone who gives without expecting anything in return. I'm weak to that. I see

wrong in appreciating those who care for

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

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

from her coming through our bond to soothe my ragged mind. You're going through everything you can to

Right.

The magic.

I purge my head as best as I can,

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 it, trying to find a crack, a seam, anything. But there's

I managed it before, why not now? Visualizing the magic as a door that I need to open doesn't feel right. I tug at an

Nothing.

My shoulders slump.

arms and legs shake with exhaustion, just like they did after I accessed

no flickering flame. Just the trembling of

my vision. The water rune sits there, mocking me with its stillness. I want to crumple it up and throw it across the room, but

I mutter, more to myself than to Selene. "Maybe I'm just a one-trick pony.

something you can force. It's about finding the right flow,

"You're not the one sitting here feeling like an

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

easing from my shoulders as I let out a

another deep breath, trying to shake off 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 the

ever, I'm convinced she's an

approaching this all wrong. Fire came to me in a moment of intense emotion, a vivid memory. What do I