Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 250 Ava: Clear Her Mind

My phone rings, and I nearly leap out of bed to reach for it.

Marcus grabs it as I fall into an unceremonious tangle of blankets and legs on the floor, staring at me with an impassive face that hides his amusement.

I know he's laughing inside, because there are little crinkles at the corners of his eyes, and his jaw's a little tenser than normal, as if holding back laughter.

"Unknown number," he reports, handing it to me.

Damn. Not Lucas.

Then again, maybe it is.

I answer eagerly, before I'm free of the mess I've created. "Hello?"

"Is this Alpha Westwood's mate?" The voice is soft and feminine, her words coming out in a rush.

I don't recognize it. "Yes. Who is this?"

"You must return to the pack, or everyone will be slaughtered." The woman's voice trembles, urgency lacing every breathy word. "You can't trust the Fae."

My heart leaps into my throat. The room spins, and I grip the phone tighter, its edges cutting into my fingers. "What? Who is this? What's happening?"

"There's no time to explain. Just come back as soon as you can. We need you."

"But who's in danger? What's going on?" My voice rises, panic seeping into every syllable.

"Everyone. Or else Alpha—"

The line goes dead.

"Hello? Hello!" I shout into the phone, but there's nothing but silence.

Marcus snatches it out of my hands, hands tapping at the screen. "Can't dial back."

No surprise there; the number didn't even show up. I struggle out of the tangle of blankets trapping my legs. "We need to go back. Everyone's in danger."

He frowns. "Ava, calm down. Sit, first."

"I can't calm down. Lucas—"

He shoves a hand over my mouth, shoving me back until my knees hit the bed.

him over the edge

his heavy brows drawn in as his eyes bore into mine. "You need to listen

blood in my ears wants to drown out the world, but I force myself

Narrow eyes. Tight

thinks I'm about to

eyes and breathe through my nose, drawing oxygen into my lungs and stretching them as far as I can bear, before releasing it all in a single measured breath. One. Two. Three. I count each inhale

meet Marcus' gaze. His hand drops from my mouth as he takes a step

feel less trapped by the panic fluttering

say, my voice steadier than I feel inside. "What do I need to

phone, tapping the screen as he stares at me. "First, we can't trust random phone calls. Anyone could be on the other end of that line, Ava.

the pack really are in danger? We can't reach them—doesn't it lead credence to what she was

slightly. "I know you're worried. But we need to be

"—or worse."

Of course he's

and instinct, and I don't have a

another deep breath, ignoring how small I feel when I realize how much I'm still lacking. Being upset over good advice is

logically, I take a moment to mull it

can just ask Marcus what to do, but there's a reason he isn't

that's my job,

Ava. Strange phone call, vague statements,

Wait.

this phone call get through? We're in the Fae Ward. It shouldn't have

hadn't realized how bunched up they were.

feel like we're in a classroom, and

it is, it helps

I was Alpha Westwood's mate. She didn't call me

"Good.

or call me Luna?" That's what the other wolves

strange," he agrees. "Anything

think back. "She said I can't trust

Another nod.

Westwood knows I'm with the Fae. Only Lucas." Everyone who knew is at Blackwood. "Maybe she's Blackwood? No.

my name." And very few

"Exactly."

back straightening and my chin lifting

there anything else that strikes you

so. She was cut off in the middle of talking about Lucas…" My voice trails off. "No, she

surprised to see his nose wrinkle in disgust. "Just call him

Ah.