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.

at him over

he repeats, his heavy brows drawn in as his eyes bore into mine. "You need to listen to me before you

The rush of blood

Narrow eyes. Tight

thinks I'm about

mouth is covered, so I close my eyes and breathe through my nose, drawing oxygen into my lungs and stretching them as far as I can bear, before

eyes again, I meet Marcus' gaze. His hand drops from my mouth as he takes a step back,

helps me feel less trapped by the panic fluttering

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

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

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

help them," Marcus counters. His tone softens slightly. "I know you're worried. But we

"—or worse."

course

on impulse and instinct, and I don't have a

ignoring how small I feel when I realize how

take

what to do, but there's a reason

job, as his

through, Ava. Strange phone call, vague statements,

Wait.

the Fae Ward. It shouldn't have gotten through to us.

relax; I hadn't realized how bunched up they

it feel like we're in a classroom, and I'm responding to a

is, it

was Alpha Westwood's mate. She didn't call me by name, yet she

"Good.

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

strange," he

said I

Another nod.

widen. "No one in Westwood knows I'm with the Fae. Only Lucas."

know my name." And very few know I'm mated to Lucas. "None of

"Exactly."

back straightening and my chin lifting with a

anything else that strikes

brows together, thinking. "I don't think so. She was cut off in the middle of talking about Lucas…" My voice trails off. "No, she said Alpha. If she's Blackwood, that might

surprised to see his nose wrinkle in disgust.

Ah.