Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 263 Ava: The Compound

My heart thumps hard, trying its best to knock my ribs out of place with excitement. "Is everyone okay? What's going on?"

Vanessa's eyes unfocus as she communicates with her mate. Waiting is like being bitten by a squad of fire ants, each prickle against my skin beginning to burn as I squirm, impatient for answers.

"He doesn't want to give any answers until we see him, but he said things are stable." There's an uncertain waver in her voice, but I keep quiet as she speaks with Vester, feeling my own unease building.

Stable.

That could mean a lot of things, and they aren't all good.

Marcus stiffens beside me and I glance out the window, expecting to see something on the road.

Nothing.

"There's a few scouts nearby," he says after a long pause. "Vanessa, you sense them?"

"Three," she confirms. "I'm not familiar with them, but I recognize them."

"We're about ten minutes out. We'll run into a few more waves of scouts, staggered so they can stay in contact." He glances at me. "Like a telephone relay."

"Ten minutes?!" Vanessa frowns. "Vester should have been able to reach me a long time ago."

"I should be able to reach the alpha," Marcus agrees. "But I can't."

"Something's wrong." The healer's look of relief is once again replaced by worry. "This isn't right."

"The area's safe, so just relax until we get there. Someone should be able to give us proper answers then."

I hope he's right.

* * *

"Shit. Hold on!"

the door as Marcus slams on the brakes. Gravel crunches under the tires, and I barely

curses, her body

a narrow road I hadn't even noticed. The sudden turn sends a jolt of adrenaline through my system, momentarily distracting me from the

mutter, rubbing

against the truck's exterior. It's a small forest here, much more densely wooded

forest gives way to a clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us.

it's not the picturesque setting that captures my attention. It's the

children playing, the daily routines that should animate a community? Instead, a group of

isn't the Westwood I know. This

a stop, and I'm out the door before Marcus can fully

spot him, broad-shouldered and

my lips before I can even catch my breath. "Where's Lucas? Is he

a hand, silencing my barrage of questions. "Ava, there's a lot we need

"But

unlike the Fae Ward, I doubt there's magic here

little to reassure me. "And he's... stable. But things

to cover the chaos we've been through. I need to

my eye. Another wolf—it takes me a while to recognize Ryder, one of Lucas' deltas—embraces Vanessa. The reunion of

absence of Vanessa's

jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. "Come with me," he says, guiding me towards a small cabin set apart from

in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin

been with me for so long. Being without them

demand as we

"Ava, I need you to understand that everything we're doing is to

"Protect us from what?"

responsibility in them is staggering. "From forces that