Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 263

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!"

me against the door as Marcus slams on the brakes. Gravel crunches under the tires, and

Vanessa curses, her body sliding across the

heart races as we careen onto a narrow road I hadn't even noticed. The sudden turn sends a jolt of adrenaline through my system, momentarily distracting me from the constant itch of magic

hell cut out the seatbelts?" I mutter, rubbing my elbow where it smacked

at the winding gravel path ahead. Trees press close on either side, branches scraping against the truck's exterior. It's a

to a clearing. My breath catches as I take in the sight before us. A cluster of cabins nestles against rolling hills, the structures weathered but sturdy. A creek meanders past, its gentle burble

picturesque setting that

the bustle of pack life? The children playing, the daily routines that should animate a community? Instead, a group of wolves emerges to meet us, their expressions grim

I know. This is a

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

him, broad-shouldered and

can even

shows the strain of recent days. He holds up a hand, silencing my barrage of

stomach drops. "But he's

scream hospital to me. And unlike the Fae Ward, I doubt there's magic here that turns a cozy cottage into a giant

confirms, but his tone does little to reassure me. "And he's... stable. But things

doesn't begin to cover the chaos we've been through. I need to see Lucas, to touch

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

Vester?" I ask, noticing the absence of Vanessa's mate

set apart from the others. It

back, seeing Marcus and Vanessa being led in a different direction by Ryder. The separation makes my skin prickle, and I scratch at

so

demand as we

doorknob. "Ava, I need you to understand that everything we're doing is to protect the

"Protect us from what?"

responsibility in them is staggering. "From forces that want to tear us apart.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255