Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 299 Ava: Lucas is Alone

Lucas watches us both, calm despite only hearing one half of our conversation.

Grabbing his hand, I give a gentle squeeze to show I'm still paying attention to his presence.

"Do you know how?"

Selene's idea is a tall order. It isn't like amnesia has some sort of cure.

The dhampir has an idea. We can talk to her about it.

Wow. I'd forgotten about Sister Miriam entirely. Between Lucas and now Selene's return…

My thoughts are interrupted when Selene suddenly darts out of her comfortable position to shove her nose into my chest, sniffing intensely.

Showing mild irritation, Lucas grabs her by the scuff and yanks her away. To my surprise, Selene merely slinks low in submission as her ears tilt in my direction, blue eyes hard and suspicious. What's that scent?

Slapping my hand over the new mate mark, right next to my crescent scar, I ask defensively, "What scent?"

Lucas sniffs at me. "You smell fine to me."

There's something new, she insists, pawing at my leg. What is it? What did you get into?

"I didn't get into—"

The string near my magic tugs, and I pause. "Oh. Maybe it's that."

"What?" Lucas nuzzles into my neck, brushing his lips against the raw skin of my mate mark. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Selene can just sense something I almost forgot about." Sorry, Grimoire. "Actually, I—"

The string yanks again, almost painful in its insistence, and I pause. This isn't a safe place to mention him. "I'll tell you both later." Where it's safe, I add silently to Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait. Shouldn't he be able to…?

I'll have to ask Vanessa. Is it because I haven't been brought into the

"To the place I'm staying, I guess. Is there another place you'd go? Do

He shakes his head.

discharge you and I bring you

can tell me now, Selene points

focus on Lucas

rubs her head against

everything's fine. Aside from waiting on the results

word home has my stomach flip-flopping. We've shared a

there's Lisa—so I guess it isn't exactly the same. Especially with

time as mates has been spent away from each

new-found apocalypse. As

storm clouds, I

melt into his embrace. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat bring me that elusive

desire of my last heat, content to

The mark helps.

would make sense. Lucas' body seems to have lost its feverish temperature

the insistent press of fur against my leg. I crack open an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with

mutter, shifting to accommodate her bulk. "It's

flatten against her head, and I feel a wave of indignation through our bond. I am not some common canine, she huffs,

through his chest, vibrating against my head. His hand reaches down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and her eyes close in

voice soft and tinged

of nonchalance, as if Lucas's words mean nothing to her. But I know better. I

fingers through Selene's fur, marveling at the complexity of our situation. My wolf, my mate, and me—all tangled together. Only

howling in my head

I bet.

I say softly, meaning every word. The thought of Lucas alone in this sterile room, cut off

huffs again, but I feel her pleasure at the recognition. Someone had to