Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 307 Ava: His Memories

"Ava."

Someone's gently prodding at my shoulder, and I groan, my entire body battered. Oh, right. Lucas… was an animal last night.

"Ava."

"What?" Now that I'm marginally awake, his voice registers in my brain. I turn my head to squint through a tangled mass of hair. I need a shower. And a brush. And, like, five cups of coffee.

"Sister Miriam's here."

Sister Miri—oh.

Sitting up abruptly, I must startle Lucas. He jumps up from the edge of the bed, hands in the air as he watches me cautiously, like I'm about to bite.

"Sorry. I'm up."

"I see that." Lowering his hands, he adds, "You didn't warn me you're such a bear when you're asleep."

A bear? Me?

You bit him when he tried to wake you up earlier, and you kicked him when he tried to cover you in a blanket. Selene's helpful, overly chipper words have my head pounding.

The still-new string of connection to Grimoire pulses urgently, tugging and yanking every which way.

Damn. Wake up and everyone needs you, all at once.

"Selene said I bit you. And kicked you."

He shrugs, politely ignoring the heat reddening my cheeks. "Take your time. Do you want to shower first?"

"No, I'm okay—"

a meaningful way that I pause.

It's everywhere. You should

"I'll shower."

* * *

is sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee that

front of me. It's as black as Sister Miriam's hair. Silently, I grab some creamer and sugar, dumping them into the mug as he watches in what

Not me. I love myself, so I doctor mine up with as much cream and

great, but that's a luxury we don't have in this place. Commune? Camp? Hideaway? It needs a word, so I can settle on one in my

is up," Sister Miriam mentions casually, languidly drawing a finger around the rim of her cup. "Your wolves seem to be in good spirits. You've given them their first taste of hope since their

a little butterfly flutter through me, leaving me more pleased than I'd like to admit. "Thank you." Her report is a bit of a surprise to me, though; wolves don't change off a few words, and I don't have the best history

law of the land, Selene says,

"Where are you?"

at me with concern, and I grimace. "Sorry. I was talking to

normal when you've grown up your entire life doing it, but it's hard to concentrate and separate my mental

exceptional amount of noise, says Selene, sounding far too amused for my liking. As for your question, I'm

"Whose business?"

The gnomes.

the Grand Sage." She taps the stone in the center of the table. "We are clear to speak, so let's get started. It

silence; it looks as though

to sleep right through that. This place isn't that

range of the stone.

makes sense,

has lost his connection

"How many know about this?" While I suspect Kellan realizes, it isn't a subject I've brought up to anyone. The danger Lucas faces without his wolf is too

why?" I ask, leaning forward slightly, trying not to let hope rise

expression. His arm drapes casually over the back of my chair, a gesture that feels both protective

of contributing to this conversation. He seems to hold respect for