Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 308 Ava: Get His Memories Back

"Lucas and his team were outnumbered," Sister Miriam continues, her eyes flickering to Lucas. He remains stoic, but I can feel the tension radiating from him. "They managed to evacuate most of the civilians, but the fighting was..." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "Brutal."

I swallow hard, my imagination filling in the blanks with scenes of chaos and bloodshed. My grip on Lucas's hand tightens.

"In the midst of the battle, he pushed himself beyond his limits. He tapped into a power most alphas cannot access without severe consequences."

My brows pull together. "What do you mean?"

Sister Miriam's gaze is intense as she looks at me. "There's a reason alphas are so revered, Ava. They possess abilities that go beyond what ordinary wolves can do. But accessing those abilities comes at a cost."

I shiver at the implications of her words. "What kind of cost?"

"The deeper an alpha delves into their power, the more they risk losing themselves to their wolf," Sister Miriam explains. "It's a delicate balance. Push too far, and the human side can be overwhelmed. The human psyche is not meant for the power a Lycan wields. Not even this weakened version of Lycans you have become."

"So he…?" I glance at Lucas, who returns my stare with an impassive expression. He remembers none of this; it's like talking about a stranger.

For the first time, I'm grateful he doesn't have his memories. How traumatic it must have been.

"I'm sure your alpha had no idea what he was doing. None of you know your true heritage. But it's still a knowledge deep inside your souls; something your wolves are aware of, even if they don't realize it. He pushed himself to the brink to save his pack and the civilians. He unleashed a power that decimated his attackers, but in doing so, he nearly lost himself entirely."

I struggle to process this information.

words, but they just flow over me like water, impossible to

Sister Miriam says, "Lucas was found unconscious, barely clinging to life. His physical injuries were

"His memories," I whisper.

can't fathom

mind retreated. It locked away not just the memories of the

I ask, though I suspect I

Lucas' human side to temper it. So now, they're separated—neither

recounting of events. Even Selene is silent in my head, leaving me to sort through

gazing out the window and leaving me to

His fingers tighten around mine, a reflexive response that sends a flutter through my chest. But when I

the weather

bond between us

is still insistently

don't possess. "How

a simple process, Ava. The mind is a delicate thing, especially when there are two

know of a way." I lean forward. "You think you know how we can

trigger your memories through intense emotional experiences. Recreating moments from your past, exposing you to familiar scents or sounds—anything that might jog your

too risky," I say, a

unpredictability," Sister Miriam counters. "We don't know which memories might surface first. If the wrong memory is triggered—say, the

hope deflates like a punctured balloon. "What other

we could explore. Spells designed to