Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 343 Ava: Prototype Progress

Ivy and her people are settled into a place of their own, and I'm left feeling awkwardly unbalanced between trusting her and feeling like I can't.

Lucas doesn't seem to have the same misgivings, and—despite Selene's soft growls in my head—I leave him to handle the Aspen wolves, resolving to talk to him later.

It doesn't feel like the issues with Ivy will be detrimental to the pack or cause issues with our alliance with Aspen, but it's not something I want to ignore, either.

She's a strange one, Selene murmurs.

Grimoire sounds thoughtful. She seems to have a great amount of power and respect in her pack. Perhaps she had always hoped to mate another alpha and become Luna, rather than an alpha's sister.

"Maybe." Heading toward the gnome's cabin, I add, "She was strange before Lucas ever entered the picture, though."

Yes, when you mated with the Aspen alpha.

My feet stumble over nothing. "I didn't mate with him. I was in heat."

He marked you, Grimoire points out. That's mating. Though you're lucky it didn't take.

It's a grim reminder of a dark past I really don't want to think about. "Let's move on from this topic."

It didn't take because we are stronger, Selene says, proudly ignoring my request. She is only matched by our Alpha.

Her smug tone irks me. "You hated him, remember? I distinctly recall you making snide remarks and encouraging me to sleep with—"

The past is the past, she mutters, and I can practically feel her metaphorical tail tucked between her legs.

Oh, so the all-knowing wolf is capable of mistakes? Grimoire sounds positively gleeful at this new knowledge of Selene's past. She isn't perfect after all?

with no real life

wolf who pretends

their back and forth, and I slip into the gnome's cabin after

a pile of gadgets and gizmos on his dining table, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Ava! Just the witch I wanted to

is infectious, and I can't help but smile back. "Hello, Dr. Blackwell. How's the

wouldn't believe the progress we've made!" He waves an arm wildly around to gesture at everything, nearly knocking over a

where he's gotten that much paper from. It must have come from one of the supply runs. Everyone wants to

come, let

(presumably) organized chaos. The dining table, once a place for meals, now serves as a workbench

where are we at with the magic watch?" I ask,

eyes light up, and he launches into an explanation that leaves my head spinning. "Well, you see, we've successfully integrated the quartz magic batteries you provided into the basic digital watch structure. The energy conversion rate is remarkable! We're achieving a 98.7% efficiency

nod, trying to follow along.

beams, picking up what looks like a normal digital watch. "We've managed to create a stable magical field within

serves a dual purpose - not only does it show the

impressed by the words I'm not

falters slightly. "Ah, well, that's where we've hit a bit of a snag. You see, while we can project magical energy through the

after about fifty miles. We need to find a way to amplify and stabilize it

it just looks like any old watch. "Is there anything I can do

Sage perks up. "Yes. You see, the magic used here is dormant. It's like the last of an echo. Your magic, however, is

for a moment before snapping back to attention. "Would you mind if I took a small sample

my magic has been unpredictable or dangerous.

to infuse it into this crystal. It's been specially prepared." He holds up a piece of what looks like pristine quartz, not

I ask in confusion, "How is this different from the stones I've been infusing with magic

Grand Sage begins, his excitement barely contained, "the quartz stones you've been working with are meant to store magical energy, like batteries. It feeds

to keep my vision clear, I tilt my head and peer a little closer

looks like plain old

"How so?"