Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 351 Ava: Investigating

Don't take everyone.

"What?"

The more people, the more victims.

"Oh." Shit. I hadn't thought of that. Biting my lip, I look over my entourage. Vanessa's brows raise as she watches me, her breath puffing out in the frigid air.

They're my bodyguards, but they can't save me from something magical.

Selene's thoughtful hum vibrates in my head.

"Marcus, you and..." I scan the faces, settling on a stoic-looking wolf. I think his name is Greg. "You. Stay with me. The rest of you, I need you to be our lifeline."

Vanessa frowns. "Ava, are you sure about this?"

I nod, trying to project more confidence than I feel. "I can sense magic and familiar energies, but there's no guarantee I haven't missed something. Or someone."

The other wolves shift awkwardly, as they always do when I speak of magic. It's still an uncomfortable subject for many in the pack.

"If something goes wrong, you need to get word to Lucas immediately."

Discontent ripples through the group. I can see it in the set of their jaws, the tension in their shoulders. They don't like the idea of letting me walk into potential danger without them.

"I know you don't like this," I say, addressing the group's unspoken protests. "But none of you are able to help with a magical force. I need to make sure the pack is warned if anything goes wrong."

Marcus, ever the professional, takes over. "We'll check in with Vanessa every ten minutes. Standard procedure."

to Vanessa, holding

our watches. We

each other directly, and the plan set, I take a steadying breath. The dark, cloud-like presence I sensed earlier is a little

say, squaring my shoulders.

our surroundings. Greg brings up the rear, watching our backs. And Selene roams ahead, no longer happy-go-lucky in the snow as she scouts ahead of

strange, she

skin. As we get closer, it sends small, pulsing shocks into my wrist. Not enough to affect the use of my hand or arm, but just

we reach the area where the dark,

Selene can sense is a strange scent in the air, something she

I can feel its existence, even if we can't

to Marcus and Greg, my words firm. "Stay

before me, no longer in his usual humanoid form. Instead, he's a small white fox, his fur gleaming

he's just standing in the middle of

sense it, just beyond

"Do you recognize this?"

don't even twitch as he stares ahead.

the energy seems to shift, turning towards me like a flower

but the energy continues its slow creep

warns. Don't let it

can move, Selene

up an arm,

Something stung my nose.

scratches his ear. Be

its location through Ava's senses, Selene retorts

irritation seems disproportionate to Grimoire's words, but maybe she's just embarrassed. "What's the purpose of this

coquettish gesture. He's learned that his fox form gets him a lot more