Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 409 Ava: Warnings

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

My food goes from delectable to soggy cardboard as my heart drops.

This isn't good. Book, what's happening?

Something's triggered the wards. Every single one. But it's strange; I can't sense anything.

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My chair scrapes against the floor as I bolt up. The wards alarm through my head, discordant and jarring enough to nauseate me. My breakfast sits abandoned as my feet carry me through the door; Elverly shouts something, but my senses are too busy with the racket in my head.

"Luna?" Brett asks, but I'm already running.

They all follow without another word, but my mind's tuned inward, my magic reaching out to the bright beacons of my wards. It isn't like a net that encompasses everything in the area, but direct lines; I wish I had the ability to sense everything like a net right now, though.

That's the thing about power. It's never enough.

"I can't feel what triggered them. Every ward at every site is going off. That can't be possible."

Neither can I, he replies. The magic feels strange. But going to investigate will be dangerous.

Whatever this is—it's clearly part of someone's plan.

"Not investigating isn't really an option, though." We have to know what's happening out there.

Snow whips past my face as I sprint toward my cabin. The familiar path stretches endless before me, my lungs burning with each frozen breath. My guards' footsteps thunder behind me, but I don't slow down.

Selene, I need Vester, Marcus, Greg, and Kellan at my cabin now.

On it. Vester left with Lucas last night, though.

Damn it.

for my closet. My fingers fumble with the clasps of my tactical gear—the reinforced

wards continue their silent screaming in my head, but my

doesn't mean nothing's there; it just

can you figure

It's

"Is it the taint?"

least, not

I

door flies open as I strap on my last knife. Kellan stands in the

happening?" He pushes the door closed, his eyes sharp despite his breathlessness. He's

"All of them triggered at once.

You're not going out there." Kellan's grim words halt

not." I check my last knife strap. "These are my wards. You

to stay put." He steps forward, radiating all the intimidating aura of an alpha. It isn't as strong as Lucas, or even Selene. But it's enough for me to know he's serious. "Think about it,

fingers pause on the buckle. "Or

trying to entice you out of your safety net. I'll

but my instincts

and safe." Kellan's eyes soften. "We're

they're trained, I already know a harsh truth I don't

don't want lives on my hands anymore. Never

"How far out

cover more ground.

in my stomach. For something like this to happen when he's

I know they're out

either, Selene adds, her mental voice tight with

turns to ice.

as he reaches through the pack bonds for the healer. After

watch." My voice sounds hollow to my

tried before I got here." Kellan shakes his

Fuck.