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.

closet. My fingers fumble with the clasps of my tactical

screaming in my head, but

nothing's there; it just

you figure anything

It's like

"Is it the taint?"

least, not

I thought,

on my last

pushes the door closed, his eyes sharp despite his breathlessness. He's on full alert, already dressed

my boot knife. "All of them triggered at once.

grim words halt my movements

"These are my wards. You won't know what to

you need 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, Ava. Every single ward going

fingers pause on the buckle.

to entice you out of your safety net.

instincts scream to protect what's mine.

Kellan's eyes soften. "We're trained

I don't want to face. If there's something out there, we're

lives on my hands anymore.

frustration. "How

"They wolfed it to cover more ground.

stomach. For something like this to happen when

know they're out of

can't reach Aurum either, Selene adds, her mental voice tight with

stomach turns to ice. "Kellan, check if Vanessa can contact

through the pack bonds for the healer. After a tense

voice sounds hollow to my own ears. "Maybe you can reach Lucas that

here." Kellan shakes his head.

Fuck.