Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 411: Ava: Run -- SEASON SIX END

The next seven minutes are a whirlwind.

At first, Kellan wastes precious time trying to argue with me. To tell me I have to stay behind, for safety.

But a Luna doesn't hide when her pack is in danger. They've put their lives on the line for me; it's only right for me to do the same.

Three minutes of arguing. Three minutes of reports bombarding the pack link. Three minutes wasted.

Lisa's there. Kellan's already reported that. I try not to think about it; she has her bodyguards, who have orders to get her out.

I sprint toward the hospital, lungs burning from the frigid air. But as fast as I run, Kellan's faster. He's already there to face the carnage.

Something's wrong. This energy isn't right.

Grimoire's voice isn't telling me anything new. My magic is excited, dancing in my gut, desperate to lash out—but when I try to reach for the strange presence in the hospital, my magic fizzles away.

It's reminiscent of the strange corruption in Ivy.

Obviously. It's her wolf. There's no other explanation.

"We can't assume that," I gasp out, wondering here all my physical conditioning has gone. Now that there's an emergency and I'm sprinting at full speed, it's like I've never run before. My side already hurts, and I can't get the right cadence. "Vanessa couldn't get eyes in the room."

The last word comes out on a high-pitched squeal as I stumble. One of my guards—I assume—grabs my arm and yanks me forward without ceremony, barely breaking stride as he does so.

It takes a second, but I regain my balance and bolt forward.

This is not the time to be clumsy and incompetent.

It feels like ages, but is only a few seconds later when the hospital comes into view.

A body lies crumpled near the entrance. The building is done for; half of the roof is collapsed. Several walls are down.

The shadow-wolf towers over the hospital's entrance. Its form shifts and grows, like smoke given substance. Even Aurum, the largest wolf I've ever known, would look small beside this monstrosity.

Can that really be Ivy's wolf?

Grimoire's frustration bleeds through our connection. My magic slides right off. But she's right there.

I reach for my own power, trying to sense what we're dealing with. Nothing. Even the non-magical elements around us—the building, the ground, my pack—have some sort of existence that my magic can acknowledge.

The shadow wolf? It's like she—it—isn't there at all.

this destruction

swings toward us, and unnaturally bright green eyes pin me in place. Its mouth

tried to engage this thing directly. Their blood paints macabre

The ground doesn't crunch under its paw, though the darkness of its form devours the sunlight that

dive forward, but I can already see it. They can't do any

wolf swipes a single paw and three bodies

says. It's

every strike, every snap, does

That's all

true horror feels like—not the fear of what you can see,

we supposed

We can't hurt it.

magic can't even

it's coming straight for

green eyes bore into me, promising violence and death. The shadow-wolf's form

it, Selene snaps in my head. You can't reach

My voice comes out steady despite my racing heart. "We can't just watch it

trying to understand what we're dealing with, Grimoire mutters. This isn't normal. It's like a void. An absence where magic

sickening crunch.

muscles tense. Half of them are in wolf form now, fur bristling as they growl. The others remain human. I have no idea what they're saying to each other; I just have to trust they know what

themselves between

me. Its massive form towers overhead, blocking out the weak winter sun. Those green eyes never blink as they stare in my direction,

and frustrated. But I keep my gaze

my arms, trying to yank me back, but my brain's already centered on a plan of

one. But is there such a thing as a great plan right

have one

Minimize the damage.

suicide,

watch any more of my

Grimoire's voice holds an edge of desperation,

"We don't have time."

charging in.

I stare into the creature's

my arm yanks me back, but I surge forward a step. "Hey, you piece

in the realm of talking shit… I'm not

it makes no sense. The monster's