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.

there's all this destruction saying it

shadow-wolf's head swings toward us, and unnaturally bright green eyes pin me in

engage this

though the darkness of its form devours the sunlight

already see it. They can't do any

single paw and three bodies go

don't care what my magic says. It's there. Killing people. My

strike, every snap, does nothing. It doesn't even get

all

horror feels like—not the fear of what you can see, but the terror of facing something that

fuck are we supposed to fight

We can't hurt it.

magic can't even see

it's coming straight

green eyes bore

head. You can't reach

steady despite my racing heart. "We can't just watch

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

snow with a sickening crunch. The metallic scent of blood fills my

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

themselves between me

winter sun. Those green eyes never blink as they stare in my direction, and I'm pretty sure

me, useless and frustrated. But I keep

me back, but my brain's already centered on a plan

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

have one

Minimize the damage.

is suicide, Selene

won't watch any more of my pack

Grimoire's voice holds an edge of

"We don't have time."

are charging in. More lives

curls as I stare into the creature's eyes, baring my teeth.

me back, but I surge forward a step.

of talking shit… I'm not winning

no sense. The monster's clearly enormous,