Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 419: Ava: Trauma Lingers

Our strange captive never does wake, and we drag them on a makeshift sled. Kellan and the others make do with some long, willowy branches and armfuls of pine.

Practical skills like this are so much more impressive to me than conjuring fire out of nothing.

Really thought we'd run into the intruders out here. It's strange there's nothing.

Selene's musings almost have me tripping over my feet, and Kellan glances over his shoulder in concern.

I wave him off with a weak smile.

You mean this person isn't the reason they went off?

Selene and Grimoire are quiet.

When they're intentionally silent like this, their lack of noise has a heavier weight in my head.

My silver husky looks up from my side, and I swear her pale blue eyes are digging their disappointment straight into my stupid brain. You thought this one was responsible for the alarms?

Grimoire adds, The wards are quite a distance from camp. For all of them to go off at once, do you really think a single being could do it?

Okay. Okay, look. Maybe it was the epitome of stupidity to think that—

It was, the book confirms without hesitation.

But seriously, two epic situations at the same time? Who expects that?

Literally every wolf surrounding us at the moment, mine says. I thought you were waiting to hear from the scouts. I didn't realize you left your brain back at the hospital.

Of course. Damn it. All that hyping myself up about being a responsible and capable Luna—

She's spiraling again, Grimoire observes. Should I tell her this is an inappropriate time?

can hear you just

isn't over their interaction. It's

offers, her attempt at understanding ringing inauthentic. You aren't trained the way they are. It's understandable you would let

So we lie to her now? Is that

isn't an excuse when lives are at stake. Move

Three separate, possibly related but right now separate issues. I need to figure them out instead

beta, I hope no one else has noticed my incredible lack of self-preservation.

back from the

maintains that crisp, professional tone that cuts worse than any angry outburst. It's not quite similar to my mother's cold distance, but it

muses. We are quite exposed out

off from my side, trotting further ahead. There is a

but his

they be on the

the assumption you—or the pack—is their target. It could be anything. Keep your mind open, Ava. The scouts haven't found their trails yet. Not a single one. That suggests there isn't an army about to burn

Kellan's hand lashes out to grab my arm, tugging me forward. He must have thought

was just

eyes cut toward

it. Just a mild rebuke. Not that he would do more than that over such a minor stumble,

flashing back to my life at home, feeling

enough, but there's another whisper inside my head, telling me

wrong with you? She returns to my side and hits my thigh hard with her nose. Get out of your wallowing.

sounds far away when he talks. She's struggling. Why does she keep

Fuck.

sound ringing out and causing several of the guards to look

"Luna? Are you okay?"

my strange little fugue, I take a deep breath. Inadequacy will always be

work on that. Grimoire's voice sounds normal again, right

on each step. This isn't the time to sink into bad habits

thought I was getting better,

Wallowing, Selene says.