Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 424: Ava: Dream-Eater

"Greg." My voice cuts through the tense silence as we approach the debriefing tent. "Have Marcus bring our guest here. I want Magister Orion's opinion."

Greg nods and peels away from our group, his boots crunching in the snow. The sight of Wolf's Landing standing intact on our arrival released a giant knot of tension in my chest. It was hard to shove away intrusive thoughts of the shadow wolf breaking out of all restraints and murdering everyone over my decision.

Thank God, the Goddess, and the freaking moon none of that happened.

"You've captured someone?" Magister Orion's deep voice rumbles behind me.

"A Fae, maybe? I'm not sure. Gray skin. Silver hair. Not the same as anyone I saw in the Ward, but you'd know better than I."

"Gray skin?" Tinker zips ahead, her mechanical wings whirring. "That's not typical Fae coloring."

"Nothing about this situation is typical." Kellan's voice drips with frost as he enters behind us. He's still not thrilled they're here.

I thought he'd be a little more understanding, but I guess it's hard when it all comes up at once without warning.

The debriefing tent feels cramped with so many bodies. Maps and papers cover the central table, weighted down with mugs of cold coffee. I start a fire as Kellan clears the table, clearly uncomfortable with Fae eyes on our information.

We'll get there. I think.

We will. Kellan is a reasonable man. Selene settles near the stove, waiting for it to emanate heat, like she isn't insulated against the cold.

"Most of the pack is in the alpha lodge now, right, Kellan?"

"Yes, Luna. It was safest to bring in everyone from the outer edges, as we were expecting an attack."

"Since we know the danger is passed, we should send them back. Lower the alert level and let people adjust." There's a lot to do. I still have bodies to identify. The hospital is destroyed; I have no idea what we're going to do about that. We don't have another building large enough, except the alpha lodge.

holding strong." Magister Orion strokes his beard, his eyes glittering as he examines me. "You've improved greatly

visual is strange, but I know he

Marcus enters first, his face grim as he half-carries, half-drags

Orion's breath catches. His massive

can finally get some answers. Maybe

the figure as Marcus

you tell

"They're not Fae."

his massive frame making the action look almost comical. He looks even stranger as he sniffs

he's not. He's

did you come across one of these?" His voice holds an edge

It doesn't take long to explain the events, though my rendition might be a little scattered as I try to intersperse bits of information. Like who Ivy is, and why we thought it was

hit them with magic, they

tried to

Multiple times." My fingers brush

to deflate his entire body. "You're lucky to

mean?" Kellan steps forward, arms crossed.

Ashbourne." Magister Orion's swirling eyes fix on

words crack like ice. "Enlighten

wait until he looks my way, meeting his eyes with hard ones of my own. "Please.

crackle of the fire. Tinker's mechanical wings whir as she hovers near the captive's face, her usual chatter absent. Magister's other friends are all huddled to the back of

Orion finally says, pushing to his feet

"Of what?"

his beard. "That is… Well." He harrumphs and coughs, rubbing the back of

dream-eater,