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.

strokes his beard, his eyes glittering as he examines me. "You've improved greatly since I've seen you. Like a baby gazelle who's finally learned to

is strange, but I know he

footsteps approach outside. Marcus enters first, his face grim as he half-carries, half-drags our

breath catches. His massive frame

Maybe we can finally get some answers. Maybe they will lead us to our missing

circles the figure as Marcus sets

you tell what

"They're not Fae."

beside our captive, his massive frame making the action look almost comical. He looks

he's not. He's

of these?" His

doesn't take long to explain the events, though my rendition might be a little scattered as

them with magic, they changed into...

tried to kill

fingers brush the silver bracelet. "This

a deep sigh that seems to deflate his

does that mean?" Kellan steps forward, arms crossed. "We've been waiting for an explanation. What

fix on Kellan. "Your impatience, while

beta's words crack like ice. "Enlighten us. Stop beating around the

looks my way, meeting his eyes with hard ones of my own. "Please. He's a guest

usual chatter absent. Magister's other friends are all huddled to the back of the tent, as far as they can get from the

finally says, pushing to his feet with a sigh. "It isn't unconscious, just recharging.

"Of what?"

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

a dream-eater,