Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 436: Ava: Wards

Grimoire appears, floating in mid-air, in his preferred form of a child. "I'm not up to anything, you suspicious mutt."

Selene's lips curl back, exposing sharp teeth in a silent warning. The darker fur along her spine bristles, but she remains where she is. Grimoire ignores her.

"What's going through that head of yours?" I ask, feeling a vague sense of trepidation tickling its way down my spine. "You're plotting something. I can tell."

"I believe it's time we seriously consider removing your soul's wards." Grimoire's childlike form hovers as he rotates slowly, his hair and clothes the only things that move according to gravity. It's a trick he doesn't do often; not everyone in Wolf's Landing knows he exists. Outside of our cabin, he's usually in the form of a fox, if he takes a form at all.

A few have seen the red-haired child, but not often enough to cause rumors. While everyone knows about Selene, few know about this second magical being in my head.

"My what?" Frowning, I turn his words over in my head. They're strange and don't make sense. Soul wards? "What are you talking about?"

Grimoire's palm meets his forehead with a sharp smack; it's a mannerism he's picked up from watching the pack's children, and looks odd when he does it. "Not this again. We've had this conversation before, Ava."

A chill races across my skin. My gaze darts to Selene, whose ears now lay flat against her skull.

Yes, Selene says, answering my unspoken question. I remember this discussion. We decided it wasn't worth the risk.

That's impossible. I would remember being a part of this conversation. "When did we talk about this?"

It's been quite some time now, but not long enough for you to forget.

meeting, as well." His form is finally upside down as he stares at me, eyes

"What are these wards?"

soul are what we believe prevent you from shifting. They're

I wrap my arms around myself. As if I can hold all my memories inside by the simple movement. "This

to Selene again, because—they do. She's living, furry proof of

her chin against the floor, heaving

and soothing in my head, like a metaphysical hug. Can

pieces. Everything feels whole, complete—and that terrifies me more than finding holes would. At least Selene has

don't understand. Wouldn't I

form floats closer, upright once again. "The

other conversations we've had that you no

no way to track what's been lost," Grimoire says, with a shrug—as if this is little more than a minor bump in the road. "At least you have us to

the cold isn't from the winter air. "And these wards are on

can't shift or integrate with the pack links. It's only my theory,

as she is. Selene's hackles rise. We agreed it isn't worth the risk. You said she could get lost in

scent of burning pyres is sudden and overwhelming. Twenty-seven names. The

strength. And the terrifying idea I could disappear, lost in my own

to keep me alive? Lucas would do that—waiting for

forbidden for many reasons—the outcome is never assured." Grimoire lowers himself until he's standing on the ground and walks toward me with his arms

the