Tangled

Unshift 200

Unshift 200

200 Ava: Steve (1)

The phone rings.

And rings.

All I get is voicemail, three different times.

Knowing that Lucas is busy with the Council, I just send a quick

text for him to call me back when he can.

A knock on my door interrupts us, and Jericho pokes his head in with his typical scowling face. "All good in here?"

"Good," I confirm, as Selene rubs her nose against the ground.

The older shifter watches her as he closes the door behind him.

"What's wrong with that?"

The way he emphasizes the 'that'has Selene freezing

mid-movement, her lip curling above her teeth in a silent snarl.

Did he just call me-?!

"She is fine. Just sniffed the book and got a little too much magic in

her nose."

That grizzly head nods, like it's a normal occurrence. "Every pup has to learn sometime, I guess." After seeing the blank stare on.my face, he says, "It isn't unusual to run into the occasional magical artifact. Witches magicked just about everything they put their hands on. One fellow even found a pair of magic underwear."

I stare at Jericho, my mouth hanging open. Magic underwear? Seriously?

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200 Ava: Steve (1)

He just shrugs, completely unfazed. "Witches are an odd breed."

Shaking his head, he changes the subject. "Your Mrs. Elkins is having breakfast downstairs. Care to join her?"

My heart leaps. "Yes, absolutely! Eager to talk to her, to ask her more about this book, about magic, about everything, I almost fall back into an old routine.

Secrets.

Tell him, Selene murmurs.

Jericho, before we go downstairs,

***

Elkins doesn't happen. Instead, I'm dragged to a strange building in the middle of

me into the building, while two stay outside to

unexpected visitors.

as we walk through the dimly lit warehouse. Shadows loom in every corner, making me feel like I've stepped into some gritty

Jericho come with us?"

the metal and concrete.

stay on Blackwood land

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200 Ava: Steve (1)

frown, unsatisfied. "Who

"You'll see soon enough."

mutter under my breath about the building belonging in a movie,

aesthetic."

"Who's Steve?"

human who's been

an ominous groan. Kellan leads the way down a set of stairs without

like a professional office, complete with fake plants, paintings on the walls, and several cubicles. The only thing missing

this," I admit as we approach

"No one ever

dressed in a suit and tie pops out from beneath the desk, startling me. He can't be more than ten years old. As he climbs onto the chair,

roll out from

on the seat and stares at

an appointment?" he asks, his voice

serious.

I'm Kellan Ashbourne, and this

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with a

bug

Blackwood beta's daughter here?

me. How does he

throat. "Ava is Alpha

me intently, his eyes narrowed, before

with his hand on the knob, he turns to us with a

Okay. He's not Steve.

the hell is this

curious than ever as we step into the room. What kind of operation is this? And why would Lucas and Kellan be involved with

She's still upset about being left behind, but Kellan was

desk dominating the space. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with anything but books. Instead, there are action figures mixed with strange artifacts. Behind

This isn't a

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200 Ava Stove:!!)

woman.

head that's half-shaved and long, bright pink hair on the other side of it. She has what looks like a cartoon pony temporary tattoo on her cheek,