Tangled

Unshift 299

Unshift 299

299 Ava: Lucas is Alone

Lucas watches us both, calm despite only hearing one half of our conversation.

Grabbing his hand, I give a gentle squeeze to show I'm still paying attention to his presence. "Do you know how?"

you!

Selene's idea is a tall order. It isn't like amnesia has some sort of cure.

The dhampir has an idea. We can talk to her about it.

Wow. I'd forgotten about Sister Miriam entirely. Between Lucas and now Selene's return...

My thoughts are interrupted when Selene suddenly darts out of her comfortable position to shove her nose into my chest, sniffing intensely.

Showing mild irritation, Lucas grabs her by the scuff and yanks her away. To my surprise, Selene merely slinks low in submission as her cars tilt in my direction, blue eyes hard and suspicious. What's that scent?

Slapping my hand over the new mate mark, right next to my crescent scar, I ask defensively, "What scent?"

Lucas sniffs at me. "You smell fine to me."

There's something new, she insists, pawing at my leg. What is it? What did you get into?

"I didn't get into-

The string near my magic tugs, and I pause. "Oh. Maybe it's that."

"What?" Lucas nuzzles into my neck, brushing his lips against the raw skin of my mate mark. "Is something wrong?

sense something I almost forgot about. Sorry, Grimoire.

its insistence, and I pause. This isn't a safe place to mention him. "I'll tell you both later." Where it's safe, I add silently to Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait. Shouldn't he be able to...? "When?" he asks, answering my question. I guess he can't hear me. I'll have to ask Vanessa. Is it because I

I'm staying, I guess. Is there another place you'd go? Do

He shakes his head.

discharge you and

can tell me now, Selene

Let me focus on

and rubs her

understand, because his hand squeezes mine and he changes the

should be home soon."

word home has my stomach flip-flopping. We've shared a sleeping space before, but we haven't necessarily cohabitated. Though, there's Lisa-so I guess it isn't exactly the same. Especially

of our time as mates has been spent away from each

seems stable-ish. We're all in hiding due to the new-found apocalypse. As dire and terrible as it is, maybe it'll finally afford us both a little time to deepen

me, pulling me close as I melt into his embrace. The warmth of his body

feel none of the frenetic desire of my last heat, content to just nuzzle into Lucas' arms like this without

The mark helps.

make sense. Lucas' body seems to have lost

the silence, followed by the insistent press of fur against my leg. I crack open. an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her

ears flatten against her head, and I feel a wave of indignation through our bond. I am not some

against my head. His hand. reaches down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and

soft and tinged with

our connection. Still, she maintains her air of nonchalance, as if Lucas's words mean nothing to her. But I know better. I can feel the depth of her emotions, the way his acknowledgment soothes

our situation. My wolf, my mate, and me-all tangled together.

in my head

I bet.

I say softly, meaning every word. The thought of Lucas alone

thir atsella

kia mamarlan and his mankı malina

Lucas is

of him,