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?

Selene can just sense something I almost

Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait.

you're discharged home." I pause. "To the place I'm staying, I guess. Is there another place you'd go?

He shakes his head.

discharge you and I

can tell me now, Selene points

Let me focus

whines and rubs her head

hand squeezes mine and he changes

should be home soon."

has my stomach flip-flopping. We've shared a sleeping space before, but we haven't

like being apart. Most of our time as mates has been spent away from

Grimoire. My magic 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

of his body and the steady thrum of

my last heat, content to just nuzzle into

The mark helps.

would make sense. Lucas' body seems to have lost its feverish temperature

an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with hopeful enthusiasm. "Really?"

I feel a wave of indignation through our bond. I am not some common canine,

His hand. reaches down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and her eyes close in bliss despite

hard on her, Lucas murmurs, his voice soft and tinged with affection. "Selene's the only reason I've stayed sane in

of nonchalance, as if Lucas's words mean nothing to

my fingers through Selene's fur, marveling at the complexity of our situation. My wolf, my mate, and me-all

howling in my head

I bet.

say softly, meaning every word. The thought

thir atsella

mamarlan and his mankı

Ava: Lucas

care of him,