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?

can just sense something I almost forgot

yanks again, almost painful in 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.

place I'm staying, I guess. Is there

He shakes his head.

you and I bring you

can tell me now,

focus on Lucas

her

to understand, because his hand squeezes mine and he changes the

should be home soon."

way he stresses the 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

Most of our time as mates has been spent away from each other.

to the new-found apocalypse. As dire and terrible as it is, maybe it'll finally afford us both a little time to deepen our bond with each other. Silver linings and

close as I melt into his embrace. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat bring me that

of my last heat, content to just nuzzle into Lucas'

The mark helps.

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

my leg. I crack open. an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with hopeful enthusiasm. "Really?" I mutter, shifting

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

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

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

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 an

Selene's fur, marveling at the complexity of our situation. My wolf, my mate, and me-all tangled together. Only his

in my head

I bet.

you had each other, I say softly,

thir atsella

mankı malina

Lucas is

care of him,