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?

something I almost forgot about. Sorry, Grimoire.

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,

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

He shakes his head.

you and I

tell me

me focus

her head against his

understand, because his hand squeezes mine and he changes

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,

like being apart. Most of our time as mates has been spent away from each other. It's

the form of 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 us both a little time

embrace. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his

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

The mark helps.

seems to have lost its feverish temperature

press of fur against 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 to

of indignation through our bond.

chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest, vibrating against my head. His hand. reaches down to scratch behind Selene's ears, and her eyes close in bliss despite her

Lucas murmurs, his voice soft and tinged with affection. "Selene's the only reason

Still, she maintains her air of nonchalance, as if

situation. My wolf, my mate, and me-all

howling in my

I bet.

glad you had each other, I say softly, meaning every word. The thought

thir atsella

mankı

Ava: Lucas is

of