Tangled

Unshift 313

Unshift 313

313 Ava: What Do You Think I Should Do?

Grimoire's presence inside of me is unfazed after his revelations from the morning. I swear his

book form even looks cheerful, sitting there on the table.

You seem worried, Selene says, sounding distracted.

"I am. I still don't agree with Grimoire"

About the summoning?

"Yes. Wouldn't you know if you were summoned?"

I suppose. Selene goes quiet for a bit, before asking, How does Lucas feel about it?

Lucas.

He's standing by the window, watching the light rain drizzle across our world. The soft patter of droplets on glass is the only sound outside of my voice. Sister Miriam and Vester left a while ago, leaving us to contemplate our next move. Lucas hasn't spoken since they departed, his thoughts as opaque as the cloudy sky outside.

"I don't know."

He seems ambivalent to the idea of summoning his wolf, but I can't blame him.

After dropping the bomb of Selene's alleged summoning-though she denies it-he did mention. the possible negatives.

While Lucas would not lose his sense of self, he might lose his wolf. Like me, he would exist as a human. But unlike me, he wouldn't have magic to bridge that supernatural gap.

No healing. No strength. What would happen if he were challenged then?

Is it any better than now?

can an Alpha survive without his internal wolf? Would the

pressing my cheek against the broad expanse of his back. The steady thump of his heart

his stomach. His touch is warm, familiar, yet so new. We stand like this as the rain

and

stretches, undefined and uncertain. The warmth of his scent fills my lungs, surrounding me in assurance,

the silence, low and rumbling. I can feel the vibration of

options before us are all shit, covered in more shit,

shit mountain.

A What 10 You

Think I

the state of the

weren't for the

we'd have more

wouldn't be forced into

I've learned so many times, life

I admit softly. "There's

slightly over mine.

of the world in it, escapes my

sense of self... I worry that you would feel as if you

know how it feels to be

Selene has changed my world, but it's still different from the bond any normal shifter has with their wolf. Distance can create emptiness within our bond. And-scariest of all-I can die and leave her

voice wavers slightly. "And I worry about what that would mean for you as Alpha. Would

but I can sense him

I miss you. The

with you," he says softly. "Even without the memories, there's something right about being with you. It's here: He taps his chest, then mine. "Something

swells. "I feel it too," I

cups my face in his hands, his touch gentle. "But this isn't just about us. I have a responsibility to

leaning into

regret that we are not one body? Selene asks, still

imagine not being able to touch

is the same

from her bond has me smiling, and Lucas narrows his eyes. "Are you talking to the