Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Oh. He’s frustrated.
He’s mated to Lisa and has yet to see her.
“Lisa’s coming,” I blurt out. “She should be here soon.”
Kellan moves so fast I barely register it. His hands alamn down man muunner arme his grin tight anaugh to form bruises. His eyes burn with an intensity that takes my breath away.
“Are you serious?” he demands, raw and emotional in a way I’ve never seen. Not even when he first recognized his mated connection, the day we lost Lisa.
For a moment, I’m stunned by his reaction. Is this how Lucas felt when he finally found me? My heart flips at the thought, a desperate longing to see him washing over me. I push it aside, focusing on Kellan.
“Yes,” I assure him, keeping my voice steady. “That’s what I was told. Lisa should be on her way here.”
Kellan blinks, seeming to come back to himself. He glances down at his hands, still gripping my arms, and abruptly lets go. Stepping back, his features smooth into the mask of beta professionalism I’ve always thought was his normal face.
“I apologize, Ava,” he says, voice clipped. “That was inappropriate of me.”
“It’s okay,” I tell him, rubbing my arms where his fingers left imprints. “I understand.”
And I do. The relief and hope in his eyes, quickly masked is forever burned into my memory.
It occurs to me Lisa doesn’t know about their fated connection. I’m not sure how well that’s going to go over.
“When did you get this information?” Kellan asks, all business now.
“Just before we left to come here,” I explain. “A man named Acarus told us. He’s… connected to Sister Miriam.”
Kellan’s eyebrows rise slightly at that. “Sister Miriam,” he murmurs. “She’s been quite involved lately.”
Then he shakes his head, as if clearing away unwanted thoughts. “About Lucas.”
My heart races. “I want to see him.”
“He’s… recovering,” he says carefully. “But there have been unexpected setbacks.”
This time I’m the one to close the distance between us, my fingers wrapping around Kellan’s forearm. The muscles beneath my grip are taut, betraying the tension he’s trying so hard to hide.
“What do you mean?” I demand, my voice rising. “Stop beating around the bush, Kellan. What’s going on with Lucas
Kellan’s eyes flutter shut, and he drags his free hand down his face. A low growl rumbles in his chest, a sound of frustration and something I can’t quite put my finger on.
“Lucas isn’t…” He pauses, swallowing hard. “He’s not the same as before.”
My grip on his arm tightens. I can feel my nails digging into his skin, but I can’t let go. “Stop being so fucking cryptic and just tell me!” Desperation claws at my insides. “What’s wrong with him?”
Kellan’s eyes snap open, meeting mine. The pain I see there steals my breath. When he speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.
“Alpha has lost his memory.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stumble back, my hand falling from his arm. “What?” I breathe, unable to process what he’s saying.
That can’t be possible.
Kellan continues, his voice low and strained. “He doesn’t recognize any of his wolves. He’s been unable to communicate through the pack bonds, though we seem to still have a connection to him as our alpha.”
I shake my head, denial rising like bile in my throat. “No,” I whisper. “That’s not possible. I would have felt something. Our bond-“
“Your bond isn’t complete,” Kellan reminds me gently. “You’re not marked. Not mated.”
The truth of his words crashes over me, and I feel my knees buckle. Kellan reaches out, steadying me with a firm grip on my shoulders.
“How?” I manage to choke out. “How did this happen?”
Kellan’s jaw clenches. “The attack. When he was. injured… Sister Miriam saved his life, but there were complications. We don’t know if it’s temporary or…” He trails off, unable to finish the thought.
My mind races, trying to make sense of this new reality. Lucas, my Lucas, doesn’t remember me.
Doesn’t remember us.
The future we’d begun to build together, the promises we’d madeall of it, gone in an instant.
“I need to see him,” I say, my voice stronger than I feel.
“Take me to him, Kellan. Now.”
Kellan hesitates. “Ava, I’m not sure that’s-“
“Now,” I repeat, steel in my tone. “I don’t care if he doesn’t remember me. I need to see him with my own eyes.”
For a moment, I think he’s going to argue. But then his shoulders slump, and he nods. “Alright. Follow me.”
New Book!
It isn’t until we’re walking that I realize still I don’t hear Selene in my head. Her presence hasn’t filled its space.
I was so focused on Lucas that I forgot my own damn wolf. That’s terrifying, in a way.
“Didn’t you say Selene’s here?”
“She was.” He glances at me in the dim moonlight. “She’s been coming and going a lot. Can’t you talk to her?” He appears confused; I guess no one’s specifically told him that Selene and I can’t contact each other over long distances.
“No.”
“Oh.” He’s quiet as he processes that. “So you just… can’t talk to your wolf?”
I shrug. “She’s her own person. I guess it’s because she isn’t in my body.”
Kellan makes an odd sort of noise in his throat. I glance at him in concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he says, shaking his head. “Your bond with Selene is just strange. Communication isn’t equal among wolvessome can have full conversations, some don’tbut you’re another level.”
Ah. Yeah, it is weird. It’s become such a normal part of my life, though. “Yeah.” To me, it’s strange to think someone has a wolf and can’t talk to them.
“How did you know to come here if you don’t speak with Selene?” Kellan asks.
The golden stranger’s strange friendliness and otherworldly presence flash through my mind. I open my mouth, ready to explain about Acarus again, figuring he’d forgotten the brief conversation from earlier.
Westwood might have a traitor.
The realization hits me like a sudden downpour, and I snap my mouth shut. We don’t know who it is or if they’re still here in this compound. Every word we say can potentially reach the wrong ears. My throat tightens.
“I’ll explain later,” I say instead, putting heavy emphasis on the last word. I meet Kellan’s eyes, willing him to understand the unspoken message.
His eyebrows raise slightly, but then understanding dawns on his face. He faces forward, but I can still see the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Smart idea.”
My mind races, cataloging every interaction, every face I’ve seen since arriving. Which is only about six of them.
Who could the traitor be?
The thought that someone close to Lucas is working against him…
My stomach churns.
***
Kellan leads me to a simple building. It’s a long building with blacked out windows, looking desolate in the dark of night.
Gleaming tiles catch me off guard as we step inside. It’s like walking into another worldsterile, bright, and utterly unlike the unassuming ranch house exterior.
It’s a modern hospital.