Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 131

131 Ava: The Party (II) 

Breathe, Selene reminds me, her voice cutting through the chaos. You’re okay. Just take it one step at a time. 

I inhale deeply, letting the air fill my lungs before exhaling slowly.

Lisa tugs on my arm again, pointing towards the kitchen. “Let’s get something to drink,” she suggests, already moving in that direction.

I follow her through the crowd, keeping my eyes fixed on the back of her head. The kitchen is quieter, the music muffled by the walls and the hum of

conversation. A few shifters are gathered around the island, pouring drinks and chatting amongst themselves.

Lisa grabs two plastic cups from the stack on the counter, handing one to me before turning to the array of bottles lined up beside the sink. “What do you want?” she asks, her gaze flicking over the labels.

“Just water,” I remind her, echoing Kellan’s earlier instructions.

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131 Ava: The Party (II)

She rolls her eyes but reaches for a pitcher of water anyway, filling both of our cups. “You’re no fun,” she teases, taking a sip from her own.

I shrug, lifting my cup to my lips. The water is cold and crisp, soothing my parched throat. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was until now.

As I drink, I let my gaze wander around the kitchen, taking in the faces of the shifters gathered there. A few of them look vaguely familiar, but most are strangers.

her gaze m 

One girl catches my eye, her gaze meeting mine over the rim of her cup. She’s tall and slender, with long dark hair that falls in waves down her back. There’s something about the way she holds herself, the tilt of her chin and the set of her shoulders, that speaks of confidence and power.

She smiles at me, a slow, lazy curl of her lips that sends a shiver down my spine. I look away quickly, my cheeks heating.

Interesting, Selene murmurs, a hint of amusement in

her voice.

What? Lask, taking another sip of water to hide my

131 Ava: The Party (II)

flush.

Nothing, she says, but I can practically hear the smirk in her tone. Just be careful, Ava. Remember who you 

are.

I frown at that, not quite sure what she means. But before I can ask, Lisa grabs my arm again, her eyes bright with excitement.

“Come on,” she says, tugging me towards the doorway. “I think I see some people from the gym over there. Let’s go say hi.”

I let her pull me back into the throng, my cup clutched tightly in my hand. The music washes over me again, the beat pulsing through my veins. Lisa weaves

through the crowd with ease, her steps sure and

confident.

But as we approach the group of shifters from the gym, their faces breaking into smiles of recognition, I push those thoughts aside. Tonight, I’m just Ava. Not the Alpha’s mate, not a pawn in some political game. Just a girl at a party, trying to have a good time.

This is the first time I’ve seen such friendly looks on their faces, and it helps ease some of the tension in my

131 Ava: The Party (II)

shoulders.

“Hey,” one of the girls yells, waving at Lisa. “Come over here! We’ve been waiting for you!”

She has red hair and bright blue eyes. I don’t remember her name, but Lisa does, dragging me behind her as she squeals. “Hey, Mia! We barely got the beta to let us out of his sight.”

“I told you he’d let you.” This is one of the male shifters I’ve seen watching me at the gym. He looks

approachable now, even amused, as he slings an arm over Mia’s shoulders. He’s reasonably attractive when he isn’t scowling from the sidelines. “We get crazy, but not too crazy. The alpha would have our asses if we went too far.”

Relax, Selene murmurs, her voice a soothing presence in my mind. She’s just curious about you. 

It isn’t anything nefarious.