Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 66

66 Ava: Best Friends Are the Best

Life at home really sucks, but I find a little solace in

the fact that, for once in my life, Jessa and Phoenix are

on my side.

Kind of.

I am still a little worried that Jessa’s just going to stab me in my sleep, but I don’t think she wants to deal

with the wrath that will come with that kind of drastic

measure. I’m pretty sure she’s keeping it as an option, but I don’t think she’s going to do it anytime soon.

Thanks to Jessa’s pointing out of the obvious, my stress level is somewhat reduced as I thank Clayton in my head for succumbing to his heat–driven passions. Until Alpha Renard is sure that I have no Aspen pup in my womb, he’s not going to touch me.

I can tell he has no true desire for me. Every time he looks at me, it’s with calculation. I don’t think the man’s capable of feeling true desire for someone like

1. me.

If our numbers were greater, I truly believe he would eradicate humans from the world instead of fighting

66 Ava Best Friends Are the Best

with other packs.

It doesn’t keep me safe now with this ridiculous ‘true omega‘ nonsense they’ve got in their heads, but at least I have the luck of Mother Nature on my side…

And Jessa’s cell phone.

She’s not thrilled about it, but sits on the couch while I wait in the kitchen, listening to the ringing as I call Lisa’s phone.

They shouldn’t be keeping tabs on her now that I’m back, right?

But even if they do–she’s my only ticket out of here.

“Hello?” her suspicious voice finally answers, after I call

her three times in a row,

“Lise, it’s me.”

“Ava. Oh, my God. You’re alive. You’re okay. Wait, are you okay?”

A laugh bubbles in my throat even as tears fill my eyes. I love Lisa so damn much. How did I ever deserve a

friend like her?

“There’s a lot to fill you in on, but just wait and listen

66 Ava: Best Friends Are the Best

to the important stuff right now. I’ve been dragged back home. They caught me in Washington, where- oh, shit, you don’t even know. I was with the Aspen pack… There’s a lot to unpack there. We’ll do that later. Anyway, some things happened and somehow they found out about it.”

Wait. How did they find out?

I need to ask Phoenix.

Like, as soon as I hang up the phone.

“Ave?”

“Sorry. I got distracted. Um, anyway, they found me and brought me home. Long story short, my alpha wants to make babies with me because he thinks I

have some special womb-”

“Oh, are you an omega?”

Pulling the phone away from my ear, I double check the number on the screen. It’s definitely Lisa. “Um, how do you know about omegas?”

“I watch TV, Ave. I’m sure it’s not accurate, but I kind of get it. Omegas are like, super fertile and shit, right?”

“Well–not exactly… Most of them are just called.

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66 Ava: Best Friends Are the Best

omegas because they were chosen to breed, not

because they were meant to. But anyway, that’s not the point.”

Her voice crackles through the speakers with all the surety of someone who’s never had to deal with the consequences of bad–mouthing an alpha. “So that old fart wants to fuck you? I’m not surprised. Everything I’ve heard about them is bad news bears, Ava. What do

you need me to do? I’ll do anything. Hell, fuck this place. Mom and Dad won’t mind if I disappear for a few months. Let’s disappear together. Where do I pick you up?”

Those tears that fill my eyes are falling now, dripping with embarrassing ease down my cheeks. “You can’t do anything yet. They’re still worried about me. But they are going to want to make sure I’m not pregnant before doing anything.”

“Pregnant? Ava, what the hell have you been doing, and with who? Is he nice? Does he take care of you?”

“He’s–it’s a long story. It’s not what you think.” Though my heart twists as I think of Clayton and how worried he must be. How long have I been here now? It feels like months, but hasn’t it only been a few days? A

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66 Ava: Best Friends Are the Best

week?

Everything’s blurring together already. I guess that’s what happens when you disassociate in front of a TV.

And Lucas…

It’s been a long time.

He must be worried. Or maybe he’s moved on.

“Ave. Ave?”

“Sorry, I’m here.”

“Look, I’m going to get my shit together to run off into the sunset with you. Don’t even try to tell me no. I miss you, and I’m not going to leave you here with

your shitty family and your shitty pack. Why don’t we try for New York?”

Though she found ma in tha Aanan Daak tarritaru an

My brother brought a gun when he came to bring me home.