Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 413: Ava: Courage From Somewhere

Reconciling this strange shadow wolf with Ivy's existence is impossible. This creepy thing can't be her wolf. It just

can't be.

But my brain's denial doesn't help anyone in this situation. Especially when the eerily silent creature dives

towardwith a clear intent of violence.

Grimoire's voice echoes in my head, piercing through my frozen brain.

Pure instinct throws my body to the side. Something heavy collides with my shoulder, and it feels like my arm's

torn from its socket.

A sudden heat explodes around my wrist. The silver bracelet the Grand Sage had givenso long ago ignites

with white-hot power. The surge rushes through my veins like liquid lightning.

And, more importantly, the shadow wolf stumbles back a step, its darkness rippling as if struck by an invisible

force. Ivy's toxic green eyes widen with what looks like surprise.

My breath catches. What just—

The creature lunges again. Faster.

No tto think.

The bracelet. That's our answer! Grimoire shouts, his excitement flooding our bond as | dodge again, my brain

and body finally in sync again.

Another slash of claws tears through the air where my head had been a heartbeat before. The bracelet pulses,

and again the creature stumbles back.

"What the hell is happening?" | grip my shoulder, which still throbs from the impact. "What do you mean, that's

the answer? What's happening? A little more detail would be helpful right now!"

It phases into reality the moment it's set to strike. Otherwise, any hit would just go right through you. That's the

key.

My feet slide across the frozen ground as | dart away from another strike. The shadow wolf's claws whistle past

my ear, close enough that | feel the air displacement ruffle my hair.

So what you're saying is | need to let it hitto hit it back? My magic pulses through my limbs, lendingthe

speed | desperately need. That sounds like a fucking suicide mission.

Well, not exactly. Grimoire's mental voice carries a note of grim humor. You can always hit and evade at the last

second, if you're fast enough.

I'm not. So.

Another dodge. Another near miss. My lungs burn from the constant movement, and my shoulder screams where

the creature struckearlier. The bracelet pulses, once again pushing the shadow wolf back. But is it my

imagination? It's growing weaker.

It doesn't have an infinite level of power to protect you.

Makes sense, but damn. I'd love a low battery notification right now.

Something catches my eye as | pivot away from its next attack. Where the wolf's claws struck the ground,

patches of dead grass spread in perfect little circles. The blades shrivel and blacken, as if decades pass in

seconds.

It wasn't doing that before.

Grimoire. Look at the grass.

| see it. Death magic. Or rather, anti-life magic. It's consuming the vital energy of everything it touches. It seems

your jewelry is doing sdamage it's trying to repair.

My stomach lurches. If those claws had connected with more than a glancing blow to my shoulder, would my arm

be rotting off about now?

Just focus on what you need to do.

Easier said than done. My brain's going fifty miles an hour.

Just another minute, Selene says, her words clipped and intense. We're coming.

Moments ago, | wanted her here. Now, | wish she was farther away. Once they catch up, we're back in the same

situation | was trying to avoid. More casualties.

We can help, she insists, though | have no idea where that confidence comes from.

Maybe it's because there's no other option than false bravado.

That's where | am, as | surge power into my arms and legs, watching toxic green eyes track my every

movement. | don't want to kill Ivy, but | don't want to die trying to be ssort of noble ally to the Shadowpine

pack.

The wolf gathers itself to spring, and | gather courage from somewhere.

My fingers curl around the bracelet, its metal warm against my palm.

Please work. Just one more time.

This strange version of Ivy's wolf takes one step forward, muscles bunching and shadows rippling.

Tstretches, each second extending into eternity. The world narrows to pinpoints of detail. The way the

shadows writhe. Those vibrant, eerie green eyes—so brilliantly artificial, like ssort of manufactured poison.

No more strange, dead circles beneath the paws of darkness. | guess whatever damage taken is now restored.

This time, | don't run.

Believe in yourself, Grimoire says, sounding way too calm for this moment. You have the control and power to

make it through.

The wolf launches forward, but everything moves as if underwater. | can track each flex of its ethereal form. My

breathing never quickens, and my pulse is smooth.

The world is sharper. More vibrant. Somehow, it's as if thas slowed.

It's easy to shift my weight to the side. Just enough to avoid a fatal blow, but it isn't enough to avoid all damage.

The creature's teeth pass inches from my throat—close enough that | feel the cold emanating from its form.

Cold.

And a strange scent that causes my nostrils to wrinkle, though it's faint enough to miss if my mind wasn't

working overtime.

Perfect.

Magic surges through my veins, different from before. Not the desperate scramble of survival, but something

calculated. Precise. | channel it through my arm even as my bracelet surges to repel the wolf's attack.

But before its shield can slam into my attacker, my magic coalesces into a lance made of pure light, and | slam it

home—into the wolf's semi-solid shoulder.

My fingers still touch nothing, curling around smoke. But my magic has met resistance.

The creature's momentum carries it pastas my magic burns through its form. Its snarl is no longer silent, and

it flinches violently from the contact. Where my hand connects, cracks of light spread through its shadowy body

like lightning through storm clouds.

The wolf whirls back toward me, but its movements aren't as fluid now. Light still spreads from where | struck it,

creating a spiderweb of brightness through its dark form. It charges again, but this t| can really see.

| pivot again, this tcatching its flank with another burst of magic. More cracks appear, more light bleeding

through its form. The bracelet doesn't pulse, but | don't need its protection anymore.

Tis no longer slow, but my body now outranks my brain. It moves fluidly, as if I'm in a practice spar, without

my life—or others'—on the line.

| can sense it when Selene and the others burst onto the scene, but it's just an observation in the back of my

head as Ivy—or her wolf, or whatever this is—lunges atagain.

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