Unshift

299 Ava: Lucas is Alone

Lucas watches us both, calm despite only hearing one half of our conversation.

Grabbing his hand, I give a gentle squeeze to show I’m still paying attention to his presence.

“Do you know how?”

you!

Selene’s idea is a tall order. It isn’t like amnesia has some sort of cure.

The dhampir has an idea. We can talk to her about it.

Wow. I’d forgotten about Sister Miriam entirely. Between Lucas and now Selene’s return…

My thoughts are interrupted when Selene suddenly darts out of her comfortable position to shove her nose into my chest, sniffing intensely.

Showing mild irritation, Lucas grabs her by the scuff and yanks her away. To my surprise, Selene merely slinks low in submission as her cars tilt in my direction, blue eyes hard and suspicious. What’s that scent?

Slapping my hand over the new mate mark, right next to my crescent scar, I ask defensively, “What scent?”

Lucas sniffs at me. “You smell fine to me.”

There’s something new, she insists, pawing at my leg. What is it? What did you get into?

“I didn’t get into-

The string near my magic tugs, and I pause. “Oh. Maybe it’s that.”

“What?” Lucas nuzzles into my neck, brushing his lips against the raw skin of my mate mark. “Is something wrong?

“No. Selene can just sense something I almost forgot about. Sorry, Grimoire. “Actually, I-”

The string yanks again, almost painful in its insistence, and I pause. This isn’t a safe place to mention him. “I’ll tell you both later.” Where it’s safe, I add silently to Selene, wishing Lucas could hear me. Wait. Shouldn’t he be able to…?

“When?” he asks, answering my question. I guess he can’t hear me. I’ll have to ask Vanessa. Is it because I haven’t been brought into the pack?

“When you’re discharged home.” I pause. “To the place I’m staying, I guess. Is there another place you’d go? Do you know?”

He shakes his head.

“Okay. Then when they discharge you and I bring you home.”

You can tell me now, Selene points out..

Later. Let me focus on Lucas first.

She whines and rubs her head against his knee.

He seems to understand, because his hand squeezes mine and he changes the subject. “The

should be home soon.”

The way he stresses the word home has my stomach flip–flopping. We’ve shared a sleeping space before, but we haven’t necessarily cohabitated.

Though, there’s Lisa–so I guess it isn’t exactly the same. Especially with one bedroom. But still.

“The sooner the better,” I agree. “I don’t like being apart. Most of our time as mates has been spent away from each other. It’s high time that ends.

I have a semi–teacher now in the form of Grimoire. My magic seems stable–ish. We’re all in hiding due to the new–found apocalypse. As dire and terrible as it is, maybe it’ll finally afford us both a little time to deepen our bond with each other.

Silver linings and storm clouds, I guess.

Lucas’s arms wrap around me, pulling me close as I melt into his embrace. The warmth of his body and the steady thrum of his heartbeat bring me that clusive peace, strengthening our connection.

Oddly, I feel none of the frenetic desire of my last heat, content to just nuzzle into Lucas‘ arms like this without needing more.

The mark helps.

Right. That would make sense. Lucas‘ body seems to have lost its feverish temperature as well.

A low whine breaks the silence, followed by the insistent press of fur against my leg. I crack open. an eye to see Selene trying to wedge herself between us, her tail wagging with hopeful enthusiasm.

“Really?” I mutter, shifting to accommodate her bulk. “It’s just like having a real dog.”

Selene’s ears flatten against her head, and I feel a wave of indignation through our bond. I am not some common canine, she huffs, her mental voice dripping with disdain.

Lucas chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest, vibrating against my head. His hand. reaches down to scratch behind Selene’s ears, and her eyes close in bliss despite her attempts to maintain her aloof demeanor.

“Don’t be too hard on her, Lucas murmurs, his voice soft and tinged with affection. “Selene’s the only reason I’ve stayed sane in this room.”

The admission sends a rush of warmth through me, and I feel Selene’s joy and pride surge through our connection. Still, she maintains her air of nonchalance, as if Lucas’s words mean nothing to her. But I know better. I can feel the depth of her emotions, the way his acknowledgment soothes an old wound. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I run my fingers through Selene’s fur, marveling at the complexity of our situation. My wolf, my mate, and me–all tangled together. Only his wolf is missing.

He’s howling in my head about it.

I bet.

“I’m glad you had each other, I say softly, meaning every word. The thought of Lucas alone in

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200 Ava: Lucas is Alone

taking care of him, Selene.”

She huffs again, but I feel her pleasure at the recognition. Someone had to look after him, she replies, her mental tone softening. He’s important to us both.

A chuckle breaks out at her words. As if she would have ever admitted such a thing just weeks. ago.

A knock sounds at the door.

Selene’s ears perk. It’s our healer.

“Come in, I call out.

Vanessa enters, no longer looking tense and harried as her eyes touch on my neck before meeting my gaze. “Looks like you two made the best of your time together.

Heat rushes to my cheeks, but I nod as regally as I can manage. How are you supposed to act when people walk in knowing what you did? The smell is probably still in the air. On our skin. Everywhere.

God, I hope she can’t smell all of it.

And whoever was out there probably heard…

God. This is horrifying.

I mean–no, she doesn’t know the details. But anyone can take a look at the mark on my neck and know what we were doing in here.

Whose idea was it to have sex in a hospital?

Terrible idea.

I was not made for this kind of public scrutiny.

Lucas doesn’t seem affected by this situation at all, merely nodding at Vanessa, his posture aloof and guarded.

I’m taken aback by the sudden tension radiating from him. This is Vanessa. Why would he react so defensively in her presence? Even if he doesn’t have any memories with her, he should have been told she’s one of his people.

He doesn’t remember her, Ava, Selene’s voice echoes in my mind. To Lucas, everyone here is a stranger–even those who were once his closest friends and allies. Even his mate. Can he trust someone simply because they say he can?

Shit, I hadn’t really thought much about that. I was so focused on me, on him not recognizing me, that I didn’t think how it must have been for him with everyone.