Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 469

Chapter 469: Ava: Lisa’s Decision (END SEASON 7!)
“It’s been twitching,” Magister Orion announces, his swirling blue-black eyes darkening with concern. “Small movements at first, but increasing in frequency. Whatever slumber holding it may be wearing thin.”

Eleanor scribbles frantically in her journal from her spot in the corner, her glasses sliding down her nose. She hasn’t stopped taking notes since we allowed her to observe our magical discussion about the dream-eater.

“Can we reinforce the current restraints?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady despite the heaviness settling in my chest. One more crisis. Always one more.

Before he can answer, the tent flap whips open. Lisa strides in, and I nearly drop the pen I’m holding.

She’s… different. Transformed, almost. Her usual (of late) nervous energy has been replaced by something steady and almost comfortable. But what really catches my attention is her neck—covered in a constellation of purple-red marks no scarf could possibly hide.

Well. That explains a lot.

“So should I congratulate you or recommend some ice packs?” I ask, unable to help the smirk tugging at my lips.

Lisa blinks owlishly at me, her steps slowing. “What?”

I point to her neck, and her hand flies up to cover the evidence. Her eyes widen before she bursts into laughter—full-bodied and genuine in a way I haven’t heard from her in weeks.

“Just buy me some really good concealer,” she says, shaking her head.

Something soft uncoils in my chest. It feels good to see her like this, even in the middle of our supernatural disaster zone. For a moment, we’re just two friends sharing a girl-talk moment that feels almost normal.

Witnessed by a magical Fae and a random human who wants to be my student.

But whatever. It’s nice.

“You look… good,” I say, meaning more than just her appearance. There’s a light in her eyes, and her lips are curved upward like they always were before.

Lisa takes a deep breath, her laughter fading into something more serious. “I want to try something,” she says, looking from me to Magister Orion and back. “I want to see if fully bonding with Kellan—completing the mate bond—might override the pull from the Mad Prince.”

The tent goes silent. Even Eleanor stops writing.

I feel Selene stir in the back of my mind, her consciousness pressing forward with sudden intensity.

Humans would not survive breaking a mating bond. She needs to be certain of her choice.

The concern in my wolf-husky’s voice makes me pause. This isn’t something to take lightly, and Lisa needs to understand exactly what she’s committing to.

“Selene says… you only get one shot at this,” I say gently. “We just want to be sure you’re not doing this out of fear. Because if you want to undo it, you won’t survive the… effects.”

Her gaze doesn’t waver. Strong, self-confident Lisa has returned. “I’m afraid of not doing it. I want this, Ava. I’m not running anymore. I fought the Mad Prince off this time, but I don’t want to wait for the next time I fail. I want to be free. And even more…”

She hesitates, and her cheeks go faintly pink.

“Even more?” I prompt gently.

“… Kellan deserves it,” she mumbles.

Ah.

I get it.

This feeling is one I know intimately.

I study her face, searching for any hint of doubt, any flicker of hesitation. There’s none. Just certainty where there used to be chaos and conflict.

“Well, I guess fate got us both in the end,” I say with a small smile. “Stubborn as we both tried to be.”

“Right?” She shakes her head with a soft, wry laugh. “All that time wasted fighting something that just… fits.”

I know this feeling. I wonder if looking back on my past will ever not fill me with a horrible cringing feeling.

The tent flap opens again as Lucas enters, his presence immediately filling the space. His eyes scan the room before landing on me, a brief softening in his expression before he turns to Lisa.

“If she bonds with Kellan, will that destabilize him?” he asks, ever the Alpha. “Would the Mad Prince have access to him through her?”

I blink. “You could hear her past the ward?”

“No. Selene told Aurum, who told me.”

Oh. That makes sense.

Much better than our anti-eavesdropping barrier no longer working. I still worry about spies, though a lot less than before. I’m not stupid enough to assume they aren’t around, but at least I know the majority are loyal to Lucas.

Lisa’s confident smile falters. The realization she could become Kellan’s weakness clearly hadn’t occurred to her. Or to me, to be fair.

Grimoire materializes from the shadows of the tent’s corner, his voice drifting through the air before his form fully solidifies. Eleanor’s eyes sharpen, and she sits up a little straighter, studying him.

Oops. Guess he forgot he didn’t watch the witch knowing about him. He’s going to regret manifesting.

“The problem wouldn’t be the bond,” he says. “It would be what someone did because of it.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, watching as his outline becomes more defined, taking on the shape of his adult form. It usually doesn’t take him so long to appear, and I wonder if he’s doing it for theatrical effect.

“Any mating bond can cause a problem for the pack when it comes down to a mate’s safety over the lives of others. Even your Alpha has put the pack at risk for you, hasn’t he?”

Lucas doesn’t even look bothered, just staring at Grimoire with a frown.

I squirm a little. How many times has he put me before all else?

It’s romantic, but I wonder how many are holding grudges or upset with his leadership. Maybe that’s why…

Hmm.

Selene’s voice slides through my thoughts, reinforcing Grimoire’s point.

It’s always possible to be a weakness. But it’s also possible to be a shield.

Lisa squares her shoulders. “I’ve thought about this. A lot. I’m not just jumping in because I’m scared or—or because the sex was good.” Her cheeks flush slightly as she glances apologetically at the Magister. “Sorry. I don’t have a filter. Anyway, the point is, our bond is already there. It gave me strength before. The Mad Prince tried to… do something to me. Make me come to him. But I fought it off. I think the mate bond is the key.”

Grimoire’s eyes gleam with curiosity as he circles Lisa once, humming softly.

He lifts two fingers and taps lightly against her chest, though his hand passes partially through her body like smoke.

“The bond gave you strength before,” he says, his voice deep. Almost too dramatic, too, like he’s trying to sound wise and impress someone. Everything he’s doing is oddly theatrical, like…

Wait. Is he showing off for Eleanor? He’d thrown a fit about her knowing his existence, but now he’s acting out and even manifesting in front of her.

Probably, Selene says sourly.

Grimoire ignores us, continuing, “If it pushed the Mad Prince back once, it might do so permanently. But we’re flying blind here.”

His gaze sweeps across all of us, his expression contemplative as he dramatically intones, “What we really need is a vampire. One who understands compulsion bonds.”

It isn’t even like it’s his first time saying it.

Eleanor perks up even more from her corner, scribbling something in her journal.

Magister Orion strokes his beard, looking thoughtful. “I agree.”

I sigh. “We don’t exactly have a vampire lying around anymore. Remember?”

As if in answer, a commotion erupts outside. Shouts ring out, followed by the thunder of boots racing past the tent. Something about intruders, and my heart rate spikes. Is it the dream-eater?

Lucas goes rigid beside me, his entire body tensing before he bursts out of the tent. Magister Orion follows. Selene’s ears flick forward, instantly on high alert. Grimoire straightens, looking more annoyed than concerned at the interruption.

Selene turns her head toward me, her tongue lolling out as her ice-blue eyes meet mine.

Well, she says dryly. Looks like you’re getting your vampire consultant.