Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Ava: Overcome (I)
[WARNING: Mature content.]

——

Having Selene back makes everything easier. It’s as if the mental fog lifts from my brain. Even the loss of the necklace doesn’t seem quite as dire, though the issue of my heat worries me.

I have a lot of questions about that, but the ever cryptic wolf-turned-husky doesn’t like answering questions, so I’m already resigned to waiting.

When Alpha Clayton finally appears, I’m in good spirits, nibbling on some jello and watching one of the few channels I have access to, watching a true crime documentary.

He walks in as they describe a woman’s gruesome death at the hands of an unknown assailant.

I look up from the TV. His presence immediately commands my attention, exuding power and authority in waves.

“Good afternoon, Ava.”

“Hello, Alpha Clayton,” I say, smiling back despite the butterflies in my stomach. I’m keenly aware of Selene’s warning about keeping him away from my scar. It’s not like I want anyone near it anyway, but her caution makes me extra wary.

He steps into the room, his presence filling the small space. “Please, just Clayton is fine.” His voice is warm, like honey and fresh-baked bread, all things that stimulate my appetite—probably a side effect from only being allowed to eat little cups of jello. “How are you feeling? I apologize for not being able to check on you sooner.”

I wave off his apology, setting the jello cup aside. “I’m doing better, thanks. The nurse said I still have a little while before the peak of my heat hits.”

Clayton brings a chair to the side of my bed, sitting with the elegant grace most wolf shifters manage without thinking.

I don’t have that level of grace, probably because I wasn’t raised with my wolf inside of me like the rest of them.

“About that,” Clayton says, sounding hesitant. “The doctors are certain that you are, in fact, a true omega.”

I nod slowly, waiting for him to continue. We’d already established that.

“True omega heats are…” He claps his hands, unclasps them, and eventually rests them on the side of my bed as rests his elbows on his knees. His fingers brush gently against the side of my hand, and I’m surprised to feel fireworks explode at the contact. “Different.”

“Different how?” I ask, distracted by how much I want to grab his hands, to link our fingers together.

“They’re stronger. Wolves know when one is around, even if they can’t directly scent them. So, the unmated wolves tend to get a little single-minded in their pursuit.”

“Mmm.” I’m paying attention, or trying to, but I’m also trying not to just rape his hand with an unwanted hand-holding.

“Even I will have a hard time controlling myself, so we will do our best to keep only female employees once it’s confirmed that you’re entering your peak.”

He seems to understand what’s going on in my head, probably because I’ve been staring at his hand without blinking. He reaches out, and I link my fingers through his with a satisfied sigh.

His voice gets a little rougher, and I blink at him as he speaks, wondering why his voice sounds so nice.

“A true omega seeks an alpha when she’s in heat, though a strong beta can also catch her attention,” he says, and I realize that he’s now sitting on the edge of my bed.

And we’re staring at each other, as his thumb caresses the back of my hand in a way that’s driving me insane.

I tilt my chin up just a little, and Clayton leans down to nuzzle against my jaw. “Do you need an alpha, Ava?” he asks in that rough voice that makes everything inside me tingle.

I nod, panting a little as he drags our clasped hands up my thigh, pressing gently down against the top of my pelvis. I wiggle a little, and he bites my ear.

“You smell divine.”

I sigh as he lets go of my hand, pulling my blanket down. He nuzzles down the side of my neck, licking at the crescent scar that’s… really… important?

Important.

My scar is important.

Why?

Because it feels good when he kisses it. Yes.

And licks it.

And nibbles.

And bites.

And—

Fuck.

Part of my brain function returns, and I shove at Clayton’s chest weakly. “Wait. Alpha—”

“Yes,” he breathes, before latching onto my neck and sucking hard in a way that has my entire body jolting off the bed. I grab his head, wanting to pull him away, but instead shove him closer.

Warning bells are going off somewhere, but I don’t care. “Harder,” I beg him, and he bites down.

I moan in dizzying delight, and his hand is rough as it yanks at the bottom of my hospital gown, shoving it up as his hand dives between my legs with unerring precision. I can feel his fingers sliding, parting me, and—

“ALPHA CLAYTON!” Someone’s screaming.

Clayton’s growling as he shoves his fingers inside of me, and I’m trying desperately to keep him there, bucking against his hand. I’m pleading, he’s snarling, and suddenly he’s gone.

I burst into tears as frustration burns through me, only to feel someone holding me gently. Someone’s growling and snarling, and I want to go to them, but—

“Shh, Ava. Shh.”

Something pinches my thigh, but I can’t swat it away because there’s something on top of them, weighing them down.

I’m dizzy.

“I feel—weird…”

“I know, sweetheart. You just need to hold on a little longer. We gave you some medicine to help, okay?”

“I need the alpha,” I whimper. “I need him.”

“I know, honey, but I don’t think you know what you’re doing right now.”

I remember her name now, the one holding me and stroking my hair. The one who made my arms feel like they weigh a thousand pounds.

Jenna.

I blink owlishly, realizing my vision is blurry. I yank my glasses off my face, glad to see that everything’s finally clear again.

Throwing my glasses across the room, I try to pull away from Jenna. “Alpha Clayton. I need Alpha Clayton.”

“No, you don’t. Your body’s calming down. You’re fine.”

It’s not calming down.

I’m hot. It hurts. I need him, but he isn’t here. He rejected me. Then he apologized. And then he disappeared. I don’t know where he is.

“Alpha Clayton didn’t reject you,” Jenna says, her warm voice a soothing balm to the itch inside of me. “He just needed to come to his senses, even if he didn’t want to. He’s outside now, and he won’t be back until your heat is over. Okay?”

I shake my head. “Not Clayton. Lucas. I need Lucas.”

“Oh. Well, Lucas isn’t here right now, and we’re all here to get you through this together, okay? Hey, Nance—can you get me another dose? She should be out right now, but she’s fighting it.”

“Her pulse is all over the place,” another voice complains. “This isn’t working, and Alpha’s going nuts out there. I’m scared to even open the door. He might come barging in.”

Alpha’s out there?

Lucas.

My alpha.

I shove Jenna off me and rush to the door, opening it just before Jenna pulls me back. “Alpha!”