Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 177 Ava: Accepting Her Pack

During the few funeral rites Alpha Renard held in Blackwood, he spent a lot of tpontificating. Especially

during the rites for his sons.

Here, Lucas says nothing. Does nothing. Only stands there, his arms crossed over his chest, as he watches the

pyres burn.

The amount of human bodies decreases as they all take to their wolf forms, standing and waiting. When | glance

at Kellan, | can see that unfocused look in his eyes.

Lucas must be talking through the pack link.

That's why it's quiet.

There are wolves to either side of him, and | don't recognize any of them. Then again, | know very few members

of the pack.

I'd chafed over that, used it as an excuse to go to the party.

But how much effort had | made to get to know these people?

At every turn, | felt stifled by their regard foras Lucas' mate.

Did | ever engage the wolves aroundin conversation? | don't even know most of their names.

If I can't even get to know the bodyguards sent to keepsafe at the cost of their own lives...

What kind of person doesn't even try, and just complains about her lack of freedom?

If I had gotten to know them, perhaps things would be different. Instead of complaining that | couldn't go

anywhere without them, maybe outings would have been fun with them. Maybe the other pack members would

have seentrying to be friends...

Ah.

All those people watchingduring training take on a different meaning in my head now.

Who would welcan aloof wolf into their midst, knowing she's made no effort to assimilate into the pack?

My whining is a sour taste in my mouth, especially knowing that sof those people have now lost their lives

because of me.

Despite understanding the tragedy, despite feeling terrible over the loss of life and injuries, I'd never once put a

single one of their lives as a priority. I'd focused instead on Lisa.

They deserve more from us, Selene murmurs, sitting besidewith her ears flat against her skull. | once led my

pack. | would have never...

Her words trail off in confusion once more, and | stroke a hand over her head without looking down.

Without breaking eye contact with those burning pyres and the smoke covering the sky in a dense, gray-black

cloud.

I cannot sacrifice this pack to save Lisa, | whisper back, feeling the tears filling my eyes once more. We cannot

lose more people. | don't know what to do. | don't know what's right. But | know that this... This was wrong.

Selene stiffens. Ava.

The warning in her voice catchesoff guard. She's no longer staring toward the bodies burning in front of us.

She's staring into the forest, her ears pricked forward and body tense.

What is it?

Selene lifts her muzzle, her nostrils flaring as she scents the air. I'm not sure. It seems familiar, but wrong.

Kellan doesn't seem to notice anything. No one here does, and they're all in their wolf forms now.

Only Lucas, Kellan, and | remain in our human forms.

Lucas' eyes connect with mine from across the clearing, his amber eyes fiery as they reflect the light of the

burning pyres.

That fated bond between us is a warm weight, a comfort in my chest, even through the guilt.

Tapping Kellan's arm, | wait until his eyes meet mine. Not wanting to cause panic with words, | jerk my thumb

toward Selene, still alerting to something off in the distance.

He takes in her body language and turns in the sdirection with a frown, before that familiar, unfocused look

hits his eyes once again.

A wolf breaks away from the pack in that direction.

They're checking on it, | assure Selene, but | can hear her mental whine, as if she's struggling not to run over

there herself.

You can go, too, | offer to her, but she presses her body against my shins, even as she continues to stare in the

distance.

No. They might focus on my scent, instead.

Ah. | hadn't thought of that. It isn't like every member of the pack is attuned to Selene's scent.

Lucas shifts into his massive wolf, larger than any of the others. His fur is so dark it's nearly black, but the

flickering light of the funeral pyres highlights the deep brown undertones.

He lifts his muzzle to the sky as the last vestiges of twilight fade into the oncoming night. A howl rips from his

throat, deep and mournful, the sound vibrating through my chest.

One by one, the other wolves join in the lament until the entire area echoes with their song of grief and loss.

Tears streak down my cheeks, but | make no move to wipe them away. The weight of the lives lost settles on my

shoulders, threatening to crush me.

As the fires continue to burn, several wolves break from the pack and lope into the forest.

"Many will spend the night in their wolf forms," Kellan murmurs in my ear, his voice taut with tension. "A pack

hunt to honor the fallen."

I nod to show | heard him, but my eyes are locked on Lucas' wolf. He stares back at me, his amber eyes glowing

in the flickering light. The bond between us pulses, and | want nothing more than to go to him, to bury my face

in his fur and share in his grief.

But Selene tenses beside me, a low whine escaping her. Ava, we should get in the car.

She sounds troubled, her ears still pricked towards the forest. Before | can even respond, Lucas bolts. His

powerful legs propel him forward at a monstrous pace as he races in the direction Selene had been scenting.

"Ava, get in the car. Now!" Kellan barks, shovingnone-too-gently towards the vehicle.

Chaos erupts, snarls and growls that sound far too vicious for a simple hunt. Fear claws at my throat. Another

fight? "What's happening?"

"They caught the scent of a vampire." Kellan practically throwsinto the backseat before jumping behind the

wheel. "They're on the hunt."

As we peel away from the scene, | twist in my seat to stare out the back window at the blazing pyres lighting the

sky. The wolves are gone, vanished into the dark forest.

A vampire? Here?

Margot's warning slams into me, and | curse myself for not remembering sooner. "Kellan, Margot mentioned

something about a vampire at Blackwood when she bulldozed her way to my room. I'm sorry. | was so focused on

getting here that | forgot to warn you before we left."

Kellan curses under his breath and pulls out his phone, punching in a number. "Vester? Is everything okay there?

Any sign of a vampire?" He's silent for a moment, listening. "Alright, keepupdated."

He ends the call and glances atin the rearview mirror. "Vester says everything is peaceful in Blackwood, but

he's sending his men out. You think the bloodsucker followed you here?"

My heart sinks like a stone.

"I don't know," | admit, hating how little information I have to give. "I got the impression it was a vampire that

had business with Blackwood, not necessarily one associated with the Mad Prince."

Kellan's brows shoot up. "How do you know about the Mad Prince?"

| stumble over my words, not sure how much to explain. Only Lucas knows about Sister Miriam, and my instinct

is to keep everything a secret still.

But that doesn't seem right.

It's Kellan. He wants Lisa back as much as | do. He's keptsafe at all costs. He was there when Lucas pulled