Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
“An apartment building just collapsed, sending dirt and debris everywhere. We’re safe, but I think the death toll just jumped. Back to you, Adam.”
“Thank you, Kylethe horrors in New York City aren’t isolated, as riots inundate every major city…” The camera returns to a horrified anchor who speaks with professional detachment, despite the pallor in his face.
“It came without warning” Acarus says quietly, his voice barely audible over the TV. “Yet it must have been in planning for decades.
Marcus’s voice is tight with disbelief. “How? How could something this massive go undetected?”
Acarus turns to him, his expression grim. “That’s the question everyone is asking. How is such a thing possible?”
I can’t wrap my head around it.
People can’t keep secrets this big. How did it go undetected?
attacks.
We weren’t expecting… this.
“Lucas,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “You said he was in the hospital. Was it because of this?”
Acarus nods slowly. “He was caught in the crossfire when the riots broke out. From what I understand, he tried to protect both his pack and the humans in the area. It didn’t go well. He saved many, but the cost was high.”
My heart constricts painfully in my chest. Of course Lucas would try to protect everyone. Of course he’d put himself in harm’s way. And now he’s lying in a hospital bed while the world burns around us.
“And my mean…?”
father?” I ask, dreading the answer. “You said Alpha Renard took Blackwood. Does that
“They are aligned himself with the rebellion, Acarus confirms, his golden eyes fixed on me. “As have many rogues. They see this as an opportunity to reclaim their power, to throw off the shackles of human law. Not all, of course. There are many who side with the humans. But they were not prepared for this. Coordinated attacks across the country.”
I feel sick, knowing my home pack is a part of this madness.
“Did everyone know? Or are they just following Alpha Renard blindly?”
“I do not know,” Acarus says with a sigh. “Mother did her best to infiltrate the Blackwood Pack and gain their confidence, suspecting several families ofWell.” He shakes his head. “Our ideas. were small. Nothing on this scale, even with Mother’s visions.”
Part of me wants to believe it’s all a mistake, a misunderstanding. But the evidence is right there. on the screen, impossible to deny.
“What about the Aspen Pack?” Vanessa asks, her voice trembling. “You said Alpha Shadowpine returned to them. Is it as bad there?”
Acarus shakes his head. “The Aspen Pack is fortuitously situated without any Supernatural Communities or any Unregistered Cities near them. While they have had fewer riots that have been easily quelled by the human military and the Aspen Pack’s enforcers, they are already inundated with refugees from neighboring lands. It’s only a matter of time. Their communications are down, but they’re in better shape than much of the country.
The entire world has gone mad.
“Is it only here? Are other countries having the same problems?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know
Acarus holds up a hand when Marcus opens his mouth. “Before you askremember, communications have been disrupted. Even the video you just watched is a recording. I’m sure there are people who know more about what is happening across the oceans, but I do not have any access to that information.”
Unable to keep watching the TV, I head back to the relative peace of the dining room. All three of them follow behind.
my shoulder in
“Every time we turn around, there’s something new, Vanessa says, squeezing my comfort. “It’s okay to feel overwhelmed.
“I know. Taking a deep breath, 1 sink back into my chair and stab at the food in front of me. not hungry, but energy is crucial right now. “I feel like our tiny story has been swallowed by a freaking space whale.”
“Space whale?” Marcus and Vanessa sit on either side of me, and they both reach for the food they weren’t interested in before.
“Yeah. It’s from a show I watched with Lisa. They jump around in hyperspace and-“
Vanessa looks fascinated, but I can feel Marcus staring at the back of my head, probably wondering what crazy woman he’s accepted as Luna.
“Anyway. They were huge,” I mutter, dunking another piece of bread into my stew.
“I should really watch more TV, Vanessa says with a sigh. “The world out there is vast, and all I ever see of it is blood and guts.
The bread catches in my throat, and I cough violently. Marcus’s hand thumps against my back, helping me clear my airway. I wheeze out a thanks, my eyes watering.
“For most people,” I rasp at Vanessa, “your entire life would be a TV show. They’re not used to werewolf shenanigans.”
She sighs, her eyes distant. “It definitely feels like a movie now!”
I nod silently, agreeing with her sentiment. The events of the past few weeks feel surreal, like I’m living in some bizarre alternate reality. Werewolves, magic, rebellionsit’s all too much.
Acarus clears his throat, breaking through my thoughts. He addresses Marcus, who’s shoveling food into his mouth like it might disappear at any moment. “Do you want to know your current location?”
Marcus nods, his cheeks bulging
He resembles a grouchy chipmunk more than an apex predator. Have I ever seen him eat before?
I don’t think I have.
“You’re on the far border of Westwood, Acarus says, his voice steady. Then his gaze shifts to me, and my heart rate picks up. “You’re only a few hours away from your alpha, if you wish to see him.”
My body goes rigid, every muscle tensing at once. Lucas. He’s close. After everything that’s happened, after all the worry and fear, he’s within reach. “Yes,” I blurt out, already halfrising from my chair. “Let’s go now.”
*Slow down,” Marcus says, swallowing his mouthful of food. His hand on my arm is gentle but firm. “We need to be cautious.”
Vanessa nods in agreement. “We can’t just rush in blindly, Ava. We don’t know what’s waiting for us out there.”
I force myself to take a deep breath. Running headlong into danger won’t help anyone, least of all Lucas. “You’re right, I concede, sinking back into my chair. “But I still think we should need to meet up with our allies. There’s safety in numbers, especially now.”
go.
We
“We will,” Vanessa assures me. “It’s a matter of planning timing and routes.”
Marcus turns to Acarus, his expression serious. “What exactly happened in Westwood? We need details”
“Lucas…” I start, then falter. I’m not sure I want to know, but I have to ask. “How badly was he hurt?”
Acarus’s eyes soften as they meet mine. “He took a bad hit defending a group of human civilians caught in the crossfire. Multiple lacerations, some internal bleeding. But he’s stable now, healing.”
His face clouds over, troubled lines appearing around his eyes and mouth. The pit in my grows deeper. Whatever happened, it can’t be good.
stomach
“It started with small skirmishes,” Acarus begins, his voice low. “Rogues testing the borders, probing for weaknesses. Like your alpha, we assumed it was the Whispering Pines pack making their move. He’s hungry for power, and the Blackwood territory is enticing fruit. But it escalated quickly.”
I lean forward, hanging on his every word. My hands clench into fists under the table, nails digging into my palms.
“Overnight, everything changed. Too many wolves were sent to cover the skirmishes, leaving the central lands weak. Westwood, Blackwood, and Twilight Ridge were all attacked on the same day. It wasn’t rogues anymore. Vampires and Fae were involved, in frightening numbers. They overwhelmed the defenses. It was a massacre.
His eyes flicker toward me. “What happened before was nothing more than a warning”
Marcus curses under his breath. I can practically see the tactical wheels turning in his head, assessing the situation.
“But that isn’t the worst of it!
His grim words turn my veins to ice.
They wer
“There were shifters among them. Not rogue. Not pack. mindless warriors. They were the most frightening of all. Like a curse ravaging the pack.”
My stomach flips.
“Are you saying…”
“Zombies?” Marcus cuts me off, his voice tight. “Are you saying the bodies they stole became zombies?”