Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Where the hell have you been? Selene’s voice rings out, sharp with accusation.
Sister Miriam’s gaze snaps to where Selene sits, her eyes narrowing. “I’ve been busy infiltrating the other side when an opportunity presented itself,” she retorts, her tone leaving no room for argument. “They sent one back to report to their superiors, but he won’t make it.”
The blood on her suddenly makes sense.
Kellan steps forward, his face a mask of determination. “How many are there?” he asks, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. “What kind of weapons do they have? How soon can we expect an attack?”
“Five. They’re all younger, turned within the last decade. As for weapons?” She smiles mirthlessly. “They’re vampires, beta wolf. What do you think?”
I turn to Lisa, seeing the fear in her eyes that I’m sure is mirrored in my own. “We need to alert the others,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Can you help gather everyone in the main hall?”
“No need,” Kellan cuts in. “I can alert them through the pack link.”
Right. Of course.
“Vanessa and Vester—“
“They’re preparing as well. Vanessa will be here soon to help.”
The wards may not cover the entire perimeter, but they’ve given us some warning. It’s not much, but it’s something to work with. It’s a stroke of luck.
Whoever they are, at least they have no idea how far the wards extend. Hopefully it’ll buy us some time as they try to figure out how to get through.
Aurum keens again in the bed, and Kellan looks concerned. “Is he okay?”
“Selene says he’s waking up.” My voice is soft. “But the timing…”
Kellan’s face twists into a grimace, his eyes darkening with the weight of the decision. “You need to evacuate. We’ll send all the non-combatants with you.”
My heart sinks. We’ve only just settled in, and now we’re running again. But I know he’s right. We’re not ready for this fight, not with Lucas still incapacitated.
“Aurum will need to evacuate as well,” Kellan adds, his gaze flicking to the massive golden wolf on my bed.
I nod, swallowing hard. “We’ll figure something out.” The words feel hollow, but what else can I say? We have no choice.
Kellan’s expression softens slightly. “Use the guards to carry him if you need to. We have stretchers if he won’t wake up.”
Aurum whimpers softly in his sleep, and I wonder if some part of him can sense the danger we’re in.
Kellan turns to Sister Miriam, his posture straightening as he slips into his role as Beta. “Come with me. We’re going to need your insight.”
As they leave, I’m left standing in the middle of the room, feeling lost and overwhelmed. Lisa touches my arm gently, her presence a small comfort in the chaos.
“What can I do?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly. But she doesn’t flinch, her eyes meeting mine without wavering.
Vanessa bursts through the door, calm despite the energy buzzing around her. “You have two minutes to pack a bag. Evacuation is now.”
I grab my messenger bag, with Grimoire inside. Lisa stands ready beside me, already with a bulging backpack slung over her shoulders.
“Kellan had a ‘go bag’ ready for me since I moved in with him,” she explains sheepishly.
I nod, impressed by Kellan’s foresight. My own preparations feel woefully inadequate in comparison. Hastily, I stuff a couple of extra outfits into my bag.
Turning to Vanessa, I gesture towards Aurum’s massive form on the bed. “We need a way to carry him. He’s not waking up.”
Vanessa frowns as she assesses the situation. “We’ll figure something out. Maybe a stretcher.”
Movement to the east, Selene’s voice interrupts, her tone distracted and tense. They’re trying to find a way around the wards.
“We don’t have enough vehicles for everyone. Most of the pack will have to go on foot. We’ll need to split the evacuation—humans in the cars, shifters on foot.”
My heart sinks at her words. That means I’ll be separated from the pack. “Is that safe? Splitting up, I mean?”
Vanessa’s eyes meet mine, a mix of determination and worry in her gaze. “It’s not ideal, but it’s our best option. The shifters can move faster through the forest, and we need to get the humans to safety as quickly as possible.”
I nod, understanding the logic even as fear gnaws at my insides. My gaze drifts back to Aurum, his golden fur rising and falling with each breath. How are we going to move him?
“What about Aurum?” I ask, unable to keep the concern from my voice.
“We’ll use one of the trucks. Don’t worry.”
Vanessa instructs the guards outside the door to carry Aurum on a stretcher to the truck. To their credit, they ask no questions, obeying in efficient silence. Only minutes later, we’re in the heart of the pack with the others. Humans are divided into cars, as many as they can fit. Their fear is so strong, even I can smell it in the air.
“Ava.” A familiar voice cuts through the chaos, and I turn to see Marcus approaching. Relief washes over me at the sight of his weathered face.
“Marcus!”
His eyes never stop scanning the area. “I’ll be sticking with you and Lisa. We need to keep the human evacuees safe.”
Having Marcus here, solid and dependable, makes the impossible task ahead feel manageable.
All around us, wolves move with practiced efficiency. It’s a sight to behold—every pack member helps at least one other before shifting into wolf forms, securing packs to each other’s backs. The chaos I expected is surprisingly absent, everything moving along in orderly fashion.
“They’re all pros by now,” Vanessa says, following my stare.
“What about the wounded?” I ask, dreading the answer.
She smiles, her worried eyes lightening at the question. “We have no wounded. Everyone’s healed since the last attack.”
Thank God for small favors.
I watch as three groups of wolves dash out into the night. Their coordinated movements speak of countless drills and, likely, real-life experience.
“They’re going to reinforce the scouting party,” Vanessa explains, her voice eerily calm given the circumstances.
Contact is made, Selene’s voice echoes in my mind, sending a jolt of fear through me.
“How far out are they?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Only half a mile from camp.”
I strain my ears, expecting to hear the sounds of battle, but there’s nothing. Is a half-mile really that far away? “I can’t hear anything.”
A presence materializes behind me, and Sister Miriam’s voice drifts over my shoulder. “They’re probably suppressing the sound of fighting so they don’t scare us off.”
I turn to face her, taking in her enigmatic expression. “What about you? What are you going to do since we’re all evacuating?”
She reaches out, patting my head in a gesture that feels both comforting and patronizing. “I need to make sure all loose ends are cleaned up so no reports of this camp get back to their headquarters.”
Her fingers brush my hair behind my shoulders, and her eyes meet mine. “Don’t worry, little Luna. You and your people will remain safe.”
Before I can respond, she vanishes from view, leaving me staring at the empty space where she stood.
In and out, with a few words.
I let out a sigh. “She’s so unpredictable.”
“She’s a good ally,” Vanessa says, her tone matter-of-fact.
“I know,” I agree, just as a piercing scream tears through the air.
Chaos explodes into our orderly evacuation with another scream.
Marcus curses. “Vamps. They’re here.”
They’re running toward us, speeding blotches of black hundreds of yards in the distance.
My voice barely audible over screams and howls. “Humans, evacuate now!”
I spot several she-wolves herding children, their bodies low and protective as they run in the opposite direction of the invaders. “Marcus! Make sure some are guarding the children as they escape.”
“Yes, Luna!”