Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
“You what?” I stop dead in my tracks, mouth hanging open. “You ran? As in, actually ran? The whole way?”
Her laugh rings out across the snow. “It sounds crazy, right? But everyone does it at least once. There’s nothing like being with your wolf, feeling that freedom. Just you and the wilderness, running wherever your paws take you. Eat what you hunt. Sleep when you want. It’s great.”
“So you just… ran across multiple states?” I shake my head in disbelief. “What about food? Water? Did you sleep in the woods?”
“Wolves are natural hunters.” Mira’s eyes sparkle with amusement at my endless questions. “And yes, I slept in the woods. Though sometimes I’d stop at safe houses along the way.”
“Safe houses?”
“Places where shifters can rest, get supplies. Most packs maintain them for traveling wolves.”
My mind reels at this whole hidden network. “That’s incredible. Like a supernatural underground railroad.”
“Something like that.” She adjusts her scarf against the wind. “Though nowadays, most wolves prefer cars or planes.”
A thought strikes me. “If you’re from Silvermoon, why aren’t you heading there now? Shouldn’t you be with your pack? Or—dammit, that doesn’t sound right.” I sound like a buffoon. A mean-spirited one. I don’t want her to think she isn’t welcome here. Not that I have much to do with it, but—well. “I mean, are you going to stay here now? How does it work?”
Her smile dims. “I will have to return, yes. My mate’s family has certain… rights. They will want any grandchildren to be raised in Silvermoon territory.”
“But your mate…” I trail off, not wanting to cause more pain.
“Passed away, yes.” She pats her flat stomach. “But he left me with a gift. I’m five months along.”
I stop dead in my tracks, nearly face-planting in the snow again. “You’re what?”
Her laughter echoes across the pristine white landscape. “Pregnant. Five months.”
“But you’re…” I gesture at her trim figure, bundled in winter gear but clearly not showing any signs of pregnancy.
“Wolf pregnancies can be different.” She grins, clearly enjoying my shock. “Don’t worry, I’ll get bigger in time.”
“That’s…” I search for words. “That’s actually amazing. And terrifying. How do you even know you’re pregnant if you don’t show?” Wait. That’s a stupid question. I’m sure they pee on sticks, like we do.
“Oh, we know.” Her eyes soften. “The connection with the pup starts early. Plus, there are other signs. Enhanced senses, stronger protective instincts. Your mate can usually smell it before you even know.”
I absorb this information, fascinated by yet another aspect of wolf culture I never knew existed. “And your mate’s family wants you to return to Silvermoon?”
“Most likely, they will. It’s their right to request it. The pup will be part of their bloodline.” She shrugs, but I catch a hint of sadness in her eyes. “Once things settle down, I’ll head back.”
“What if they’re…” I stop the words before they continue. No need to sound that crass.
“Dead? Then it is up to the alphas to choose.”
Huh.
As we walk, another thought occurs to me. “What if a human gets pregnant?”
It’s Mira’s turn to stumble. “Are you?”
“What? No. Of course not.”
“Oh. Well, usually the pack does their best to bring the pup back. Wolves raised in a human environment don’t always turn out for the best. They need their packs. But it doesn’t always work out.”
Glancing at Kellan’s back, I resolve silently to make sure we use condoms if we ever get around to—well, you know. There’s no birth control in this strange, apocalyptic world of ours. Or at least not enough of it.
Definitely wouldn’t want kids to muddle what’s already strange and weird between us.
LISA
After miles of walking, the sun is pretty high in the sky.
I’m too exhausted to shove back layers to take a peek at my watch, plus I really don’t want to know what time it is. If it’s too early, I’ll know we’re still ages from seeing Ava. If it’s too late, I’ll be even more exhausted knowing how long we’ve been trudging through the snow.
Better to just keep going as my lungs burn and my whole body aches. I really thought I was ready for this, but I’m not in as good of shape as I’d thought.
Kellan’s doubtful stare when I asked to come along is really making sense.
“Don’t worry.” Mira’s friendly voice tells me she’s back. Sometimes she roams ahead, helping break trail. “We aren’t far now.”
Thank. Fucking. God.
Mira points at a thin line of grey against the pale winter sky. “See that smoke? That’s their camp.”
My shoulders sag with relief as I stare at the back of Kellan’s head. His broad shoulders haven’t slowed once during our trek, and here I am ready to collapse. “Have I slowed you all down?”
“Not at all.” Mira’s smile warms her words. “We don’t always scout in wolf form, you know.”
“Why not?” It hadn’t occurred to me that they would do that, but now that she’s mentioned it—well, why wouldn’t they? “Wouldn’t it be easier?”
Mira kicks at the snow, her boots sending up a sparkling spray. “Things are different when we’re shifted. We don’t make a habit of staying in wolf form for too long.”
“Different how?”
“Our thoughts are simpler. More primal. Instincts take over. Pack bonds grow stronger, but complex reasoning becomes harder. Plus, clothes are a pain to deal with. No one likes shifting butt-naked in snow.”
I steal another glance at Kellan’s back. His steady stride hasn’t faltered once during our conversation.
Sweat trickles down my spine despite the freezing air. My legs burn with each step through the deep snow, and my breath comes in harsh pants that crystallize in front of my face. The rising sun does nothing to warm me, though its rays paint the endless white landscape in shades of gold.
The smoke is ever closer, and eventually the scent of cooking meat makes my mouth water. The promise of warmth and food urges me forward those last few steps until the camp comes into view.
“Lisa!” Ava’s excited shout carries across the snow as she waves both arms like a maniac.
Before I can wave back, a silver blur crashes through the snow. Selene slams into me with the force of a furry semi, knocking me flat on my back. Her tongue assaults my face with enthusiastic licks.
“Stop, stop!” I laugh, trying to shield my face from her assault. “Your breath stinks!”
Mira’s strong hands grip my arms, hauling me back to my feet. Snow clings to my clothes, but I don’t care as I stumble forward to wrap Ava in a tight hug.
“What are you doing all the way out here?” Ava squeezes me back just as hard.
“Just wanted to see you.” I pull back, noting the rosy flush in her cheeks. She looks better than I do after a night in the wild. “Heard you’ve been busy.”
“Not so much, actually. But once Vanessa shoves this meal down my throat, I’ve got a lot to do.”
Kellan’s already deep in conversation with Marcus, their heads bent together as they discuss whatever important wolf business demands their attention. We’re here to bring meat back to Wolf’s Landing.
“So I heard you caught a moose?”
Ava snorts. “The men caught a moose. I’m just going to help eat it. Want some stew? You look half-frozen.”
On cue, my stomach lets out an embarrassingly loud growl. Ava laughs and loops her arm through mine, leading me toward the tent. The smell of herbs and meat grows stronger with each step.
Inside, Vanessa methodically packs supplies into neat bundles, barely sparing us a glance as we enter the warm space.
“Luxurious,” I observe. Most tents I’ve ever seen camping are small. Not the kind you stand up in.
“It wasn’t bad, but Greg snored all night.”
Warmth welcomes me as Ava has me sit on what appears to be a folded sleeping bag. My muscles protest the movement—I’ll definitely feel this trek tomorrow. But it was worth it. Good to know what these people do every time they go out.
I didn’t realize even my best friend does this every time she goes out to purify the world. Then again, she isn’t really human. She’s long since outmatched me in strength and stamina.
“Here.” Ava hands me a steaming bowl, and the rich aroma makes my mouth water. “Careful, it’s hot.”
I cup the bowl in my hands, relishing the heat against my frozen fingers. “Thanks. So how’s the purifying going?”
“That’s the weird thing.” She settles cross-legged beside me, taking the opportunity to brush her long blonde hair. I guess she hasn’t been up long. “There’s barely been anything to purify.”
Steam rises from my spoon as I blow on it carefully. My brow pinches as I process her words. “Wait, what? How is that possible? You said you’ve been knee-deep in them all week. I think the word you used was drowning in them.”
“I know.” Her blue eyes are troubled as they meet mine, only to break eye contact as she yanks through a particularly gnarly tangle. “It doesn’t make sense. There’s a large patch nearby, though. I wanted to get an early start, but the guys deserved a break after their long night.”