Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Margot’s warning slams into me, and I curse myself for not remembering sooner. “Kellan, Margot mentioned something abo a vampire at Blackwood whe
Kellan curses under his breath and pulls out his phone, punching i a number. “Vester? Is everything okay there? Any sign of a vampire?” He’s silent for a
He ends the call and glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Vester says everything is peaceful in Blackwood, but he’s sending his men out. You think the
My heart sinks like a stone.
“I don’t know,” I admit, hating how little information I have to giv “I got the impression it was a vampire that had business with Blackwood, not necessarily
Kellan’s brows shoot up. “How do you know about the Mad Princ I stumble over my words, not sure how much to explain. Only Lucas knows about Siste
But that doesn’t seem right.
It’s Kellan. He wants Lisa back as much as I do. He’s kept me safe : all costs. He was there when Lucas pulled me out of my parents’
home.
I can’t stop holding everyone at a distance. He’s an ally I can lean on. Just like Vanessa tried to explain to me.
“It’s a long story, but there’s a vampire who was working with Blackwood. The one who sent the letter here. Sister Miriam? I met with her, and she told me that the Mad Prince is the one who took
Lisa.”
Kellan grunts. “That explains the lead Lucas brought me.”
We’ve reached the alpha lodge. Kellan parks the car and turns to face me fully, his face grave.
“Ava, I know you’ve fought being brought here before, but we weren’t prepared-“
“It’s fine. I’m not going to fight you guys anymore.” I meet his gaze with more confidence than I feel, as my heart tremors in my chest.
“Our pack has lost too many lives because I was being stubborn. I never want that to happen again.”
He watches me in silence before giving a sharp nod. “Good. I’m going to hunt down this motherfucker. You’ll have two guards with you in the room, two o you don’t leave your room. Do you understand?”
LUCAS
Hundreds of wolves flood the forest in search of the elusive vampire, filling my blood with the lust of the hunt and pride in my pack.
Ava’s at the lodge and safe. I’m on my way. Kellan’s mental voice is a welcome interruption.
Ryder scented him near the border of the human dairy farm. Take a team and move south, in case he’s fucking with his trail.
Got it, Alpha.
Now that I don’t have to worry about her safety, I can focus on this bastard who has the balls to come to our lands during this sacred time.
My wolf snarls, a vicious rumble deep in our shared chest as we race through the shadowed forest.
Moonlight weaves between the trees, illuminating the underbrush in random patterns, brushing against my dark fur as I weave between ancient trunks.
All around me, howls rise into the night sky. It’s an eerie symphony of bloodlust, feral and free, as we rush through the land in pursuit, ready to tear any v
The pack’s rage pulses through me, mingling with my own, until I can’t distinguish where mine ends and theirs Begins.
Good. Let them feel the depth of my wrath, the seething maelstrom that demands vengeance and blood in price for the eighteen wolves I’ve lost.
I inhale deeply, seeking past the earth and trees, far past the past the warm musk of my wolves racing alongside me. There. A trace of sweetness, cloyin cold, shot through with the metallic tang of old blood. Death given form.
Vampire.
A vicious growl tears from my throat. My blood surges as I lunge in the direction of that unholy scent. My paws devour the distance, powerful muscles fle of the chase.
Kellan, take your team northwest. Scent leads that wa way.
Even my mental voice sounds more beast than man, roughened by the intensity of my focus. I sense Kellan’s acknowledgment, feel him gathering the w trail.
Ryder, swing your group around to flank from the east. Box the bastard in..
We’ll catch this undead filth that dared to invade my territory, dared to threaten and kill my people. And when we do…
My lips peel back from gleaming fangs in a silent snarl. When we do, I’ll tear his fucking head from his shoulders and mount it on a pike for all to see. A w
Alpha, I’ve got the scent near the perimeter! Sabine, one of my hunters, her excitement bleeding through the mindlink.
As do 1, Ryder cuts in, his mental presence sharp with confusion. But it’s… to the south. Opposite direction from Sabine.
A cold thread of unease winds through my gut. South should lead them away from the trail, not…
Picking up the scent by the human farms. Kellan again, terse and grim. Miles from the original trail. What the fuck?
More voices crowd the pack link, wolves reporting contact with the same sickly sweet vampire stench in different locations. Scattered throughout our territory like a web of dark corru
I slow my headlong charge, a low growl building in my chest. This isn’t right. It’s too spread out, too perfectly placed at the edges of our land. Almost like
Fuck.
A snarl of frustration rips from my throat. I should have seen it immediately. Multiple trails, each leading in opposite directions- it’s a ploy. The leech is try
The unease solidifies into a leaden weight in my stomach, a gnawing sense that we’re missing something vital. Being played for fools by a cunning monster who knows exactly how to manipulate our instincts.
I halt in a small clearing, my sides heaving as I cast out with all my senses. Straining for any sign of the vampire’s actual location amid the chaos of false packlink like a whip. We’re being loved with. Ryder, Kellan, take a group each and sweep through the area.
Snarls of protest and bloodthirsty tage batter against my mind, but I shut that connection down with ruthless efficiency. I understand. my wolves’ frustratio
I will not be goaded. I will not be ruled by base instinct when the lives of my pack are at risk. Grinding my fangs together, I turn sharply and begin loping
Ava.
Hunt, my wolf snaps. Rend them. Don’t be a fool.
Every inch of me rebels at running from this fight, at showing weakness to our foe. But this is a battle of wits, not claws and fangs. The vampire wants to throw us off balance, divide our focus so he can slip through our defenses.
There’s only one thing he wants.
Ava.
I won’t allow it.
As I race through the nightshrouded forest, the simmering unease crackles into a sense of foreboding so intense it borders on dread.
A vampire openly taunting us, attacking my people on a sacred night of mourning… it speaks to a level of arrogance, of complete. disregard for our stren
It’s been over a century since the last conflict between wolf and vampire. What does this vampire have behind him, to believe he can handle what this brings to his door?
This creature is planning something. Something terrible and bloody and brutal. I can’t shake the sinking feeling that we’re already three steps behind.
Dancing to a tune of death and madness composed by a mind that knows neither mercy nor fear.
Selene lies curled in a patch of moonlight, her head resting on her tail, eyes closed. Her presence usually brings me comfort, but even she can’t soothe t
The room feels more like a prison than a sanctuary, the air thick with unspoken animosity. I glance out the window again, searching the darkness for any
Nothing, of course.
They’re miles away.
Their howls fill the air, raising the hair on my arms and the back of my neck.
It takes time, Selene murmurs, her eyes still closed as she basks in the moonlight.
She looks as relaxed as can be, but the edge in her mental voice tells me otherwise.