Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
I sigh. It’s to be expected. After the massacre, I can’t blame them. We both know what they’ve seen out of me these past few days.
A child, demanding to be allowed to go out without guards.
Then a Luna missing from the scene, caring only for her own friend.
To them, I have no concern for this pack.
Paternicern fin their alpha
Ain’t about being their charge; it n’t about my safety. To them. Im not worthy orthy of the care Lucas bestows upon me
A filthy Blackwood, just like the rest of them.
.
Until I can prove otherwise, I can’t fight against their disregard.
selene huffs, her tail thumping against the bed in agitation. Their personal feelings shouldn’t affect their job. They’re supposed to protect you, not ignore second. Well, vampires are wellversed in mental muddling. They’re probably not thinking straight.
I nod, acknowledging the validity of her argument. She’s right, of course. The guards’ primary responsibility is to ensure my safety, regardless of their op my agreement.
I know, I tell Selene, my fingers finding comfort in the soft fur behind her ears. But I don’t want to cause a stir. I’ve done nothing to gain their respect, and
Being upset over their feelings doesn’t help me move forward.
This is a situation of my own creation.
At least I can see it now, even if I don’t know how to fix it. How to change things.
There’s always the trutha great way to start.
And if Kellan were here…
I don’t trust these wolves, Selene mutters.
But then my heart constricts. These wolves, these ones I don’t trust, who I’ve even acknowledged as having reason not to trust or respect me they’re my
The pack I’ve chosen.
So, shouldn’t I speak up?
“You won’t find it,” I tell them, as politely as I can manage.
The two who were knocked unconscious for a briefyet long time don’t bother to acknowledge my words. The new guards, the ones from outside the door, glance at each other, nod after a second, and then st
They stand in front of me instead. “What happened?” the one on the right says, and I focus on him. His eyes are a dark, muddy kind of blue hazel, and his face is kind, even if suspicion has his brows drawn together and his stance somewhat standoffish.
“A vampire appeared. Right there.” I point in the general direction Sister Miriam had stood. “She kicked him,” and my finger moves to the taller one, who
“And why would a vampire come see you, Blackwood bitch?” Sister Miriam’s victim snaps, even as his hand touches the undoubtedly sore spot on his he
“Enough, Alex.” MuddyBlue Eyes admonishes him without even glancing in his direction, studying me closely. “What was her intention?”
His words are clipped and terse, but not accusing.
My shoulders relax; I hadn’t even realized I was so tense.
“She left me with a message for Lucas. For the alpha,” I correct myself swiftly. “She said he shouldn’t take so long for the rites next time.”
All four of them are quiet after that, looking at each other with confusion written all over their faces.
“They can’t beturning wouldn’t take so long, would it?” Tallasshole shifter mutters, as the other two look unfocused, presumably reporting to…
Actually, I don’t know who. Do they talk to Lucas directly? Or Kellan? Or someone else?
I hope it’s someone else; I don’t want Lucas or Kellan distracted during their hunt.
Damn, maybe I should have kept quiet a little longer. But I’ve turned over this new leaf of honesty and sharing and relying on allies, and it felt weird to sa
“I wondered the same thing, but she told me it is,” and I raise my hands in the air, curving my fingers as I quote her, “far worse than I’m thinking.’I don’t k
“Fucking bloodsuckers.” Tall Asshole’s friend throws me an uneasy look, both suspicious and holding a good amount of selfpreservative worry. “Did she say anything else?”
Not sure if I should reveal anything about the Mad Prince to them, I shake my head. Once Kellan or Lucas get here, I can explain the rest of it.
Muddy Blue Eyes loses the unfocused stare, scowling at the two guards who’d fallen before Sister Miriam’s appearance. “Alex, Jason, you’re dismissed. Report Mentor. He’s furious, so be prepared to run five miles. Twenty laps around the track might even wake you idiots up. How do you let a vampire into your A
Both of them look startled, and even protest, but Muddy Blue’s partner backs him up with a snarl. “Regardless of how you feel about her, she’s our future Luna. You’re a failure if you can’t see the priorities in fro nose.”
“She’s a Blackwood-” Alex protests, his face red and fists clenched at his side.
“Alpha rejected her-“Jason follows up, not as upset as Alex but still with the air of someone being unfairly punished.
Muddy Blue Eyes cuts them off, his words rumbling with authority. “If Alpha had rejected her, would he be bending over backward for her every time we turn around? Think with your fucking heads, you idio even think with the two brain cells you have. Get the fuck out of here.”
Muddy Blue Eyes turns back in my direction, and while I can’t sense any sort of real respect or care, he at least reclaims a professional air when he addresses me.
Before he can ask anything important, I have an odd, niggling little bug in my car from what he’d said a few moments ago. “Five miles around the track is
1what? His confusion is clear in his wrinkled brow and hesitation. “Yes. Twenty laps.”
“Not twelve?”
“No. It’s twenty. Four laps to a mile
My memory is very clear of my torture during training, and I know that can’t be right. “Jericho told us to run five miles, and it was always twelve laps.”
“BetaMentor Ashbourne?” MuddyBlue Eyes looks astonished, his brows rising. “Only twelve laps? Are you sure?”
“Positive. He had us count them. The memory of my jellolegs after each lap have me shuddering. “It was torture.”
“Torture? She’s been blessed by the Moon Goddess for his favor, and she calls it torture,” Muddy Blue Eyes’ partner mutters, looking out the window and bringing his hand to his lips in a gesture of faith I’ve seen often in Westwood, but almost never in
“Pertaps Beta Mentor Ashbourne oft on newbies? I suggest soft and Muddy Blue Eyes shakes his head in a firm negative. Then ! pause, rolling that name over in my head. “Wait. Ashbourne… isn’t that Kellan’s family n
“Beta Mentor Jericho is Beta Kellan’s father, Muddy Blue Eyes confirms. “When he stepped down as beta to focus on training young wolves, Beta Kellan
Ah.
The odd feeling between them now makes sense. It doesn’t seem like a favorable fatherson connection, somehow.
“I see.” In a few minutes, I’ve learned more about the man who spent ages training me and Lisa for hours every day than I did. when he was training us.
Another eyeopening experience.
Thinking of how he cut our laps nearly in half, instead of forcing us to run the full five miles while Lisa and I bemoaned every mile, thinking we were really running five milesI rub my thighs, fighting against the remembered aches and pains.
The cantankerous old man’s ranking in my heart rises significantly.
Five real miles might have actually killed us.
“He’s very kind,” I say after a while, realizing both men seem to be waiting on some sort of response.
The other two have long since left, and I shift uncomfortably on the bed. It seems their constant presence has been replaced with these two, which somehow makes everything worse.
At least the other ones hated me and I didn’t feel obligated to try and strike up conversation with them.
These two…
I’ve seen them before. I know they’ve guarded Lisa’s apartment more than once.
And I don’t even know their names