Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Two women I don’t recognize flit between the injured, their hands steady as they tend to wounds. Their faces are grim, etched with determination and exhaustion. I’m rooted to the spot, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of suffering before me.
Ryder’s voice breaks through my shock. “I apologize for the mess, Dr. Blackwell. We’re still setting up after our… retreat.
The hesitation in his voice speaks volumes. This wasn’t a planned withdrawal; it was a desperate escape.
The Grand SageDr. Blackwell now, I remind myselfwaves off the apology. “No need for that. We’re here to help, after all.”
Ryder nods, but his eyes narrow slightly. “Speaking of which, how did you get here? Our communications have been down, and we’ve had scouts watching the roads.”
I tense, waiting for our cover to be blown. But the Grand Sage merely clears his throat, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Ah, well, that’s a trade secret, I’m afraid. Proprietary technology and all that.”
Ryder doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t press the issue. Instead, he leads us to a battered kitchen table, pulling out his phone. “Well, whatever your methods, we’re glad you’re here. This is my phone. Mia, Chloe, hand yours over too.”
Chloe, the taller girl with striking green eyes, immediately reaches into her pocket and places her phone on the table. Mia, however, hesitates. Her red hair seems to bristle with suspicion as she eyes the Grand Sage.
“How do we know we can trust him?” Mia demands, her voice sharp with fear and frustration. “We don’t even know this guy, and now we’re just handing over our only means of communication?”
Ryder’s eyes flash dangerously. “Mia, he growls, his voice low and threatening. “Do as you’re told. Now.”
The command in his voice is palpable, and I find myself shrinking back instinctively. Mia’s shoulders slump in defeat, and she reluctantly places her phone on the table with the others.
The Grand Sage gathers up the devices, his movements calm and assured. “You three will be fine for now,” he says, his voice soothing. “I’ll look into the problem and see what I can do.”
As he speaks, his eyes meet mine for a brief moment. There’s a glimmer of something there- reassurance, perhaps, or maybe a warning. I can’t quite tell, and it does nothing to settle the unease churning in my gut.
I glance around the room, taking in the tense faces of the wolves. They’re injured, cut off from communication, and now relying on the help of a stranger.
A stranger who isn’t who he claims to be.
I really hope shit doesn’t hit the fan.
As the Grand Sage examines the phones, I drift toward one woman tending to the injured. She looks up as I approach, her eyes tired but kind.
“Can I help?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
She nods gratefully, handing me a roll of bandages. “Start with him,” she says, gesturing to a young man with a nasty gash on his arm. “Clean the wound, then wrap it tightly.”
I kneel beside the injured shifter, my hands shaking slightly as I work.
He hisses in pain as I apply antiseptic, and I murmur an apology. His eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of pain and gratitude. In that moment, I realize it doesn’t matter why I’m here or how I got here. What matters is that I’m here now, and I can help.
It’s so much better than sitting around mindlessly, not knowing what to do with my life. First as a prisoner, then as an escapee under the Grand Sage’s tutelage.
This is the first thing I’ve actively chosen to do, of my own volition, in so long
As I continue to tend to the wounded, I keep one ear on the conversation at the kitchen table. The Grand Sage is speaking in low tones with Ryder, their words too quiet for me to make out. But from the furrowing of Ryder’s brow and the tight set of his jaw, I can tell the news isn’t good.
Mia paces nearby, her agitation palpable. At one point, she reaches for her phone, only for her hand to be slapped away by Ryder.
“Calm down, Mia. We’ve worked with Dr. Blackwell before. He’s trustworthy.”
“Sorry, Delta.” She cradles her hand to her chest, stepping away from the desk with an air of chagrin.
Mia’s attitude is odd. I mean, I get being wary of strangers, but Dr. Blackwell isn’t exactly a stranger to them, is he? Ryder seems to trust him, at least.
And yet, there’s something about the way Mia’s eyes dart around the room, the tension in her shoulders, that sets off alarm bells in my head. It’s like she’s waiting for something to happen, something bad. 2
Chloc, meanwhile, stands still as a statue, her eyes fixed on the Grand Sage’s hands as he works on their phones. The tension in the room is so thick I could cut it with a knife.
Chloe stands still as a statue, her eyes fixed on the Grand Sage’s hands as he works on their phones. The tension in the room is so thick I could cut it with a knife.
It’s only then that I see Chloe’s not as calm as she’s pretending to be. Her fingers are clenched into her palms, tight enough for blood to drip to the ground beneath her.
Strange.
LISA
Eventually, there’s nothing else I can help the nurses with, and I wander back to the table. It’s been hours. We came to the farmhouse in the early morning, and now it’s well past noon. Aside from a few packages of crackers and some water from the sink, my belly’s empty.
My stomach growls. The crackers and water did little to satisfy my hunger.
The Grand Sage speaks to Ryder, his voice low but clear. “The problem isn’t with the individual phones. They’re fine, but the networks are all corrupted. They aren’t communicating properly. From what I can tell, it’s all hacked. Someone’s taken control.
“So…” Ryder takes his phone with a sigh. “It won’t be fixed anytime soon.
“Correct.
The Grand Sage hands Chloe and Mia back their phones. The two women exchange a glance before leaving after a brief word from Ryder. Something about their interaction feels off, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
While the Grand Sage and Ryder continue discussing, curiosity gets the better of me. I slip outside, thankful that I’m not particularly noticeable.
A cool breeze brushes against my cheeks as I watch Chloe part ways with Mia. To my surprise, Chloe doesn’t head back to wherever she came from. Instead, she steps behind a nearby building.
I frown, inching closer. What is she doing?
From my vantage point, I can see Chloe tapping away at her phone. It’s strangedidn’t the Grand Sage just explain that no cell phones are getting a signal? Yet here she is, acting like everything’s normal.
My heart races as I watch her bring the phone to her ear. I strain to hear what she’s saying, but she’s too far away. I take a step closer, leaves crunching under my feet.
Chloe’s head snaps up, and I duck behind a bush. When I peek out again, she’s ending the call, her movements quick and furtive.
Something’s not right here.
I make my way back to the farmhouse, my mind whirling. As soon as I spot the Grand Sage, I sidle up to him, keeping my voice low. “I just saw something strange, I murmur, relaying what I witnessed outside.
The Grand Sage nods, his expression tense. “I’ve already reported the matter to the delta,” he says, his eyes darting around the room.
I follow his gaze, noticing for the first time that Ryder’s no longer here. The room feels emptier now, with only the injured and the nurses remaining-
The Grand Sage catches my eye again, tapping on his wrist. I glance down at the bracelet he gave me earlier, confusion clouding my thoughts. What is he trying to tell me?
Before I can ask, the air is rent with shouts. My blood runs cold as I recognize the sounda sound that’s now devastatingly familiar to me.
Battle cries.
y veins.
My stomach twists, fear and adrenaline coursing through my
In an instant, the Grand Sage and Elverly are at my side. Their hands close around my arms, and I’m being hustled out the back door of the farmhouse. “That was faster than I expected,” he mutters. “I thought we had a few more hours.”
“You expected this?”
“Once I saw her phoneyes.
We rush towards the barn, our fect pounding against the earth.
As we clear the building, I can’t help but look back. The sight that greets me is like something out of a nightmare. All around, ablebodied shifters are locked in combat with a seemingly endless stream of attackers. But it’s not their opponents that make my breath catch in my throat -it’s where they’re coming from.
A shimmering portal hangs in the air, defying all logic and reason. People pour out of it, weapons. raised and faces contorted with rage. It’s like watching the world tear at the seams, reality giving way to something I can’t even begin to comprehend.
“Keep moving!” Elverly’s voice snaps me back to the present.
I tear my eyes away from the battle and focus on putting one foot in front of the other.
My heart pounds in my ears as I push my legs to their limit, sprinting towards the barn. The Grand Sage and Elverly flank me, their urgency palpable in the air. We burst through the barn doors, and for a split second, I think we’re safe.
But then I hear it. The Grand Sage’s sharp intake of breath, followed by a string of muttered curses. I whirl around, my eyes widening in horror as I see what’s caused his distress.
Vampires. At least half a dozen of them, racing towards us with inhuman speed. Their faces are twisted into snarls, fangs glinting in the dim light.
“Hurry!” The Grand Sage’s voice cracks like a whip, snapping me out of my terrified trance. “Into the safe room, now!”