Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
“This is the city they went to, right?” Vanessa asks, tapping her finger against the thick parchment.
“Yes. It’s not as large as this one,” and Vester taps at a city sixty miles away, “but it’s a little arther, to throw off anyone searching for us.”
The healer nods thoughtfully. “There are three main interstate highways branching off here, so it’s a good choice. It’s likely that the others went down this highway. It’ll add another hour to their drive back, but should throw off anyone in pursuit, as well. If we send some scouts this way, they might be able to pick them up.”
“My thought as well,” her mate agrees. “But we will have to emphasize stealth. If there are groups searching for supernaturals, they would be able to pick up their scent.”
Awkwardly, I lean forward to interrupt their conversation. “What about scent blockers? Can’t we use those?”
“We can,” Vanessa says with a wry smile. “But we don’t have many, and have no way to replenish our stock. It is better to conserve those for emergencies.”
“So, our scouts are also possibly leading any intruders straight to us?”
Vester’s eyes meet mine, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths. “Of course not.”
His words are reassuring, but a flicker of embarrassment flushes my cheeks. I never once questioned scouts in pack lands. They’ve been around all my life. Now that I’m here and worried about my people, I realize how little I understand.
There’s so much to learn.
But there’s too much at stake for me to wallow in selfdoubt.
“Our scouts are highly trained,” Vester continues, his voice taking on a patient, instructional tone. “They don’t simply run straight lines from point A to point B. They employ a variety of techniques to muddy their tracks.”
Motioning me closer, he gestures to the map, using a finger to mimic what he’s talking about. “False starts, backtracking, twisting patternsthere are a variety of ways to confuse and misdirect any potential pursuers.”
Vanessa nods, adding, “It’s not just about physical movement either. They use natural elements to their advantagestreams, rocky outcroppings, dense foliage. Anything that can disrupt or mask their scent. In pack lands, our scent is everywhere, in a wide radius. It’s impossible to track down the den by scent alone. You’ll have to search every square inch of miles upon miles to find the heart of the pack, even if you knew we were in the general area.”
“Sometimes,” Vester continues, his finger tracing an intricate pattern on the map, “they’ll even split up. creating multiple false trails before reconvening at a predetermined location. It’s a
Ava Accuting Parties wes constant dance of deception. Now, here, where we are, we have limited our radius to avoid exposure. Once you catch our scent, we are easier to find. But you have to know that we are in this small of an area in order to find us. And this town isn’t even on any map. It’s just a private commune, on private land.”
Their explanations make a lot of sense. “And we’re branching out. So, that makes us more likely to be found”
Yes. But our scouts will work in antireconnaissance in order to confuse any potential pursuers.
the worst case scenario, when someone catches their scent, they will have to throw them farther off the trail in different directions. At that point, we cannot have a relay in order to remain in touch with our wolves. They’ll be on their own out there until they make it back home.”
I try to picture it in my mindwolves darting through the wilderness, weaving an invisible tapestry of misdirection. It’s both impressive and slightly dizzying.
“But doesn’t that slow them down?” I ask, genuinely curious. “All that extra movement?”
Vester nods, acknowledging my point. “It does. But the tradeoff in security is worth it. Better to arrive a bit later than to lead enemies straight to our doorstep.”
“How long does it take to train a scout?” I ask, my mind already racing with possibilities. Could I learn these techniques? Would it help me protect the pack better?
Vanessa answers this time, her expression thoughtful. “It varies. Some wolves have a natural aptitude for it, while others take longer to master the intricacies. But generally, we’re looking at months, if not years, of intensive training.”
Years. So, that’s not feasible after all.
“Don’t look so discouraged,” Vester says, clearly reading the doubt on my face. “You learn quicker than you think. And you bring other strengths to the table.”
“Thanks.” But the weight of my inexperience is still frustrating. Glancing at Grimoire, who’s once again in his book form, I wish I could just take all his knowledge and shove it into my mind in a usable format.
Technically, that’s what our bond is.
Yeah, but not really. The knowledge is in his head, not mine. He just relays it to me. And it doesn’t come with understanding.
You have yet to put our bond to work. We can work on some of your magic training later. I’ll show you how much help I can be.
Selene’s mental scoff is loud and clear.
Don’t doubt me, he warns her. I’m the most powerful item in Ava’s arsenal.
I can shred you with one bite. You’re not as powerful as you think you are, she retorts.
-Luna? Ava? Are you listening?”
“Sorry” Shaking my head and imagining I’m shoving their faces out of my head, I blink in
Vanessa’s direction. “They wouldn’t be quiet.
“Mm. Yes, I’m sure there’s a bit of dominance posturing going on between them. The healer glances at Grimoire with a curious frown. “Our wolves aren’t usually great at sharing.”
Thinking of Selene, I nod. “Yeah, that sounds about right.” But this isn’t the time to ponder the relationship between my bonded souls. “How many scout teams have been sent out?”
“Three.” Vester leans back in his chair, looking thoughtful. “Marcus and Delta Ryder are leading two. They are not specialized in scouting, but we have a lack of leaders right now. Thankfully, we do have Ethan Hawke, one of our best scouts. He leads the third.”
Vanessa sighs. “If Jericho ever shows up…”
“Yes. He would be the best option in these situations.”
My heart twists. I haven’t seen Jericho since arriving here, and I’ve avoided asking about him. That’s what we’ve all done. There are many missing faces, and no one mentions their names.
Too many are gone. Too many missing.
My vision blurs as I turn away, desperate to hide the tears threatening to spill over.
Jericho is strong, Selene says quietly. I have faith he has survived somewhere.
I focus on my breathing, willing myself to find composure. Footsteps approach, and a gentle hand rests on my shoulder. Vanessa says nothing, just stands beside me as we both gaze out the window.
Surreptitiously wiping my tears, I ask, “How long before they get here?”
Vester clears his throat. “They should be here within the hour, depending on the back roads taken. Kellan won’t attempt a direct route here.”
A beatup red sedan rolls to a stop. Then the passenger door flies open, and Lisa dashes out.
“Ava!”
I meet her halfway, throwing my arms around her and pulling her close. She’s clammy with sweat, and her hands shake where they rest against my back.
Are you okay?”
mf she says, trying to sound breezy and nonchalant even as her voice shakes. “Just glad to get out of the car.”
Over Lisa’s shoulder, I see Kellan emerge from the driver’s side. He looks grim, with a tightlipped expression of concentration. He nods at me before turning to the back of the car, where the Grand Sage and Elverly are.
“Come on,” I say, tugging gently on Lisa’s arm. “Let’s get inside. We can talk there.”
As we walk, Lisa fills me in on their harrowing escape. Her words are rushed, stumbling over each other, a vivid picture of her fear, even as she throws a few jokes in to lighten the mood.
“Kellan floored it before they reached us, but we left some of them behind.”
“I know. We’re still waiting to hear from them.”
Lisa’s shoulders droop. “I hope they’re okay. If they got hurt because we went there…”
“Hush. It isn’t your fault. Missions are always filled with risk. Now we know someone’s out looking for usor at least people like usand we can plan accordingly.”
I don’t recognize the guards outside my cabin today, but they incline their heads, one of them opening the door when Lisa and I get close.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Luna.”
Lisa settles on the couch beside Selene, yawning as she relaxes against the cushions. My gaze drifts to Aurum, curled up beneath the dining table, and I can’t help but wonder…
“Did you bully him again?” I ask my wolf with suspicion.
Selene’s tail swishes lazily. No. It’s so people don’t see him as easily when they open the door.
I frown, puzzled by her logic. “Why didn’t you just have him sleep on the bed?”