Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
“Ave. Ave?”
“Sorry, I’m here.”
“Look, I’m going to get my shit together to run off into the sunset with you. Don’t even try to tell me no. I miss you, and I’m not going to leave you here with your shitty family and your shitty pack. Why don’t we try for New York?”
New York…
The idea makes me smile.
But then I wonder how Selene would ever find me there.
If she makes it here and I’m gone, how will she find me?
Though she found ma in tha Aanan Daak tarritaru an she must have a way to track me. It’ll be okay. She’ll find me.
I take a deep breath. “Okay. We’re going to need money. Don’t you know someone who makes fake IDs? We’re going to need some of those, too.”
“No problem. Do you want to go back to where you were, or do we want to lay low somewhere else?”
I think of Mrs. Elkins, and everyone in Cedarwood.
I want to go back more than I can explain.
“I can’t. Not until I know it’s safe. It’ll be the first place they look.” Because they think I’m mated to Clayton.
“Then I’ll figure out somewhere for us to go. When are we going to meet? Where?”
“I don’t know yet. I have to find a way to get out of here. You’d never make it onto pack lands, so I have to somehow get away first.”
“That’s fine. I’ll get cash. Ooh, maybe I can convince Dad to get me a new car. Something they can’t trace so easily.”
Lisa’s taking this seriously, but I can hear the excitement in her voice. To her, running from here is going to be an adventure. She doesn’t understand…
She hasn’t seen what I have.
She doesn’t know what I know.
This is nothing like in the books or stories.
My brother brought a gun when he came to bring me home.
My sister wants to kill me.
These aren’t normal things good, lawabiding humans deal with.
“We’ll figure it out,” I say again, trying to infuse confidence into my voice. “This is my sister’s phone, so just save it in case I call from it again.”
“Your sister? I thought she hates you.”
“Well, we’re temporarily united in a common goal,” I say dryly, hyperaware of Jessa’s presence in the other room. I’m sure she’s listening to every word. “If I give any kids to our alpha, my brother’s not going to be the alpha anymore.”
“Oh, shit. Your brother is going to be alpha? Wait, then can’t we just kill the old one and let him take over?”
I cover the mouth of the phone, as if that’s somehow going to stop Jessa from hearing what’s coming out of it. “Shh,” I hiss. “You need to be careful saying things like that.”
“I’m just saying, it’s probably what they’d do on TV.”
“TV isn’t real life, Lise,” I groan.
“Okay, okay. I know. But are you okay right now, Ava?”
“I’m fine. I’m better than I was. Everyone’s just kind of ignoring me. I’m always under guard.” It’s nice when Jessa’s here, because they aren’t outside. Jessa’s stronger than any of the guards they’ve assigned to guard me.
“Are you going to be able to do it? You know, get out of there?”
I look in the direction of the living room. All my hopes are pinned on Jessa and Phoenix. Even if they aren’t doing it for me, having them on my side, even temporarily, is my best bet by far.
“Yeah.”
And just like that… Welcome to season two, wherein Ava does all sorts of things, or something…
Thank you all for continuing to support me. Please enjoy!
Lenaleia
Creator’s Thoug
Every day that passes is a slight uptick in my stress level. Mom and Dad are never home, busy with something. I haven’t seen Phoenix since the day we spoke in the kitchen. And Jessa has been less than receptive over talking about future plans with me.
The fragile alliance feels like it’s crackling away beneath my fingers, like old paper that disintegrates with the faintest touch.
So when Phoenix comes by without Jessa around, dismissing my guards, my heart jumps into my throat. It’s hard to swallow the water I’d just sipped out of one of mom’s coffee mugs.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” Phoenix looks me over, rubbing his left brow in a mannerism that’s new to me. “They’re planning the mating ceremony for next week. Mom’s in charge.”
“Oh.”
What else is there to say? We all knew it was coming.
It’s odd how peace flows through me at the announcement. It’s like my body understands that I’m either going to escape or die trying, because there’s no way in hell I’ll ever let Alpha Renard near me like that.
“Have they sent you to the healer yet?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t heard a word about any of this.”
Phoenix sits at the kitchen table, so I sit across from him, setting my glass of water aside. The tightness in my throat makes it too hard to swallow. “How much do you know about the pack situation, Ava?”
My lips quirk up into a mocking smile. “How often do you think people inform me about anything, Phoenix?”
He nods slightly, acknowledging my words but otherwise unmoved by them. It’s just a clear indicator that he’s only here for his own interests. Despite everything, he’s not here to save his sister. He’s not here to care about me, or what happens to me.
He just wants to keep his position safe.
My heart hurts, even around the walls I’ve built to keep it safe.
“Alpha Renard sent Jessa to the Westwood territory, under the guise of attending college. His plan was for her to mate with the beta or another highranking shifter in the pack, but Westwood sent her back home, closing the boundary to all shifters from our pack.”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Was this before or after Lucas suddenly decided to come to me with apologies?
All of his actions feel somehow tainted. Was it all pack politics?
But Phoenix doesn’t give me a moment to process as he continues, “Westwood’s been accusing us of attacking their wolves at the border, but all their investigation has proven is that they’re being attacked by rogue wolves.”
Ah. Now the conversation between him and Dad makes sense.
“Now, we have rogues encroaching on our side, attacking our scouts. The Council’s kept their paws off for now as there is no clear evidence of a war brewing between each pack.” His brown eyes, cold like Dad’s, bore into mine. “That’s what’s kept peace here so far.
This has been going on for a year or more, and we have managed to avoid any largescale conflicts between either packs.”
I nod to indicate that I understand, even as I’m confused he’s telling me all of this.
“But Westwood’s aggressiveness has increased since the Lunar Gala. Why?”
My entire body stiffens.
“We have reports that you were with him in the garden, and he left in anger. What did you tell him,
Ava?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. I didn’t know who he was, and he was flirting with me. Once he found out my name, he left.” I hide the rest of the truth. There are things none of these people need to know.