Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
Okay, then.
“Okay, so Sister Miriam might know somethingbut how the hell am I supposed to see her?”
Lisa sighs. “With these overprotective wolves, there’s no way.”
The three of us fall into silence, our one idea already dashed. Lisa stares out the window. Selene rests her head in my lap as I rub her ears.
No matter how I think it through, I can only think of one solution.
“Either I die from my power manifesting without my permission, or I try to figure it out on my own. I don’t have any other option.”
Selene huffs, her mental grumbling vibrating in my ears. Lisa looks doubtful, but all she says is, “How?”
Tugging at Selene’s soft husky ear, I try to think of how I’d accessed it the night of my escape.
Nothing comes to mind.
I was running. Then, I was running faster. It came to me; I never called it.
“Let’s just shelve the topic for now,” I mutter, disappointment heavy and suffocating in my chest. It’s like there’s something squeezing my lungs, constricting my ability to breathe.
Selene lets out a soft chuff of agreement.
Turning my gaze onto her, I study her dog form intently. “Selene, will I ever be able to shift?”
It is possible, she says in that vague way of hers. But we are not bonded in the normal way.
“Okay. How would we do it, then?”
I do not know.
Helpful. “Why am I healing so much faster than I was before? I’ve never had shifterlevel healing.”
Your powers strengthen you. It may mimic a shifter’s rate of healing, but yours comes from the world around you, not from your soul.
Here we go again, with the cryptic words. Frustrated, I pass them on to Lisa, who tilts her head. “So you’re like a druid or something?”
Trust her to find some weird reference. “Druid?”
“Or like a shaman? I’m not sure. Those people who are all connected with the world and the animals, or something. Oh, there are also Fae… Maybe it’s elemental magic. Selene, is elemental magic a thing? Fire, water, air, earth? Like all those weird anime shows people watch these days.”
Elemental magic.
Lisa’s words echo in my head, stirring a whirlwind of memories I’d rather forget. Flashes of my own death assault me, vivid and relentless. The searing agony of being consumed by flames, the crushing pressure of water filling my lungs, the suffocating weight of earth entombing me, and the terrifying sensation of air being ripped from my body.
I shudder, my breath catching in my throat. It’s as if
I’m reliving each horrifying moment, the pain and fear as real as the first time.
Yes, Selene confirms, her voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. Magicians have always been drawn to the elements. It’s a fundamental aspect of their craft.
“So, I’m a fullfledged magician now?” I ask, my voice trembling slightly. The idea seems absurd, like something out of a fantasy novel,
Not quite, Selene replies, her tone pensive. Your connection to the elements is different, more intrinsic.
It’s as if they’re a part of you, woven into the very fabric of your being.
I frown, trying to wrap my head around this new revelation. “What does that even mean?”
It means that you have a profound bond with the world around you, Selene explains patiently. The elements respond to you in a way they don’t to others. It’s a rare and powerful gift.
“Great,” I mutter, sarcasm dripping from my words. “Another thing to make me stand out.”
Lisa reaches oyer and squeezes my hand, offering a sympathetic smile as she listens to vet another recan.
This must be getting old for her (it is for me), and yet she never once complains. “Hey, it’s not all bad. Maybe this is the key to figuring out who you really are.”
I wish I could share Lisa’s optimism, but the weight of this newfound knowledge settles heavily on my shoulders. If what Selene says is true, then I’m not just different from other shifters. I’m different from everyone.
There’s something else you should know, Selene says, her voice taking on a somber note. Your connection to the elements is like a beacon. Other sensitive beings might be able to sense it, to feel the power that lies dormant within you.
My heart sinks at her words. “What does that mean for me?”
It means that you’ll be in danger if you leave the safety of the Westwood pack lands, Selene replies, her tone grave. There are those who would seek to exploit your power for their own gain, or worse, to eliminate you as a threat. Though most shifters lack any true memory of our time as Great Wolves, as Lycans, the instinct is still there… if they’re strong enough.
I slump back against the couch, my shoulders.
drooping under the weight of this revelation. It’s not enough that I’m an outsider among my own kind, or that I’m caught between two powerful alphas—though Clayton has been absurdly kind about giving me the distance I need. Now, I have to worry about being hunted down by god knows who, all because of some mystical connection to the elements that I never asked for.
“I can’t even leave?” I whisper, my voice small and broken. “I’m trapped here, like some kind of prisoner?”
Perhaps for now, for your own protection, Selene says, nuzzling her head against my leg in a gesture of comfort. Until you learn to control your powers, until you can defend yourself, it’s the only way to keep you safe.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, hot and stinging. I blink them back, refusing to let them fall.
I’m stronger. I’ll become stronger yet. I’m not going to cry over this.
“So, what am I supposed to do?” I ask, my voice hoarse with emotion. “Just sit here and wait for someone to come and teach me how to be a magician?”
We’ll figure it out, Selene assures me, her voice filled with a quiet confidence. You’re not alone in this, Ava. You have me, and you have Lisa. We’ll find a way to help you, to keep you safe.
“I just want to be normal,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “I want to be able to live my life without constantly looking over my shoulder, without wondering if the next person I meet is going to try to kill me.”
Shit, I sound like a whining kid.
Lisa wraps her arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug. “I know, sweetie. But you’re not alone in this. We’ll get through it together, one day at a time.”
I lean into her embrace, drawing strength from her presence. It’s a small comfort, but it’s enough to keep me from breaking down completely.
We’ll find a way, Selene repeats, her voice filled with a quiet determination. I promise you, Ava. We’ll find a way to keep you safe, to help you understand your powers.
“Soyour coma. You’d mentioned feeling as though you died a few times. What exactly do you mean by that?” Lisa asks when I finally pull away, composed once more.
I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “It was… intense,” I begin, my voice barely above a whisper. “I died, over and over again. In different ways.”
I swallow hard, the memories flooding back with a sickening clarity. “I was burned alive, drowned, buried, and suffocated. Each time, it felt so real. The pain, the fear… it was like I was actually experiencing it.”
You were, Selene says, her voice echoing in my mind. Your consciousness was trapped in the place between worlds, where Lycan souls rest.
I relay Selene’s words to Lisa, watching as her expression shifts from shock to confusion. “What does that mean? Where is this place?”
It is a realm beyond the physical world, Selene explains, her voice taking on a reverent tone. A place where the souls of our kind go when they are not bound to a physical form. It is a place of great power, but also of great danger.
I shudder at the thought, the weight of Selene’s words settling heavily on my shoulders. “So, I was basically in some kind of shifter purgatory?”
In a sense, yes, Selene confirms, her voice tinged with sadness. Your soul was lost, trapped between life and death. I could sense your presence there, could feel your fear and pain.
“You were the voice I heard,” I whisper, realization dawning on me. Of course she was. Who else would be in my head? “The one telling me to leave, to come back.”
Yes, Selene says, her voice soft and soothing. I couldn’t bear to see you suffer, to watch as your soul was torn apart by the elements. I had to guide you back, to help you find your way home.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, hot and stinging. I blink them back, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “Thank you, Selene. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
You are strong, Ava, Selene assures me, her voice filled with a quiet conviction. Stronger than you know. You would have found your way back, even without my help.
I’m not so sure about that, but I appreciate her faith in me nonetheless. It’s a small comfort, knowing that I have someone in my corner, someone who believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself.
Lisa reaches over and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Ava. I can’t even imagine how terrifying it must have been.”
I nod, unable to find the words to express the depth of my gratitude for her support. Lisa has been a rock for me, a constant source of comfort and understanding in a world that seems determined to tear me apart.
“So, what does this mean for you now?” Lisa asks, her brow furrowed in concern. “If your soul was in th place between worlds, does that mean you’re… different now?”