Filed to story: Tangled in Moonlight Unshifted Novel by Lenaleia
But Lisa’s cheer is contagious, and I find myself smiling back at her, the knot in my chest loosening a bit. It’s a relief to see her spirits lifting again after the brutal introduction to shifter training.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Lisa bounces on her toes, eyes sparkling with sudden excitement. “Guess what? We got invited to a party!”
I blink at her, certain I’ve misheard. “A party? Us?” Skepticism colors my tone. After the chilly reception from the Westwood wolves, a party invite seems about as likely as a snowy Independence Day.
“Yes, us!” Lisa links her arm through mine, undeterred, but this time careful not to smack against my injuries. “Chloe invited us. She said it’s like a monthly thing, a chance for the younger wolves to let off some steam.”
Chloe. Tall, willowy, gorgeous. Green eyes, black hair, and a perfect nose. I turn red when I sweat; she does that whole glistening thing, where she just looks sexier after a workout.
I hesitate, doubt niggling at me. Is this a genuine olive branch, or some kind of setup? My experience with my birth pack has made me wary of any overtures of friendship.
But Lisa looks so hopeful, her face open and guileless. She’s been through a lot because of me… maybe a party wouldn’t be the worst thing. A chance to feel normal for a night, to forget about the threats lurking in the shadows.
Assuming we can convince Kellan to let us go, of course.
“When is it?” I ask, throwing concern to the abyss. We have Kellan and multiple bodyguards. It should be fine.
“This Friday.” Lisa gives me a pleading look, sensing my indecision. “Come on, Ava. It’ll be fun! We could both use a break from all this craziness, don’t you think? Maybe get to meet some people, make new friends here? We’ve been in limbo from the beginning. I think it’s time for that to change. It’ll be good for both of us.”
She’s right. We’ve been training nonstop, barely a moment to breathe between sessions. As much as I’d love to be stronger, I’m not sure how many more bruises I can take before I crack.
Go, Selene urges in my mind, her tone encouraging. You’ve earned a night of fun. I’ll keep watch, as always.
Her reassurance settles it. I trust Selene to have my back, even if I can’t fully trust the Westwood wolves.
yet.
“Okay,” I agree, mustering a smile for Lisa. “Let’s do it. Party on Friday.”
Lisa lets out a delighted squeal, squeezing my arm. “Yes! This is going to be amazing, Ava. Just you wait.”
Her enthusiasm buoys me as we head for the showers, chattering about what we might wear and what to expect. For a moment, the weight of my worries lifts, pushed aside by the simple pleasure of making plans with a friend.
But even as I let myself get swept up in Lisa’s excitement, a small, wary part of me can’t help but wonder: Is this party really the innocuous fun it seems? Or is something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
In the showers, I let the hot water pound against my aching muscles, steam rising around me in soothing clouds. Closing my eyes, I lean my head back, letting the spray hit my face.
Stop worrying so much, Selene chides gently. You’re allowed to have fun sometimes, you know.
I know. I sigh, rolling my shoulders under the cascading water. It’s just hard to turn off the paranoia, after everything.
I understand. But trust that I won’t let anything happen to you. And neither will Lucas, or your friend Lisa. You’re not alone in this, Ava.
Selene’s reminder warms me more than the hot water ever could. She’s rightI’m not facing these threats by myself anymore. I have people in my corner now, people who care about me.
The thought bolsters me as I towel off and change into clean clothes, the prospect of the party seeming a bit less daunting.
Lisa waits for me outside the locker room, practically vibrating with anticipation. “This is going to be so much fun,” she gushes as we walk out into the cool evening air. “I can’t wait to let loose a little, maybe have a couple drinks. I’m not sure what a shifter party usually looks like. What should we wear?”
I snort, bumping her hip with mine. “Just don’t go too crazy, party animal. We still have training in the morning.” I’ve never been to one, either, but I’ve been at the tail end of celebrations a few times. It never ended well for me.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Lisa makes a face, but it quickly dissolves into a grin. “But seriously, Ava. I’m really glad we’re doing this together. I know things have been rough lately, but I’m here for you, okay? No matter what.”
Throat suddenly tight, I blink back the sudden sting of tears. “Thanks,/Lise. That means a lot.”
And it does. More than I can put into words. Having Lisa’s unwavering support, her friendshipit’s a light in the darkness, a reminder that even in the midst of all this supernatural insanity, I’m not alone.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, startling both of us. I don’t get that many messages. It’s usually Lucas or Clayton, and they rarely text me until the business day is over.
It’s only thre
The ominous text halts me in place, and Lisa peers over my shoulder.
“A candle?” she asks, confused.
Oh, rightI haven’t spoken to her yet about my revelation of Sister Miriam’s words at our parting. Only
Selene knows.
Catching Lisa’s eye, I give a quick shake of my head and slide the phone into my pocket. Kellan’s in the distance, walking toward us.
Lisa, as quickthinking as ever, grabs onto my arm again and returns to her ruminations about the party. By the time the beta’s near us, his face is thunderclouds and lightning.
“No way,” he announces, before Lisa can even say anything.
Undeterred, Lisa stands straight, toetotoe with him in a way I see far too often. These two will never get along. “I’m not asking, Beta Ashbourne. I’m informing you. Friday will be busy. We’re going to a party.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Stop treating us like prisoners!”
“You aren’t prisoners,” he refutes immediately. “We’re doing our best to keep you safe. A party? That’s not safe.”
“That’s not safe,” she mimics, rolling her eyes. “So, what, we’re going to be stuck in my apartment forever? We can’t live at all? Can’t do anything? Because to me, it sounds like you’re saying Westwood is a bunch of weakass wolves who can’t protect two little girls in their own territory.”
She’s a spitfire, Selene approves, back in my head again. Her marathon must be over.
Every word is, of course, calculated to sting at the beta’s pride. Kellan’s jaw sets in a way that I see far too often these days, and he gives up arguing with Lisa to turn to me, instead. “With the situation at
Blackwood…”
“I agree with Lisa,” Interrupting him before he can continue is the best way. While I’m doing better at standing up for myself, I’m not great at arguing when they bring up good points, like how unnecessary a party might be compared to my life.
It’s not that I disagree. It’s just that I can’t live like this forever, and things need to change.
“You can’t hide me away forever. It’s worse than being home. At least I used to have a job and some freedom there.”
Kellan’s flinch and agonized look bring that familiar feel of guilt to my stomach.
Don’t, Selene says, her voice in my mind soft and soothing. You are not wrong in the words you speak. Do not walk them back. It’s okay to feel the way you do.
If she were with me, I would pet her and hug her with gratitude. But she’s not, so I settle for sending her my intense feelings of love and appreciation through our bond.
Kellan groans, running a hand down his face. “Lucas is going to kill me,” he mutters under his breath, but I catch it anyway.
Exasperation floods through me. “He has no reason to.”
“You’re the alpha’s mate,” Kellan sighs.
That familiar phrase grates against my nerves like sandpaper. “I’m not his mate, Kellan. How many times do I have to say it?”
He looks at me, exasperated. “Denial only goes so far,
Ava.”
Still, that frustrating inability to see me as anything other than my supposed rank. The one they’ve already decided on, despite my own feelings not being clear. I clench my jaw, standing my ground. “No. I’m sick of this. I’m sick of constantly being thought of as his mate instead of being treated like a person. My name is Ava. Not ‘Lucas’s mate. I’m more than just an accessory to him.”
The words pour out of me, heated and sharp. I’m so tired of my identity being tied to a man, a bond I never asked for. First, it was my father and my pack, dictating my every move. Now, it’s Lucas and his pack, treating me like I’m fragile, like I’m someone’s possession. Even Clayton’s people had thought of me as his future mate.
I just want to be Ava. A me without any other consideration. Someone who isn’t judged by the standing of another wolf.
Good, Selene says in my mind, her presence a comforting warmth. Stand up for yourself.
Her support bolsters me, straightening my spine. I meet Kellan’s gaze headon, refusing to back down.
Finally, Kellan holds up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. I’m trusting you to back me up when Lucas loses his mind over this.”
“He won’t,” I say firmly. “Because he knows I’m right. He knows I’m more than just his… whatever I am to him.”
Even as I say the words, doubt curls in my stomach. Lucas and I are complicated. We’re fated mates with an awkward history. The bond between us is undeniable, a living, breathing thing, and I can’t underestimate it. Like that day at the hospital, it will throw me into his arms in an effort to bring us together.
But I’m not going to let it define me. I refuse to let it be the only thing that matters.