Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 97 Ava: Life in Westwood (II)

"Ava, Lisa, this is Jericho. He's one of our most experienced enforcers and will be overseeing your training."

Kellan's introduction hangs in the air as I take in the man before me. Jericho's weathered face is a tapestry of scars, each one a story etched into his skin. His eyes, a piercing blue, seem to see right through me, assessing and calculating in equal measure, his scarred lip curling in disdain.

I force myself to stand tall, to meet his stare head-on.

"These are the whelps I'm meant to train? They look like they'd snap in a stiff breeze."

Kellan's jaw tightens. "Jericho, mind your tongue. Ava and Lisa are under the Alpha's protection. You will treat them with respect."

Jericho snorts, a harsh sound in the tense air between us.

The shifter's lip curls, exposing yellowed teeth. "Respect is earned, not given. They live or die by their own strength, not mine. If they can't handle it, that's not my problem."

"They're under our Alpha's protection," Kellan grits out again, his patience clearly fraying. "You just need to train them. Help them learn to defend themselves."

The shifter snorts, a harsh, derisive sound that sets my teeth on edge. "Defend themselves? Look at them, barely more than pups. Soft. Weak." He spits the words like they're poison on his tongue. "What's the point?

be dead within

voice low and dangerous. "Ava and Lisa's wellbeing is of the utmost importance to Alpha Lucas. If anything happens to them under your watch,

he might argue, his scarred face twisting with disdain. But then he shrugs, a casual roll of his shoulders that does nothing to dispel the tension crackling in the

cuts him off with a

I alone with our new mentor. Jericho eyes

he grunts, something like approval in his

hand finding mine and squeezing. I glance at her, seeing my own apprehension reflected in her eyes. Whatever training Jericho has in store

about my life has been pleasant lately. I squeeze Lisa's hand

"We're ready," I tell him, my

our bodies like he's looking for weak spots

see it myself, but orders are orders." He stops in front of me, his

do to survive," I say, my voice steady despite the fear thrumming through my veins. "I'm not afraid

throwing fists, girl. It's about instinct, about being willing to do whatever it takes to

voice only wavering slightly as she says, "I may not

real world, it's kill or be killed. And right now, I wouldn't bet on either of you lasting more than a minute in

for the realities of this new world I've found myself in. But I refuse to let him see my

don't quite feel. "Show us how to survive. We're not afraid to learn, to do whatever

of." He takes a step