Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 177

Chapter 177 Ava: Accepting Her Pack

During the few funeral rites Alpha Renard held in Blackwood, he spent a lot of time pontificating. Especially during the rites for his sons.

Here, Lucas says nothing. Does nothing. Only stands there, his arms crossed over his chest, as he watches the pyres burn.

The amount of human bodies decreases as they all take to their wolf forms, standing and waiting. When I glance at Kellan, I can see that unfocused look in his eyes.

Lucas must be talking through the pack link.

That's why it's quiet.

There are wolves to either side of him, and I don't recognize any of them. Then again, I know very few members of the pack.

I'd chafed over that, used it as an excuse to go to the party.

But how much effort had I made to get to know these people?

At every turn, I felt stifled by their regard for me as Lucas' mate.

Did I ever engage the wolves around me in conversation? I don't even know most of their names.

If I can't even get to know the bodyguards sent to keep me safe at the cost of their own lives…

What kind of person doesn't even try, and just complains about her lack of freedom?

If I had gotten to know them, perhaps things would be different. Instead of complaining that I couldn't go anywhere without them, maybe outings would have been fun with them. Maybe the other pack members would have seen me trying to be friends…

Ah.

All those people watching me during training take on a different meaning in my head now.

Who would welcome an aloof wolf into their midst, knowing she's made no effort to assimilate into the pack?

My whining is a sour taste in my mouth, especially knowing that some of those people have now lost their lives because of me.

over the loss of life and injuries, I'd never once put a single one of their lives as a priority. I'd

from us, Selene murmurs, sitting beside me with her ears flat against her skull. I once

in confusion once more, and I stroke a

contact with those burning pyres and the smoke covering the sky in a dense, gray-black

to save Lisa, I whisper back, feeling the tears filling my eyes once more. We cannot lose more people. I don't know what to do. I don't know what's right. But

Selene stiffens. Ava.

me off guard. She's no longer staring toward the bodies burning in front of us.

What is it?

nostrils flaring as she scents the air. I'm not sure. It seems

anything. No one here does, and

and I

amber eyes fiery as they reflect the light of

warm weight, a comfort in

meet mine. Not wanting to cause panic with words, I jerk my thumb

turns in the same direction with

wolf breaks away from

it, I assure Selene, but I can hear her mental whine, as if she's struggling not

too, I offer to her, but she presses her body against my

might focus on my scent,

thought of that. It isn't like every member of the pack is attuned to Selene's

shifts into his massive wolf, larger than any of the others. His fur is so dark it's nearly black, but the flickering light of the funeral pyres highlights the deep brown

fade into the oncoming night. A howl rips from his throat, deep and

wolves join in the lament until the entire area echoes with their song of grief and loss. Tears streak down my cheeks, but I make

fires continue to burn, several wolves break from the pack and lope into the

forms," Kellan murmurs in my ear, his

his amber eyes glowing in the flickering light. The bond between us pulses,

low whine escaping her. Ava,

troubled, her ears still pricked towards the forest. Before I can even respond, Lucas bolts. His powerful legs propel him forward at a monstrous

in the car. Now!" Kellan barks, shoving me none-too-gently

erupts, snarls and growls that sound far too vicious for a simple hunt. Fear claws at my throat. Another fight? "What's

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255