Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 185 Ava: Can't Sacrifice the Pack for One Person

"I don't mind sacrificing my life for Lisa's. But I can't sacrifice this pack for her. I'm struggling to know how to juggle these feelings."

The truth has my shoulders sagging, but he only nods.

"Responsibility will always be a shackle to your decisions. It's a good lesson to learn."

"Better if I'd learned it before lives were lost," I mutter, full of self-deprecation.

"Sit up straight," Jericho snaps, his voice cracking like a whip. "Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't help anyone."

My spine stiffens even as I flinch, scrambling to obey the older wolf before my brain catches up to his demands.

Training is a scary thing.

Selene's ears perk up, and his head swivels toward the door. A few seconds later, I hear the thud of approaching footsteps. Jericho grunts, "That alpha sure took his sweet time."

The door bursts open, and Lucas strides in, Kellan at his heels.

Lucas's amber eyes lock onto me, wild and desperate, and he rushes to my side. His hands skim over my arms, my face, as if reassuring himself I'm unharmed.

"Are you okay? Did the vampire hurt you?" His words tumble out in a frantic rush, even though I'm sure he's been informed of my safety several times.

"I'm fine," I assure him, catching his hands in mine. "Nothing even happened to me."

with a cool nod, a wordless exchange passing between them. They're both stiff and standoffish, staying

his brow furrowed. "What

appearance, her cryptic warning, the oddly incapacitated

pacing the room like a caged predator.

breath, "Raised an impulsive beast,

the truth in them. Lucas

his weakness when I'm

I say softly, reaching for Lucas's hand. "Sister Miriam's motives are unclear, but I don't

flashing. "How can you say that? With this

hasn't," I argue, my voice gaining strength. "She's cryptic and frustrating, but I don't believe she's

attention. "Ava's right. We can't afford

fight drains out of Lucas, and his shoulders sag a little beneath the weight of this past week. Running a hand through his hair, he growls, "I know. I just—fuck. These damn bloodsuckers keep

a thousand times, never become complacent in the power of the pack. Get too proud, and you'll be brought

"Jesus, Dad, not now—"

curls as he eyes Kellan, a low growl rumbling from

tension, their wolves bristling beneath the surface as Kellan stiffens, his shoulders squaring. He

own power flaring to life. "Enough," he commands, his voice ringing with authority. "We don't have time

the surface. One day, I'll learn more about this history between them,

mean, we're too

head. "High alert? You call this high alert? Your borders are as porous as a sieve, and you're letting

do nothing to learn about them. Just throw more guards around and hope it

do you suggest?" Lucas asks, his jaw

gaze slides to me, a calculating gleam in his eye. "You need to use every resource at your