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."

his father with a cool nod, a wordless exchange passing between them. They're both

to Jericho, his brow

Miriam's appearance, her cryptic warning, the oddly incapacitated guards. Lucas's face darkens with each word,

trust her," he snarls, pacing the room like a caged

mutters under his breath, "Raised

wince at the harsh words, but I can't deny the truth in them.

his

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

"How can

gaining strength. "She's cryptic and frustrating, but I don't believe she's our enemy.

"Ava's right. We can't afford to make assumptions. We

out of Lucas, and his shoulders sag a little beneath the weight of this past week. Running a hand through

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

"Jesus, Dad, not now—"

a low growl rumbling from his chest.

beneath the surface as Kellan stiffens, his shoulders squaring. He meets his father's

his own power flaring to life. "Enough," he commands, his voice ringing

lingers, simmering just beneath the surface. One day, I'll learn more about this history between

furrowed. "What do you mean, we're too complacent? We've been

as porous as a sieve, and

powers, and you do nothing to learn about them. Just throw more guards around and

suggest?" Lucas asks, his

slides to me, a calculating gleam in his eye. "You need to use every resource at your disposal. Including the ones you're not comfortable