Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 227

Chapter 227 Lucas: War Is Here (II)

Knowing Ava is relatively safe, even if I have to rely on strangers to keep her that way, lifts a giant boulder of worry from my shoulders.

My wolf, of course, paces in the back of my mind, snapping at the air, frustrated with me. With her. With everything.

She's too far, he growls. We should be with her, not here.

The same complaints I've heard since I let her return to Blackwood. It's like a madness in my mind, the desire to rush to her side and drag her back home, damn the consequences.

The only reason he kept quiet during the Council's visit is because he didn't want any of those alphas near her. He's still upset over Clayton, though our wolves seemed to have reached some sort of truce between us.

The fact that Clayton's given way with such grace probably helps.

Alpha, there's another group of wolves moving in from the southwest. I've dispatched scouts to check on them, but I have a feeling that these are Whispering Pines wolves, not rogues. Ryder's voice intrudes on my musings, quieting my wolf for a moment.

Got it.

Frustrated, I rub my hands over my face. The Council had met one last time, to work over the logistics of moving forces and how to handle the distribution of our fighters and leaders to avoid conflict. Instead, Alpha Talon had come in with a declaration that the Council had overstepped, throwing a verbal bomb into the middle of an already volatile situation.

With the suspicious timing of multiple rogue wolf raids on my people mere hours after he denounced the Council and said his pack would no longer be a part of tyranny, we've had no rest.

It's like a leaking boat, only we can't find the damn leaks.

I shove my phone into my pocket, my jaw clenched tight, as I head for the large office where the Council has been meeting. My wolf paces restlessly in my mind, agitated by the distance from Ava and the looming threats.

catches the light as she leans over the large map spread across the table. She looks up, greeting me with a polite nod, but I can see the exhaustion etched into the lines of

pack of scouts has been sent to the

table, I glance over the map. "My Delta's informed me. So far, no news from

and I feel a growl building in my chest as

I mutter,

Lucas, there's no going back. This

of Alpha Talon burns in my gut. I'd never trusted the man, but this level of betrayal is more than

asks, her keen

but this is beyond what I thought him capable of. I never thought he would side with

border between our territories on the map. "I can't in good conscience approve

gaze with a hard stare. "If

tension. Alpha Twilight Ridge holds my gaze, neither backing down nor rising to the challenge. After a long moment,

she says softly. "Twilight Ridge won't abandon Westwood in your time of

accepting her words without comment. She turns back

"I wonder what he did to get into Alpha Talon's head. What could have swayed him so

more than a disguise for his greed for power. He's always wanted more,

me, her eyes sharp. "And

distracted, he probably thinks he can make a move. Expand his territory, maybe even challenge for leadership of the Council.

gamble," she muses. "If he fails,

more than he's ever had," I counter.

back of my mind, urging action, demanding we protect what's ours.

Alpha Twilight Ridge asks,

trace the path from Whispering Pines to our borders, my mind working through strategies. "We wait for confirmation from the scouts. If it is Talon's wolves, we move to intercept them before they can breach our territory. I won't give him the advantage of striking first. But something's fishy

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

Comments ()

0/255