Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 277 Lisa: Kellan

After the third time I stumble while walking, the naked shifter stares at me with a curled lip.

"Why are humans so weak?" he asks, his tone grating on my already frayed nerves.

I bristle at his words. Who does he think he is? "None of your business," I snap, surprising myself with the venom in my voice. Jericho said I do pretty well for a human, thank you very much. I'm just weakened.

I'll get back into shape and then wipe that cocky stare off his face on the mat.

Though, I have yet to have a legitimate win without any handicaps during our training spars… But a girl can dream, damn it.

The shifter's eyebrows shoot up, clearly taken aback by my sass. He peers at me more closely, his brow furrowing. "Do I know you?"

Before I can answer, he leans in, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs at me. I recoil, but he's already pulling back, a puzzled expression on his face.

"You don't have much of a scent," he says, sounding perplexed.

I catch the Grand Sage's eye, noticing a mischievous twinkle there. The bracelet must mess with my scent, too. It bolsters my courage for some reason. "That's because humans like to shower," I retort, my chin jutting out defiantly.

The shifter's eyes narrow. "You don't smell like you've showered recently."

My jaw drops. Did he really just say that? The audacity! I'm about to unleash a tirade on this insensitive jerk when a bone-chilling growl cuts through the air.

My heart leaps into my throat as a massive reddish-brown wolf emerges from nowhere, its teeth bared and hackles raised. Without thinking, I stumble backward, instinctively seeking shelter behind the naked shifter.

Bad move.

wolf's growl intensifies, the sound reverberating through my chest. I can feel the naked shifter stiffen in front of me,

at the animal, nearly losing my balance in the process. The naked shifter holds up his hands once I've been sacrificed, a look

bounds forward, placing itself between me and the other shifter. Its massive jaws

to the ground, bellies pressed to the earth in submission. The air crackles with tension, and I find myself frozen in place, caught between

strong," the Grand

to back away or stand still. Which is less likely to get the wolf's attention? It seems angry. I don't want to be within bite range of an angry shifter. Especially

make sense soon," he assures me, looking for all the world as fascinated as a woman

to get between me and

visage of a growling apex predator, he gestures in my direction.

Excuse me?

turns to rub hard against my thighs, almost knocking me off balance.

at the naked shifter, who looks panicked

wolf form again and cowering to the ground like the

everyone lost their

fur, unsure of how to handle this situation. To my surprise, the beast seems to melt under my touch, its eyes half-closing in bliss as its tail wags. The fierce growling from moments ago transforms into a contented rumble that vibrates

unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. Bitterness, to be clear, that he was willing

it out now, my dear,

might snap at the Grand Sage, but then it heaves

catches in my throat as the fur recedes, revealing smooth, tanned skin. Muscles ripple and bones realign, the wolf's body stretching and morphing into

Kellan.

take him in, unable to stop myself from drinking in every inch of his naked body. Unlike the other shifter, whose nudity had barely registered, I