Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 328 Ava: Scouting Parties

Vester and Vanessa pore over a map unfurled on my dining table. Our ward stone of silence has gotten a lot of good use here, keeping everything private.

"This is the city they went to, right?" Vanessa asks, tapping her finger against the thick parchment.

"Yes. It's not as large as this one," and Vester taps at a city sixty miles away, "but it's a little farther, to throw off anyone searching for us."

The healer nods thoughtfully. "There are three main interstate highways branching off here, so it's a good choice. It's likely that the others went down this highway. It'll add another hour to their drive back, but should throw off anyone in pursuit, as well. If we send some scouts this way, they might be able to pick them up."

"My thought as well," her mate agrees. "But we will have to emphasize stealth. If there are groups searching for supernaturals, they would be able to pick up their scent."

Awkwardly, I lean forward to interrupt their conversation. "What about scent blockers? Can't we use those?"

"We can," Vanessa says with a wry smile. "But we don't have many, and have no way to replenish our stock. It is better to conserve those for emergencies."

"So, our scouts are also possibly leading any intruders straight to us?"

Vester's eyes meet mine, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths. "Of course not."

His words are reassuring, but a flicker of embarrassment flushes my cheeks. I never once questioned scouts in pack lands. They've been around all my life. Now that I'm here and worried about my people, I realize how little I understand.

There's so much to learn.

But there's too much at stake for me to wallow in self-doubt.

tone. "They don't simply run straight lines from point A to point B. They employ a variety of techniques to muddy their

a finger to mimic what he's talking about. "False starts, backtracking, twisting patterns—there are a variety

about physical movement either. They use natural elements to their advantage—streams, rocky outcroppings, dense foliage. Anything that can disrupt or mask their scent. In pack lands, our

the heart of the pack,

an intricate pattern on the map, "they'll even split up, creating multiple false trails before reconvening at a predetermined location. It's a constant dance of deception. Now, here, where we are, we have limited our radius

of an area in order to find us. And this town isn't even on

make a lot of sense. "And we're branching out. So, that makes us

scouts will work in anti-reconnaissance in order to confuse any potential pursuers. In the worst case scenario, when someone catches their scent, they will have to throw them farther off the trail in different directions. At that point, we cannot have a relay in order to remain in touch with our wolves. They'll be on their own out there until they make it back

try to picture it in my mind—wolves darting through the wilderness, weaving an invisible

doesn't that slow them down?" I ask, genuinely curious.

my point. "It does. But the trade-off in security is worth it. Better to arrive a bit later than to lead enemies straight

to train a scout?" I ask, my mind already racing with possibilities. Could I learn these

"It varies. Some wolves have a natural aptitude for it, while others take longer

that's not feasible after

discouraged," Vester says, clearly reading the doubt on my face. "You learn quicker than you think. And you

his book form, I wish I could just take all his knowledge and shove it into

what our

in his head, not mine.

to put our bond to work. We can work on some of your magic training

is loud and

he warns her. I'm the most

bite. You're not as powerful as you think