Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 356 Ava: Blizzard

As it turns out, I don't get a chance to talk to Lucas that night.

Or the next one.

Or even the one after that.

A surprise storm blows in, stranding Lucas—and a small team of scouts—several hours from the compound, on what should have been a simple evening run. He's been taking groups of younger wolves out at night in what he calls field training.

Thankfully, we still have contact with each other, even if it is limited. It's never fun to be separated. With as much time as we've spent apart, we both do our best to make sure we spend a little time with each other daily.

Not having him around leaves me a little depressed, but knowing he's safe with the younger wolves makes our brief separation at least bearable.

No, not having Lucas around isn't the problem setting my teeth on edge.

She's at it again, Selene observes sourly, nosing through the kitchen.

I watch Elverly bustle around the kitchen, her tiny form a whirlwind of frustration. The gnome's grumbling grows louder as she yanks open cabinets and slams them shut.

"Look at this." She waves a wooden spoon toward the freezer, which is now almost empty, and the empty shelves of beans. "Three days of that beanpole demanding more protein. Does she think food just appears out of thin air?"

Elverly's rants are almost legendary among the kitchen staff. For a tiny gnome, she has a laundry list of complaints. Today, however, they're valid.

simple three-day blizzard, our food stock

low, even though we just had a stocking run last week." She kicks a pot out of her way,

it's comforting to know not everyone is falling for Ivy's

have to let Elverly be angry. She's more bark than bite.

huffs, but I can see her tension easing. "I need to prepare for lunch. After

"That sounds great."

who's crammed herself into a

and she slinks out of the corner to follow me out the door. She's in the main lodge, cleaning up. Now

a few times, but not usually with any level of consequence. Now I'm going to have to talk with her, and I'm not looking forward to

strong suit. I'm better now, getting more comfortable with giving orders and being an authority figure,

with?" I ask,

control. Just keep that walking tree out of my kitchen. I can put together the list of supplies we need for another run, but the meat is the real problem. We can't keep up with

see what we can do with the hunters." Meat is scarce in the winter, but it isn't

a final nod from Elverly, I head out of

no wind in the air, a blessed relief after the last three days. Pristine snow glitters everywhere I look. Groups of wolves shovel trails to tents and clear snow from

are almost buried on the outskirts of the compound, and there are massive twenty-foot drifts on the

trudge along the shoveled path toward the main lodge. Snow crunches beneath my boots, and every breath

Pack. Lucas' mate. His only mate. I have authority here, even if it sometimes feels

mutter under my breath, steeling myself for the confrontation

looking reasonable, with that strange smile on her face. I grit my teeth, pushing down the