Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 371 Lisa: Mira

LISA

Early morning is a bitch.

I've never really been lazy, exactly. Having to wake up early isn't something that usually ruins my day. But there's a huge difference between waking up in your apartment and driving to work or school, and waking up in the middle of your strange werewolf compound, dressing yourself in a thousand layers to keep warm, and leaving before the sun even rises—to spend hours trudging through snow.

Living out here gives me a hell of a lot more respect for those social media homestead influencers I've watched. It used to be vague fun to watch them make bread from scratch and gather their own milk while eating something I picked up from a drive-thru on the way home.

Living this life is…

Well.

It's definitely a different experience.

And I don't hate it. Most days.

But this morning, I'm seriously regretting begging Kellan to bring me along

Snow crunches under my boots with each labored step. My thighs burn, but I keep pushing forward, following the path Kellan's long legs have carved through the deep drifts. The sled he's dragging behind him mocks me, bouncing along behind him like it's nothing.

No way am I sitting in that thing.

My breath comes out in harsh puffs of white vapor. The cold air stings my lungs, but I maintain my steady pace. Sure, I complain about the ungodly hour and arctic temperatures, but that doesn't mean I'm going to wimp out.

It was my idea to come here. I need to prove I can handle it.

A flash of movement catches my eye as one of the refugee she-wolves pulls up beside me. She matches my plodding pace with effortless grace, barely breaking a sweat despite the freezing temperature.

"You're doing amazing," she says, her voice warm and encouraging. "Most humans wouldn't even attempt this."

"Thanks." I recognize her heart-shaped face and copper-colored curls from the newcomers who arrived last week. "Mira, right?"

whole face. "I have to say, I'm impressed.

words give me a boost of energy. "Trying to prove

laugh makes

deal more with technology. I locked myself out of my smartphone once. See? Different."

genuinely curious about her background. Most refugees don't volunteer information about their

no idea how to differentiate between the packs. Maybe Ava knows how. I

a Westwood

in the snow, and I pitch forward with a yelp. Strong hands catch me before my face meets the ground, and

make it impossible to move sometimes. Like

me, her

mean, you

was from Silvermoon." A soft smile plays on her lips. "I moved there after we met. I was actually on my way to visit my parents

off my pants, relief flooding through me. For a second, I thought she was some sort of defect and I was making friends with someone who might have a questionable past. "At least you get to

vanishes. My stomach drops as I

I'm so

sparkle. "I was one of the lucky ones. I wasn't anywhere near the cities when the attacks

scrambles to make sense of the travel. "Wait, you were traveling between… what, Idaho? And

fly or drive to visit family, but some of us like

stop dead in my tracks, mouth hanging open. "You ran? As in, actually ran? The

But everyone does it at least once. There's nothing like being with your wolf, feeling that freedom. Just you and the wilderness, running wherever your paws

ran across multiple states?" I shake my head in disbelief. "What about food?

with amusement at my endless questions. "And yes, I slept in the woods.

"Safe houses?"

shifters can rest, get supplies. Most packs maintain them

this whole hidden network.

that." She adjusts her scarf against the wind. "Though nowadays, most wolves prefer

Or—dammit, that doesn't sound right." I sound like a buffoon. A mean-spirited one. I don't want her to think she isn't welcome here. Not that I have much to do with it, but—well. "I mean, are you going to stay here now? How does

return, yes. My mate's family has certain... rights. They will want any grandchildren to be raised in Silvermoon