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?"

Her smile brightens her whole face. "I have to say, I'm impressed. You're keeping a

her words give me a boost

laugh makes me

one's useless. Humans are just different. You guys deal more with technology. I locked myself out of my

between breaths, genuinely curious about her background. Most refugees don't volunteer information about their past unless asked directly. I guess Kellan and them know where they're from,

have no idea how to differentiate between the

I was a Westwood wolf

I pitch forward with a yelp. Strong hands catch me before my face meets the ground, and it takes a second to get

to move sometimes.

steadies me, her grip

you mean, you were

plays on her lips. "I moved there after we met. I was actually on my way to visit

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.

words leave my mouth, her smile vanishes.

I'm so

but her eyes have lost their sparkle. "I was one of the lucky ones. I wasn't anywhere near the cities when the attacks happened. My mate bond disappeared, and I found out

to make sense of the travel. "Wait, you were traveling

though smaller this time. "You can always fly or drive to visit family, but

mouth hanging open. "You ran? As

crazy, right? 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 take you. Eat what you hunt. Sleep when

shake my head in

yes, I slept in the woods. Though sometimes I'd stop at safe

"Safe houses?"

shifters can rest, get supplies. Most

reels at this whole hidden network.

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

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

smile dims. "I will have to return, yes. My mate's family has certain... rights. They will want any