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?"

have to say, I'm

but her words give me a boost of energy. "Trying to prove humans aren't completely

laugh makes me

are just different. You guys deal more with technology. I locked myself out of my smartphone once. See? Different." Mira gives an

Most refugees don't volunteer information about their past unless asked directly. I guess Kellan and them know where

differentiate between the packs. Maybe

a Westwood wolf

with a yelp. Strong hands catch me before my face meets the ground, and it takes

layers make it impossible to move sometimes. Like

steadies me,

mean, you were a Westwood wolf

after we met. I was actually on my way to visit my

brush snow 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

her smile vanishes. My stomach drops as I

I'm so sorry. I

near the cities when the attacks happened. My mate bond disappeared,

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

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

tracks, mouth hanging open. "You ran? As in, actually

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

shake my head in disbelief.

with amusement at my endless questions. "And yes, I slept in the woods. Though sometimes I'd stop at safe houses along the

"Safe houses?"

can rest, get supplies. Most packs maintain them for traveling

at this whole hidden network. "That's incredible. Like a supernatural

the wind.

be with your pack? Or—dammit, that doesn't sound right." I sound like a buffoon. A mean-spirited one. I don't

mate's family has