Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 390

Chapter 390 Lucas: What's Going On?

LUCAS

I rub my temples, staring at the radio equipment spread across my desk. Static crackles through the speakers, a sound that's become far too familiar these past days.

"Nothing." Ryder switches the dial again. "Dead air on every emergency frequency. Been like this for a few days now."

Vester crosses his arms. "That's what worries me most. The humans have been relying on their radios to stay organized; why would it go silent now?"

My wolf paces beneath my skin, sensing a storm on the horizon. "And Jericho's message?"

"Just as I said." The healer's mate pulls out a crumpled note. "'Be alert.' His vampire contacts are usually more specific. I can only assume that it's a gut feeling on their side, as well."

"Given the recent attack, we can assume—" Ryder begins, and I already know where he's going. To tie Jericho's vampire refugees with the Mad Prince; it's something everyone's already thinking, and I can't deny that it would make sense. But in my gut, I know it's wrong.

"Enough." My words are sharper than I mean for them to be, but both my deltas are used to that. "Jericho should be here. His insight with the vampires could prove invaluable."

Ryder scoffs. "If we could even trust his friends. Who knows? Maybe one of them is related to the Mad Prince. How else would they know he's on the move?"

"Jericho's contacts aren't affiliated with that monster. The warning came after our contact with his thrall."

"Can we be certain? The world's gone dark, Alpha. For all we know, those vampires aren't even in hiding. Maybe they're trying to use Jericho to get to us."

The pack's bias against bloodsuckers is one that won't disappear anytime soon. There are many who still look at Sister Miriam with some suspicion, and her recent disappearance has only heightened those feelings.

Of course, I've learned that not all vampires are evil as we always understood them to be.

"We can't afford to alienate potential allies. This is no simple territory war."

been more cautious since the betrayals from our own pack members. "Though I agree—having Jericho back would

discuss the nature of his vampire friends, but with our current situation, that's

been too peaceful for too long, and now this attack by the Mad Prince." Drumming my fingers against the table, I lean back in one of our

been no suspicious activity in the last few days. The patrols report nothing but snow and more snow. Animal activity seems normal, and the human

now? The cold should work in our favor. Isn't it what stopped them?" Ryder is skeptical;

learned

has been our greatest ally these past months. The snow slows everyone down—rogues, vampires, and humans. With

I assumed our enemies

ever an assumption, anyway. One that we decided must be correct after months of peace. "What if they've been waiting for the worst conditions, hoping we're all weak and

narrow. "It would be clever. We've gotten comfortable thinking the weather protects

at our situation. We're housing refugees. Our supplies are stretched thin. The cold makes it harder to hunt,

harder to evacuate if needed." Ryder stops his pacing. "We're all concentrated in one

thinking it safer. Instead, have we made ourselves an easier

moved fine in the snow. They weren't slowed down at all. They were shifted, but that doesn't mean they should be able to disappear in

they were enhanced by the taint?" Ryder offers; it's more of a statement than a question, but it's a

rubs the tip of his nose as he thinks. "The corruption changes them. Makes them more aggressive and stronger. Maybe they're faster

full of energy, wanting to rush out on a hunt of my

gathering. Getting denser. They went almost a full day without

I cut off our musings. "We know to be wary. Let's shelve that for now. Ryder, take a team to Jericho, with

"Understood."

heard from the Aspen

be checking in sometime

tents. They need to be on opposite ends of my cabin. There

gossip. Too many seem to be under the impression that

hunter, well-versed in pack politics,

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