Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 335

Chapter 335: Ava: Sister Miriam’s Warning
A low, mournful keen jerks me out of a dead sleep.

Beside me, Aurum’s massive form twitches and writhes, soft whimpers escaping his muzzle.

“Selene, what’s happening?”

I think Lucas is waking, Selene’s voice echoes in my mind. She’s curled protectively around Aurum, her silver head resting atop his golden one.

My breath catches as hope surges in my chest. It’s taken so much longer than I expected.

Aurum lets out another pitiful whine, his paws scrabbling against the sheets. I reach out instinctively, wanting to comfort him, but Selene’s head jerks up.

Enemies.

“What do you mean?” My question is sharper than intended.

Intruders. Get dressed. Now. Kellan’s on his way.

I bolt out of bed, even though I don’t understand.

Then a strange, vibrating ping resonates inside my head.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Intruders repelled by the ward, Grimoire says with absolute calm. We need to find out what’s going on.

I scramble into the first clothes I can grab, my heart pounding so hard I can barely hear Selene in my head.

As I rush out the door, I collide with two familiar figures.

“Oof!” Lisa stumbles back, caught off guard.

Kellan steadies her with one hand while ushering us all back inside with the other. He closes the door behind us, his movements quick but controlled.

“A scouting party found traces of a strange group near camp,” he explains in a hushed tone, his eyes darting between Lisa and me.

My stomach drops. “Someone was near the northeastern wards,” I blurt out. “I can pinpoint exactly which ones were tripped. They didn’t make it through, though.”

“How far do your wards extend?”

I shake my head, frustration and fear mingling in my gut. If only I’d pushed myself harder. I could have had more wards placed. “Not even halfway around the perimeter.” The admission feels like failure.

Pushing past my self-doubt, I grab the map from the nearby table, spreading it out. My finger traces the line where the wards end, then taps the spots where they were triggered. “This is where we’re warded. And here. This is where they hit. Three, almost one after another.”

Kellan leans in, his brow furrowing. “That’s farther than I thought they’d be. They’re moving fast.”

The gravity of the situation is not lost on me. Another fight. We’ve just settled in after the last one. “How did they get so close without us noticing?”

Probably scent blockers, Selene’s voice echoes in my mind, her tone laced with concern.

Before I can respond, the air in the room shifts. A familiar figure materializes in the center of the floor, and I gasp. Sister Miriam stands before us, her eyes wild and her clothes splattered with blood.

“Prepare for a fight,” she says, her voice tight with urgency.

My brain reels at her sudden appearance—and the blood all over her—but a strange sense of calm takes over my mouth. “We were just discussing it. We’ve discovered traces of intruders. They hit my security wards.”

“Security wards?” She glances at me in approval. “You’ve grown. But, they won’t be enough. It’s an initial scouting party of vampires. They’ve caught the scent of the camp.”

My blood runs cold.

A group of vampires killed and injured so many during the first invasion of pack lands. Can we stand up to them when we’re already this weak? Without Lucas?

Where the hell have you been? Selene’s voice rings out, sharp with accusation.

Sister Miriam’s gaze snaps to where Selene sits, her eyes narrowing. “I’ve been busy infiltrating the other side when an opportunity presented itself,” she retorts, her tone leaving no room for argument. “They sent one back to report to their superiors, but he won’t make it.”

The blood on her suddenly makes sense.

Kellan steps forward, his face a mask of determination. “How many are there?” he asks, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. “What kind of weapons do they have? How soon can we expect an attack?”

“Five. They’re all younger, turned within the last decade. As for weapons?” She smiles mirthlessly. “They’re vampires, beta wolf. What do you think?”

I turn to Lisa, seeing the fear in her eyes that I’m sure is mirrored in my own. “We need to alert the others,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Can you help gather everyone in the main hall?”

“No need,” Kellan cuts in. “I can alert them through the pack link.”

Right. Of course.

“Vanessa and Vester—”

“They’re preparing as well. Vanessa will be here soon to help.”

The wards may not cover the entire perimeter, but they’ve given us some warning. It’s not much, but it’s something to work with. It’s a stroke of luck.

Whoever they are, at least they have no idea how far the wards extend. Hopefully it’ll buy us some time as they try to figure out how to get through.

Aurum keens again in the bed, and Kellan looks concerned. “Is he okay?”

“Selene says he’s waking up.” My voice is soft. “But the timing…”

Kellan’s face twists into a grimace, his eyes darkening with the weight of the decision. “You need to evacuate. We’ll send all the non-combatants with you.”

My heart sinks. We’ve only just settled in, and now we’re running again. But I know he’s right. We’re not ready for this fight, not with Lucas still incapacitated.

“Aurum will need to evacuate as well,” Kellan adds, his gaze flicking to the massive golden wolf on my bed.

I nod, swallowing hard. “We’ll figure something out.” The words feel hollow, but what else can I say? We have no choice.

Kellan’s expression softens slightly. “Use the guards to carry him if you need to. We have stretchers if he won’t wake up.”

Aurum whimpers softly in his sleep, and I wonder if some part of him can sense the danger we’re in.

Kellan turns to Sister Miriam, his posture straightening as he slips into his role as Beta. “Come with me. We’re going to need your insight.”

As they leave, I’m left standing in the middle of the room, feeling lost and overwhelmed. Lisa touches my arm gently, her presence a small comfort in the chaos.

“What can I do?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly. But she doesn’t flinch, her eyes meeting mine without wavering.