Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 356

Chapter 356: Ava: Blizzard
As it turns out, I don’t get a chance to talk to Lucas that night.

Or the next one.

Or even the one after that.

A surprise storm blows in, stranding Lucas—and a small team of scouts—several hours from the compound, on what should have been a simple evening run. He’s been taking groups of younger wolves out at night in what he calls field training.

Thankfully, we still have contact with each other, even if it is limited. It’s never fun to be separated. With as much time as we’ve spent apart, we both do our best to make sure we spend a little time with each other daily.

Not having him around leaves me a little depressed, but knowing he’s safe with the younger wolves makes our brief separation at least bearable.

No, not having Lucas around isn’t the problem setting my teeth on edge.

She’s at it again, Selene observes sourly, nosing through the kitchen.

I watch Elverly bustle around the kitchen, her tiny form a whirlwind of frustration. The gnome’s grumbling grows louder as she yanks open cabinets and slams them shut.

“Look at this.” She waves a wooden spoon toward the freezer, which is now almost empty, and the empty shelves of beans. “Three days of that beanpole demanding more protein. Does she think food just appears out of thin air?”

Elverly’s rants are almost legendary among the kitchen staff. For a tiny gnome, she has a laundry list of complaints. Today, however, they’re valid.

After a simple three-day blizzard, our food stock has plummeted.

“And now we’re running low, even though we just had a stocking run last week.” She kicks a pot out of her way, the clang echoing through the kitchen. “If she comes in here one more time, I’ll make her feed the entire compound herself!”

Despite the situation, it’s comforting to know not everyone is falling for Ivy’s act

Scrawling down the missing items into a notebook I’ve learned to carry around, I speak as calmly as I can. Sometimes you just have to let Elverly be angry. She’s more bark than bite. “I promise I won’t let Ivy mess with your system anymore. You’re doing an amazing job here, and I understand the frustration. We were already worried about feeding so many new mouths.”

Elverly huffs, but I can see her tension easing. “I need to prepare for lunch. After three days of stew, I think we’ll go for lighter fare.”

“That sounds great.”

As the gnome stops clanging and banging, I turn to Selene, who’s crammed herself into a corner to avoid getting hit by any rogue pots. “Do you know where Ivy is now?”

Selene’s ears twitch, and she slinks out of the corner to follow me out the door. She’s in the main lodge, cleaning up. Now that the refugees are returning to their tents, it’s a bit of a mess.

Ivy’s overstepped her authority a few times, but not usually with any level of consequence. Now I’m going to have to talk with her, and I’m not looking forward to it.

Confrontation isn’t my strong suit. I’m better now, getting more comfortable with giving orders and being an authority figure, but Ivy still leaves me off-kilter every time we talk.

“Is there anything you need help with?” I ask, turning back to the gnome.

Elverly shakes her head. “No, no. I’ve got it under control. Just keep that walking tree out of my kitchen. I can put together the list of supplies we need for another run, but the meat is the real problem. We can’t keep up with consumption.”

I can’t help but chuckle at her description of Ivy. “Okay. I’ll see what we can do with the hunters.” Meat is scarce in the winter, but it isn’t impossible to get what we need. “For now, let’s try to stretch what we can. Our numbers are only increasing, and we all need to tighten our belts.”

With a final nod from Elverly, I head out of the kitchen, Selene trotting by my side.

There’s no wind in the air, a blessed relief after the last three days. Pristine snow glitters everywhere I look. Groups of wolves shovel trails to tents and clear snow from entrances; it’s a widespread effort, and heart-warming to see everyone pitching in to keep everything in order after so much snow dumped on us.

A few of the tents are almost buried on the outskirts of the compound, and there are massive twenty-foot drifts on the eastern edge.

I huddle deeper into my heavy coat, grateful for its warmth as I trudge along the shoveled path toward the main lodge. Snow crunches beneath my boots, and every breath puffs into visible clouds.

With each step, I remind myself of who I am. Luna of the Westwood Pack. Lucas’ mate. His only mate. I have authority here, even if it sometimes feels like I’m still that scared girl running from her past.

“You can do this,” I mutter under my breath, steeling myself for the confrontation ahead.

Ivy’s face flashes in my mind, her perfect features always looking reasonable, with that strange smile on her face. I grit my teeth, pushing down the surge of irritation that threatens to overwhelm me.

It’s not about her character. This is about the pack and putting a strain on our resources.

Granted, I should have noticed three nights ago and not today, but—well, there’s been a lot to juggle.

It’s perfectly reasonable for me to assert my authority, even if Ivy is our main point of contact with the Aspen Pack. Our alliance is important, but not at the cost of our pack’s well-being.

I push open the door, the warmth of the lodge enveloping me as I step inside. The scent of woodsmoke is dense in here, thanks to the fire burning steadily, providing this space with much-needed heat.

Several cots are stacked and lined against the walls, giving people space to move around. Several folding tables and chairs are being taken down, now that we no longer need to keep everyone in as few buildings as possible.

Ivy’s near the far wall, directing a group of younger wolves to clean the next group of tables. For a moment, I’m struck by how effortlessly she commands their attention. Not a single one of them stops to wonder if she has the authority to order them around. They just do as she says.

It’s no wonder some of our pack members are drawn to her. Ivy would make a good Luna… somewhere else. Not here.

I make my way across the room, weaving between busy wolves scrubbing floors and wiping down surfaces. A few nod respectfully as I pass, and I return their greetings with a smile.

“Ivy,” I call out as I approach, keeping my voice level. “I need to speak with you.”

She turns, her green eyes meeting mine. Her face, as always, settles into a polite mask. “Of course, Ava. What can I do for you?”

I gesture toward a quieter corner of the lodge. “In private, if you don’t mind.”

Ivy nods, following me to the secluded spot. I can feel the eyes of the other wolves on us, curiosity piqued. I’m sure they’ve all heard the rumors by now.