Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 377

The smell is everywhere. Blood. So much blood it pierces through the crisp winter air, making my stomach turn. The pristine white landscape ahead is no longer—violent arcs and puddles of blood mix with churned patches of snow, depicting the aftermath of battle.

The sled slows as we approach. There are a few unmoving wolf bodies on the ground. They aren’t ours.

Except one, further off, surrounded by Lisa and the others.

"Lisa!" My voice cracks as I jump off the sled and rush toward my best friend. She sits motionless, the head of our fallen wolf in her lap. "Are you okay?"

It must be Mira she’s holding.

My guards fan out around us, creating a protective circle. Vanessa rushes to the nearest injured wolf, her medical supplies already in hand. Not sure what she can do for what’s clearly a broken leg, but this is her field of expertise.

Mine is… well, I don’t know.

First, checking on Lisa. Then, figuring out what the hell we’re going to do.

"I’m fine." Lisa’s surprisingly calm, but it doesn’t seem right. More like she’s detached from reality. There’s no emotion, no sense of self in her words. Lifting her arm, where her brace glints in the light, she says simply, "She didn’t stand a chance."

Who? Mira?

Another betrayal?

No. Selene’s voice is clipped and tight. These ashes were a body once.

Oh.

So Lisa…

Killed them.

Good riddance.

Yes.

But there must be something wrong, because Selene seems upset.

I’m not sure yet, but they smell wrong.

Kellan, naked and bleeding, shimmies into some clothes he pulls from the sled, watching Lisa with a surprising amount of caution.

Pressing a hand against Lisa’s shoulder with a gentle squeeze, I slip by her to kneel beside the ash pile. Strange magic tingles across my skin. The residual energy almost makes my teeth ache. Is it from Lisa’s brace? Or from the owner of the ashes?

Marcus stands near Kellan.

"Seven missing," Lucas’ beta says, his deep voice carrying easily. "We aren’t in shape to chase them down."

Of course, the hotheaded part of me wants to declare that we’re uninjured and we can do it. But that would be stupid. We need a better plan.

"What does Lucas say?"

"Reinforcements are on the way."

Pointing at the ashes, I change the subject to what’s bothering me the most. "This wasn’t a wolf, was it?"

"No." Kellan glances at his mate, who’s just stroking Mira’s head, oblivious to what’s happening around us. "She says it’s a woman associated with the Mad Prince. She was there during her captivity. His ally."