Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 390

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."

"And we can’t risk bringing enemies inside our walls." Vester’s calm voice sides with Ryder. He’s been more cautious since the betrayals from our own pack members. "Though I agree—having Jericho back would be a great help."

There’s little more to be said on the subject. I was hoping to see Jericho in person and discuss the nature of his vampire friends, but with our current situation, that’s impossible. I can’t leave the pack.

"Something’s happening. Ava says the taint has gathered and become dense. The radios have gone silent. It’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 folding chairs—our luxurious seating arrangement in the debriefing tent.

Vester sighs. "There has 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 cities still seem to be keeping their stores stocked."

"So, why now? The cold should work in our favor. Isn’t it what stopped them?" Ryder is skeptical; he doesn’t have the same view as I do. He thinks the Mad Prince’s attack is unrelated.

But we’ve all learned to assume the worst.

The real problem is that he’s right. Winter has been our greatest ally these past months. The snow slows everyone down—rogues, vampires, and humans. With the lack of easy communication and the severe winter conditions, we assumed all the attacks stopped due to basic logistics.

My deltas and I assumed our enemies would wait for spring.

"What if the cold is exactly what they want?" It was only 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 hungry?"

Vester’s eyes narrow. "It would be clever. We’ve gotten comfortable thinking the weather protects us, waiting for the thaw."

"Yes. Look at our situation. We’re housing refugees. Our supplies are stretched thin. The cold makes it harder to hunt, harder to gather resources."

"And harder to evacuate if needed." Ryder stops his pacing. "We’re all concentrated in one place, trying to stay warm."

We’ve gathered our people close, thinking it safer. Instead, have we made ourselves an easier target? That might be a problem.

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