Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted novel Chapter 408

Of course, I get no sleep.

My anxiety overruled my exhaustion, and I kept startling awake every twenty minutes. The dark circles under my eyes are so pronounced, I might have to self-identify as a raccoon shifter.

It isn’t that bad. Selene nudges my hand with her cold nose.

"It is, but thank you for lying to me." Rubbing her ears, I head toward the direction of the hospital. Or try to.

Selene’s furry body blocks me, and one of my bodyguards actually grabs me by my shoulders and turns me in the direction of the cafeteria. I can smell eggs and something that smells suspiciously like bacon. Again, my smell isn’t as good as other shifters—but it’s way better than a default human nose.

"I want to visit Ivy," I protest, even as my stomach rumbles.

"Alpha’s orders. He said you need regular meals."

The young guard’s blond hair sticks up in every direction, like he just rolled out of bed. His mild brown eyes dart around, scanning for threats while pointedly avoiding my gaze. Hmm. He’s smart. Probably knows I’m going to try to persuade him to let me check on Ivy first.

It’s a lot harder to put pressure on someone who won’t look at your face.

"You’re new." I cross my arms, studying him. "What’s your name?"

"Brett, Luna." His voice comes out steady, but his shoulders tense. He knows what’s coming.

"Well, Brett, I appreciate your dedication, but—"

"Alpha’s orders are clear." His tone remains firm. "Breakfast first."

My stomach betrays me with another loud rumble. The scent of bacon grows stronger, making my mouth water despite my protests.

Our mate takes good care of us, Selene preens, her tail wagging. He knows you’d skip meals otherwise.

Oh? Grimoire enters the mental conversation out of nowhere. How interesting. Didn’t you use to despise Lucas, Selene? Something about him being an arrogant, controlling, stupid—

That was before, Selene cuts him off with a snap of her teeth. Ava has chosen him. He’s proven himself worthy.

They’re already in fine form today.

"Where’s Marcus? And Greg?" Ignoring their mild bickering, I pin my attention on the guard in front of me. There are others, of course, but at a distance.

"They’ll be back on rotation this evening, Luna."

A dissatisfactory answer. I can talk to Marcus. He would understand my desire to check on Ivy before heading to breakfast. A fifteen-minute delay in scarfing down a plate or two of food isn’t going to harm me, after all.

But this Brett guy seems devoted to following the letter of Lucas’ demands.

A grouchy grunt escapes before I can stop it. "Brett. As Luna, I need to check on our esteemed guest. Her health is a priority."

"As your guard, I need to ensure our esteemed Luna eats breakfast. Alpha’s orders are my priority." Brett’s mild tone carries an edge of humor. "Besides, Vanessa threatened to sedate me if I let you skip a meal."

Damn. Even she’s in on this. "You’re not supposed to admit to the threats." My lips twitch. "It ruins the whole stoic guard image."

"I figure honesty might work better than stoicism." He shrugs, still not meeting my eyes.

Where did Lucas find this one? Probably dug around the pack until he could find someone who wouldn’t get sweet-talked into nudging the boundaries of his orders, damn it.

"Fine." I narrow my eyes. They might be able to keep me from going to Ivy’s room, but there’s more than one way to skin a wolf. "Now ask Vanessa how she’s doing."

Brett’s face slackens, his eyes unfocused. The telltale sign of mental communication. I tap my foot, waiting for his report on Ivy’s condition.

"Healer Vanessa seems well, Luna, though she snapped at me for interrupting her rounds."

"That’s not—" My hands clench. "I want to know how Ivy’s doing, not Vanessa."

Selene’s tail wags slowly. You get a touch bitchy without proper sleep. _{fɾēewebnσveℓ.com}

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