Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 486

Chapter 486: Ava: Vanguard
I’m self-aware enough to understand no one’s expecting much from me.

And certainly very few shifters expect me to hold up well during this mission. While our pack has shifted to view me with both awe and respect over time, it doesn’t mean they think I’m omnipotent.

Ultimately, I’m still an untrained pack member being dragged onto this raid.

But at least I’m doing better than the Fae.

Heize huffs beside me in small white puffs, his body heat enough to keep the sweat on his face from freezing in these temps. By the way he’s leaned over and gasping, it will be a while before he gets his breathing under control.

His magical ability might be high, but his physical capabilities are terrible.

I pull a water bottle from my pack and extend it to him without comment. His own pack was long since taken by one of the Aspen wolves. It wasn’t full by any means, but even five pounds can feel like fifty after a few miles.

Heize’s fingers tremble slightly as he takes it.

“Thank you,” he whispers between heaving gasps for oxygen.

I drop into a crouch, resting my forearms on my knees, mimicking the posture of the other wolves around us. Surprisingly, my legs aren’t protesting as much as I expected. We’ve covered serious ground tonight, but it’s nothing compared to my daily routine checking the perimeter wards back at Wolf’s Landing.

Our pace started out brisk, but slowed tremendously as we got nearer to our goal.

In the crowd and the darkness, it’s impossible to search out Lucas’s broad-shouldered presence. The silver glow of moonlight helps, but not enough. And since no one else is bringing out flashlights in fear of the light giving away our position, I don’t, either.

But where is he?

A quiet movement to my right catches my attention as Clayton drops down beside me. The ocean-pine scent of him still feels wrong and out of place, but at least it isn’t as jarring as it was after jogging beside it for so long.

It’s even reassuring, in its own way. The awkwardness between us faded probably the third time he barked at me to pick up my pace. It wasn’t as if I couldn’t keep up, but my brain got distracted looking at the scenery, then one time I was pulling Heize along, and the other time was when I paused with the Fae as the Aspen wolf took his pack…

“Holding up?” he asks, his voice pitched low. He doesn’t glance at me as he talks, and I wonder if he’s having a conversation in his head. The moon isn’t bright enough to illuminate his full expression.

“I’m fine. Still have hours of this left in me.”

“Good.”

Clayton’s turns his head to stare at Heize, who’s still catching his breath. Now it’s easier to see his face, and his expression hardens a little as he stares at the Fae, his lips thinning. But then he says, “Be ready to move at any moment,” and sounds gentle.

I nod. “Got it.”

Heize, on the other hand, responds with a soft, pained groan.

“Where’s Lucas?” I ask Clayton, glancing over the crowd again.

“With the vanguard, about five minutes ahead.”

Vanguard? My brow furrows as I process this. For some reason, I’d assumed “vanguard” meant the people at the back of a formation—like us. But apparently, it’s the exact opposite.

I should probably ask Lucas to let me attend some training sessions so I can learn more. I don’t want to be a burden forever.

Biting back a sigh at my own inadequacies, I reply softly, “Got it.”

Clayton lifts his head suddenly, nostrils flaring as he inhales deeply. His eyes narrow.

“Either of you sense anyone nearby?”

I close my eyes and begin to focus, reaching for the glowing, welcoming well of power inside of me.

Selene sneezes.

Stop. What do you think you’re doing?

I freeze mid-mana gathering. Trying to help?

You don’t know how to mask your magic yet, Grimoire scolds. If there are other magic-users in that compound, you’ll light up like a beacon.

I hesitate. Even if there are, they’d be unlikely to be another witch, right?

A talented Fae might not understand what you’re doing specifically, Grimoire explains with exaggerated patience, but they’d certainly feel something amiss.

Before I can respond, Heize lowers the water bottle and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “No,” he says softly, answering Clayton’s question. “There are one hundred thirty-seven bodies, approximately three hundred fifty yards northeast. About thirty are clustered together, but the rest are spread throughout the compound.”

I stare at him, unable to hide my surprise at the precision of his count. My magic can detect some presences, sure, but not with that level of detail.

Beside that, my nerves cringe a little knowing we’re so close. Three hundred and fifty yards…

My scalp goes numb and tingling. Aren’t we too close? They’ll be able to see us.

We are in a natural dip. They don’t see us.

Selene’s words soothe my newfound panic.

You could do it too, if you studied a little harder, Grimoire points out, sounding smug. He’s focused on the Fae, not on the physical logistics of our invasion.

I am studying harder! There’s just too damn much to learn. It feels like all I ever do is listen to Grimoire’s lectures. During our hikes to the wards, there wasn’t much else to occupy our time. Granted, I’ve certainly slacked off in recent days since I haven’t left Wolf’s Landing…

Don’t worry. We have plenty of time together.

Why does that sound more threatening than reassuring?

A cold, wet nose pokes at my thigh, startling me from my internal dialogue. Selene looks up at me, her blue eyes luminous in the darkness.

They’re returning.

There’s a faint whisper of movement, a rise in the tension of the area. Lucas must have sent out some information through the pack link.

Yes. We’re about to attack. Our prey are idiots; their guard is less than useless. Her teeth bare, and once again I’m disappointed in my lack of pack link.

“Five minutes,” Clayton says suddenly, appearing by my elbow again. “Remember to stay behind. A few are probably going to try to run, and it’s our job to catch them.”

“Got it,” Heize and I chorus softly.