Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 430: Lucas: Pip (III) LUCAS The fabric of my shirt slides over my skin as I dress, keeping an eye on our unexpected guest. Pip huddles against a tree, her small fralmost disappearing into the shadows. Her purple hair stands out against the white snow, making her look even more like a lost child than she already does.

"You mentioned clearance levels." Vester's tone stays gentle, but I catch the sharp edge underneath. "How many are there?" Pip pulls her knees closer to her chest. "I can't tell you that." "We're on the sside here." Vester crouches in front of her, maintaining a respectful distance. "Fighting against the New Order." "Maybe." Her chains jingle as she shifts. "But that doesn't mean I can share everything." My boots crunch in the snow as I approach them. "Loyalty is admirable, but it can get you killed if misplaced." "Better dead than a traitor." Her voice carries conviction way beyond her years, even as it shakes. She seems to have realized we won't kill her, but she isn't certain of it, as her eyes dart between us and into the shadows, where my wolves have disappeared.

Vester glances at me, his expression grim. "At least tell us who you answer to." Pip's face disappears behind her knees. "I don't know." "You're lying." Her head snaps up, eyes flashing. "I'm not. We don't all know everything about everyone. It's safer that way." "Safer for whom?" "For everyone." She tugs at one of her chains, wrapping it around her finger. "If someone gets caught, they can't reveal what they don't know." Smart. Dangerous, but smart. The resistance has clearly learned from past mistakes. I button up my shirt, considering our options. "The beacon you mentioned-" "I didn't mention it. You did." Her focus on semantics causes Aurum to grumble in my head. He's still not convinced she's an ally, insisting on coming out to frighten her.

It works for pups, he says, snapping at mental air.

She isn't pack. We need her to trust us.

Deciding to give a little honesty, I kneel in front of her as Vester walks away to get dressed as well. We'll both remain in human form to keep watch over her; the others have melted into the shadows, watching but silent, in hopes she'll be less afraid.

I meet her eyes. "The Rejects has been attacked. There's no one there anymore." The color drains from her face. "What?" There's no way I can give a child like her details. She's young enough without those nightmares. "Everyone's gone." Pip's fingers tug at her bottom lip, her eyes distant as she processes the news. "N-No, that's not possible. We were careful. So careful." She's lying.

You think everyone's lying, I tell Aurum.

Because they usually are.

He has a point. Still, something about the raw fear in her scent givespause.

She knows more than she's saying. Aurum paces in my mind, his hackles raised. Look at her face.

I see it. She doesn't look as devastated as she should, though she continues to pluck at her bottom lip, and her entire body still trembles.

Vester steps closer, his boots crunching in the snow. Do you trust her? No. But I don't think she's dangerous.

You're soft, Aurum growls. A child doesn't mean innocent.

I know that, too, but....

Pip stops toying with her lip to fiddle with the strange chains on her clothes. Her aesthetic doesn't match her demeanor, looking like a human kid straight out of one of their punk rock bands.

With a sudden lurch, she launches herself forward; I plant my feet a little wider, but all she does is grab for my hands, holding on with surprising strength. "Takethere. I need to see it." "Let go." My voice carries steel, but she doesn't flinch, her eyes wide as she stares into mine. Even the growls of my subordinates from the shadows doesn't faze her.

"Please." Her fingers shake, but her eyes are hard and determined, a far cry from the terrified child she was just moments ago. "I have to see for myself." Her fingers dig into my hands with surprising strength for someone so small. The contrast is striking. At first, she was like a terrified rabbit. Now steel glints in her eyes, her jaw set.

There's more to this little Fae than meets the eye.

"You need to let go of me." She shakes her head, purple hair flying with the movement. "Not until you takethere." Her words still shake, though, her bravado a facade over her fear.

She's dangerous, Aurum snarls. End this now.

No.

You're being foolish. Look at how quickly she changed.

He's right about her sudden shift in demeanor, but it doesn't add up. The fear in her scent remains genuine, mixed with desperation. I know he can smell it, too.

"Pip." I keep my voice firm but calm. "You're not going anywhere alone. You're in our custody now." Her fingers loosen their death grip, but she doesn't release me. "What do you mean, custody?" Her eyes dart from me, to Vester, and back again.

"You have answers we need. We can't let you wander off." Kill her, Aurum demands. She's playing you.

Since when do you advocate murdering children? Another mental air snap. Since they started showing up conveniently when we're tracking our enemies.

"But I need to help them. See if—if..." Her eyes drop from mine as her words trail off.

She's interested in at least one specific person from Jericho's camp. My gut insists on it. But is it a nefarious interest? "We're already searching." Her head snaps up. "What?" "We've been tracking survivors." I study her face as hope blooms in her expression. "Sescaped." "They did?" The steel in her spine melts. Her shoulders slump as she finally releases my hands. "Who? How many?" "We don't know yet." Tears well in her eyes. Real ones this time, not the frightened kind from earlier. "But they're alive?" This could be an act, Aurum warns.

Or she could be exactly what she appears—someone caught between childhood and responsibility.

He huffs but doesn't argue. We've seen enough young ones forced to grow up too fast these days.

"We found traces leading north," I tell her. "But the trail's been compromised." "North?" She wipes her eyes with her sleeve. "That makes sense. There are safe houses-" She clamps her mouth shut.

So, that's why they were running north. "You can tell us." "No." The steel returns to her voice, but I can see her knees trembling. "I won't betray them." "Even to help us find survivors?" She shakes her head. "You don't understand. If I tell you and you're captured-" "We don't break under torture." "Everyone breaks eventually." Then, with a soft mutter she probably thinks I can't hear, "I already said too much anyway." I lean forward, my shadow falling over her as I use my size to intimidate. "So, why would a child-a self-admitted grunt-know about safe houses?" Her eyes widen, but her lips press into a tight line. The chains on her clothes jingle as she shifts her weight. "There's more to you than you're telling us." She glances away, and that's all the confirmation I need. Her scent shifts—fear, but it's muted.

She's trained, Aurum notes. Look how she controls her breathing.

Her chest rises and falls in a subtle, steady rhythm. Deep breaths exhales through the mouth, and her fingers twitch against her knees with each inhale, as if she's counting. Vester watches, as well, no doubt picking up on the ssignals we are.

No ordinary child would control herself like this, especially after the emotional swings she just went through.

A subtle scent of fear lingers, but it's muted, controlled. Whatever she's doing, it's working to ground her.

"Who taught you that?" I ask, keeping my voice level.

She doesn't look at me. "Taughtwhat?" "To center yourself like that. You're trying to stay calm. You have information you're trying to hide." She lies immediately. "No, I don't. I'm just scared of you."

Trained, yes. Experienced, no. So I let out a little of my alpha presence to loom a little larger, watching as she flinches. You just admitted everyone breaks eventually." Pip stiffens. Her hands no longer twitch against her knees. Instead, her fingers clutch at the side of her pants as she blinks rapidly; a tear slides down her cheek.

"Are you going to torture me, then?" Yes, Aurum snarls in my head. Make her talk.

My wolf might be ready to use force, but I won't stoop to threatening torture-not when she's already scared enough to shake.

Vester must sensewavering, because he says smoothly, "That depends on what information you give us."

She looks at him, then back atom again. The way her eyes keep bouncing around, it's a surprise she isn't dizzy. I thought you were friends with the wolf who can't walk," she says, sounding aggrieved.