Page 112 of Fool Moon First Aid

Tears well in her eyes. “I know.” She sniffles. “And in a way, he did. That wolf—he was my fated mate, and he was dying. I only had an hour with him on that blood soaked forest floor before he passed away,” she says, offering a watery smile. “You’d be surprised what you can learn about someone in just an hour. He was without a pack and on his way to our clan when the hunter ambushed him. I believe fate led me to him that day.”

“What was his name?”

“Matthias,” she whispers, wiping away another tear. “I don’t know how your father and Zane knew, but they found me there, clinging to him, sobbing and broken on the forest floor. Without a word, they helped me up and took care of Matthias’ body. They also disposed of the hunter and brought us all back home.” She lets her tears fall freely, her gaze drifting to the window and beyond to the small graveyard nestled deeply in our forest. “He’s buried out there, in a plot reserved for our pack.”

“He would have completed the three of you.” I feel my own heart fracture at the thought of the pain my mother and the others must have felt.

“I believe so,” she says softly, “but by the time your father and Zane arrived, he was already gone, so we’ll never truly know. That moment, however, marked a turning point for us. It didn’t instantly erase all the hurt, but it was the beginning. Your father showed up for me that day, and he hasn’t stopped since. It took time, but eventually, he was fully forgiven. The lesson here is?—”

“Show up,” I echo, understanding dawning.

“Exactly,” she confirms with a gentle nod. “It might seem insignificant, or it might feel like everything, but the key is to just be there. You can’t undo your mistakes in a single gesture, but by consistently showing up, you can make amends. Show her why she matters. Apologize. Give your future a chance, because it could end before it ever really starts. I want you to have that future.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t get your future with Matthias.”

“Me too,” she murmurs, the pain clear in her eyes. “But if your father hadn’t driven me away, then I never would have met Matthias.”

“Thank you for sharing your story with me,” I say, my voice thick with emotion.

Her smile reaches her eyes, warming them, and a silent thank you wraps around my heart.

Suddenly, Brody’s voice interrupts my thoughts through the pack link. Location?

Clan house, I respond, a knot forming in my stomach. Is Ava okay?

We’re coming home, he replies.

Home? As in with Ava? Tyler’s excitement crackles through the link. Seriously? Don’t play with me. My heart can’t handle letdowns. I’m a sensitive boy.

You’d better head to the clan house, Brody suggests before closing the link.

“She’s on her way here,” I announce, standing up so quickly that my stool clatters to the floor.

“And how will you show up, Ethan?” my mother inquires with a knowing smile.

“I’m not sure,” I admit, running my fingers through my hair in agitation. “They are coming here. But why here?”

“Good question,” she muses, sipping her coffee.

Before I can ponder her words further, Tyler bursts through the backdoor in his wolf form, clumsily shifting into a human as he scrambles to fix the screen door he just demolished.

“Sorry, sorry,” he apologizes, naked and hastily setting the door back in place, which promptly begins to slide down the wall again.

“Where is she? Is she here yet?” he asks, scanning the kitchen anxiously.

“How did you get here so fast?” I grab a pair of pants from the chest by the door and toss them at him.

“I ran,” he replies, dressing quickly. His gaze sweeps the kitchen again. “She’s not here yet?”

“Ran?” my mother repeats, bemused by his haste.

“Yes,” Tyler confirms, unfazed. “I was walking myself, you know, for the exercise.”

A car engine cuts through the silence outside, sending Tyler sprinting through the house. I exchange a look with my mother, her smile crooked. Before I follow Tyler, I lean in to kiss her cheek. “Matthias will never be forgotten.”

“No, he won’t,” she whispers, her voice heavy with memories. “Matthias Ethan Tyler was his full name.”

The weight of my namesake leaves me momentarily lost for words, a lump forming in my throat. This newfound knowledge casts my parents and our pack in a new light, revealing the depth of their past decisions and the lives they’ve navigated.

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