Page 114 of Fool Moon First Aid

The room falls into heavy silence, the weight of her revelation hanging in the air.

Father leans back, absorbing the news with a grave expression. “Are you certain?” he inquires, concern evident in his tone. “This information puts you in significant danger, Ava.”

Nodding, Ava struggles to speak, her voice barely a whisper. “The house where my mom was murdered… It belongs to my father.”

“It’s okay, Ava,” Brody says softly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“It was hard for us to discover the owner,” my father admits.

I promised her I would find the owner, but where I failed, she succeeded. While I might feel a twinge of failure for not fulfilling that promise myself, I’m overwhelmed with pride in Ava’s bravery and determination.

“The police never investigated her death because…” Ava pauses, retrieving a specific folder. She hands it to Father, her hands shaking. “This lists all the current members of Puritas Umbra, including those embedded within the Mystic Falls police.”

Father’s reaction is immediate, his concern deepening as he processes the significance of Ava’s discovery. The revelation not only exposes the depth of her father’s deception, but it also reveals a broader conspiracy that threatens our very foundation. As we grapple with the implications of her findings, it’s clear that Ava’s courage has unveiled a dark truth that will irrevocably change our path.

“I thought it best if you had them,” Ava continues, her voice carrying a determination that underscores the gravity of her findings. “There are houses, deeds, groups. There’s enough information here to completely dismantle them.” She pauses. “All of them.”

“Ava,” my father begins, his normally unshakeable demeanor giving way to shock. It’s a rare sight to see him so visibly taken aback—a testament to the impact of my mate’s revelation. “Th-This is,” he stammers, glancing at Zane, who mirrors his astonishment, “invaluable.”

“There’s more,” Ava adds, organizing the documents and placing them on the coffee table. “More than what’s in that stack.”

Brody offers her a supportive squeeze on the shoulder, while Tyler, uncharacteristically silent, stays rooted in a corner of the room.

“In the basement of that house, there was a cage with the scent of multiple shifters,” Ava says, her voice trembling slightly. “It’s probable that the other properties contain similar situations.”

Zane’s low growl fills the room, his frustration palpable.

“When I was at the Castellons’ house, Elijah kept insisting he needed to kill my spirit. My father expressed similar sentiments,” Ava continues, her voice catching. “They spoke of how long it took to break their wives’ spirits.”

“If you break the spirit,” Tyler interjects, clearing his throat, “then spiritkin are trapped in human form.”

“No,” my father responds, his horror evident in his voice.

“I never imagined it worked both ways,” Zane says, shaking his head. “Trapped in human form?”

“It’s a fate worse than being stuck in wolf form,” my father admits dejectedly.

“There’s more,” Ava bravely states. “It’s likely many women who married into the Puritas are spiritkin, like my mother and Mrs. Castellon. They are human, but not whole. Not without their spirit form.”

“Oh, Ava,” my mother says, moving to embrace her, squeezing in beside her on the chair and wrapping her in a hug.

“With this information, we could turn the tide of their assaults,” Zane muses mostly to himself. “None of you are to leave clan lands. It’s not safe.”

“Where are you going?” my father asks as Zane heads for the door.

“War room,” Zane replies, already on his way out. “Wait.” He pauses at the threshold of the door, his body sagging with a sigh before he turns around. “I met with your mother once.”

Ava can’t hold back the well of tears that spill over her cheeks.

“She was seeking asylum,” Zane says. “For herself and her child.”

Ava’s bottom lip wavers, and she bites it. Each tear is like a strike against my soul.

“She never made it to our second meeting,” Zane continues, “but I’ll do right by your mama now and keep you safe, just like one of my own.” With that, he leaves.

“Ava, thank you for this,” my father says, acknowledging the significance of her contribution. “You have our full support for the mating. We owe you.” He takes the documents and follows Zane out.

“I’ll leave you with your mates,” my mother says, pulling back from Ava, hope and sadness mingling in her eyes. “At least now we understand what happened to our women.” She stands, offering me a knowing smile and mouthing, “Show her,” before exiting.

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