Page 32 of Fool Moon First Aid

“Bingo,” I reply, my grin stretching ear to ear. “It’s this wild, unbreakable bond. Far more powerful than any love. It’s Mother Nature’s way of thanking us for not trashing the place, and the moon, she watches us for the comet. You know, just in case we are naughty.”

Ava’s soaking up every word, her expression a kaleidoscope of wonder. The kitchen feels like our own little bubble, warm and snug, with the comforting scent of lemon and lavender mingling in the air and the soft clink of Brody’s utensils in the background.

I watch Ava’s face as the words fall from my mouth. Her eyes are doing this super wide thing as she starts to put the pieces together.

“Fated mates?” she blurts out with that edge of sass I’m learning is all Ava.

“By the silvered path the moonlight weaves, with stars as witnesses and earth as a guide, we invoke the bond that time has tied. In the sacred silence, under starry skies, from the first shifters to our soul’s mate, with these timeless words, our spirits rise. In this sacred light, we bond our fate.” I’m laying it on thick with the incantation—a rhyme our elders drum into us when we’re just little tykes, still unscathed by the roller coaster of life.

“I bound us together,” she mutters.

“On any regular day, those words would just be fancy fluff,” Brody says, plopping down across from her. His face shows his concern, and he’s telling me, Dude, get on with it, through our link. “Tell her the rest.”

I gulp, feeling like I swallowed a golf ball. “Most folks don’t just whisper fate stuff unless they are ready to dive into the deep end.” All my earlier pep is fading faster than a sunset as I face the domino effect of what just went down.

“Why?” She reaches for her lemonade, taking a sip with a little moan that would normally kick-start a whole different kind of conversation, but right now? My excitement’s taking a back seat. I hate that I am the one to tell her this.

“We have until the next full moon to embrace the bond and seal the deal,” I blurt out, laying it all out there. “Like it or not, Ava, you’re our fated mate.”

“W-What does that mean?” she splutters, nearly choking on her drink.

“It means, sweet luna,” Brody jumps in, calling her by the title that she may one day accept, “that we have thirty days to strengthen our bond and you accept us.”

“Okay…” Ava drags out the word. “What’s this ‘accept’ thing? Some sort of ritual or…”

“It’s all about leaving our mark,” I say, pushing her hair off her shoulder and letting my fingers brush the spot just above her collarbone, “right here.” I’m keeping it PG, not spilling the beans that it’s usually more R-rated.

“What happens if I reject the bond?” Her voice is shaky, but she’s facing the tough questions head-on, even though I see the struggle in her eyes to get the words out.

“Then we lose you and our human identity,” Brody answers, his words hanging in the air.

Ava’s mouth parts, the weight of her actions dawning on her. “Oh no.” Her gaze drifts to the door where Ethan stormed out, realization creasing the corners of her eyes. “I need…” Panic flickers in her gaze, and she swallows hard, like she’s trying to gulp down her fear. “Can you show me to the room I’ll be staying in? I just… I need…”

“It’s okay,” I say, even though her words sting a bit. “I’ll show you.”

My excitement fades away. It’s fine that she needs time. However, I’ve waited for her my whole life, while all she ever did was ask for help.

Ava

Tyler’s face drops, his eyes reflecting the despair of a wounded puppy.

I just kicked a puppy.

In my clinic, such a look unravels me, compelling me to crouch down and shower the creature with affection and love, but this isn’t my clinic. This situation, so alien and overwhelming, envelops me in a fog of emotions I can hardly name. The weight of my own words bears down on me, carrying a responsibility I’m unprepared to shoulder. A part of me regrets them, yet another part stands defiant, torn between two worlds I never imagined would collide.

“Hey.” The silence, thick and heavy, finally breaks as Brody’s voice cuts through it. His eyes, deep pools of understanding, drift toward me, but they don’t quite meet mine, as if he’s sparing me the full impact of his gaze. “Go ahead,” he says, his voice a soothing balm. “I’ll bring you something to eat.” His words, simple and caring, seem misplaced in the chaos of my tangled emotions, but that’s Brody for you.

I rise from my seat, my legs trembling beneath me. The shaking, whether from disuse or distress, blurs the line between physical and emotional instability.

Through the blurred windowpane, I see Ethan outside, his form a shadow against the twilight of the forest. If I squint, I can just make him out from here, pacing in the tree line. He took off, but he didn’t go far.

Internally chastising myself, I try to focus as Tyler stands, his posture rigid and gaze distant. His presence is a gentle breeze, unpredictable yet refreshingly sincere. “Are you okay to walk?” he asks, his fingers twitching, betraying his urge to bridge the gap between us. I’m learning that is just who Tyler is—compassionate and caring.

“I can manage,” I tell him, masking my reluctance. Allowing him to support me now would mean more than just physical assistance—it would be an intimacy I’m not ready to confront. My smile, meant to reassure, feels hollow.

Tyler’s demeanor shifts almost imperceptibly as he picks up my lemonade, the glass sweating in the warm air, and nods toward the hallway. The transformation is startling. His emotions are buried, and his face is a mask of casual indifference.

“Can’t let you get too thirsty now, can we?” he quips, his wink a fleeting glimmer of lightness as he guides me through the modest house, each room bathed in the soft glow of twilight.

---