Page 71 of Fool Moon First Aid

“True, and Zane shall lead that charge. Humor me. I have a weird, gut feeling regarding Ava and her father,” the alpha says, his voice steady and strong, which only irks me. “I wonder if there is a connection,” he muses to himself.

The room grows quiet, kind of like the calm before a really bad storm, and I can almost hear our brains ticking over. The whole thing with the hunters being obsessed with Ava? It smells like they are playing a sneaky game, preferring to lurk in the shadows rather than come at us with guns blazing.

“They’ve been tiptoeing around. What’s their endgame?” I wonder.

In the silence, the realness of the alpha’s words seeps into every corner of the room. Here we are, trying to figure out our next move in this weird game of hide-and-seek with enemies we can’t even see. The urge to protect Ava and keep the clan safe lights up something fierce inside me.

“Their boldness is a façade. We need to uncover their true intentions,” I muse, feeling a protective urge surge within me.

The room’s thick with a kind of hush you’d expect before all hell breaks loose, buzzing with our unspoken jitters. The hunters, dipping their toes into our turf with their sneaky vibes, really shines a spotlight on Ava. It’s like they’ve marked her in a secret game of tag we’re all just catching onto. It sends a protective shiver down my spine, and I want to wrap Ava in a big, invisible bear hug.

Alpha Hughes, his mind a whirlwind of strategies and contingencies, breaks the silence. “They are skulking around, but oh, they are bold about it. They know our moves, which means we need to be one step ahead, unraveling their intentions and preparing for any eventuality.” His words cut through the fog, sharpening my focus. Ethan and I exchange a look that says game on.

We have a mission now—crack the code on Ava’s father and outwit some monster hunters. No biggie, right?

“Her date tomorrow…” I let the words hang, not wanting her to go. I want to tie her to the bed and keep her there until everything blows over.

“Let her go. Keep a shadow on her. Stay close, but out of sight,” Alpha Hughes instructs with a measured tone, a hint of weariness creeping in, “and be discreet. For now, return to your mate. I, apparently, have a date with the couch tonight.”

“Well…” Ethan starts, only to catch one of those looks from the alpha that could freeze lava mid-flow.

“Don’t even think about it,” he warns.

“Your mate crashed on the couch,” Ethan blurts out, inching toward the door, ready to run after riling up our father. “I mean, it’s only fair that you sleep there.”

“Beat it,” Alpha Hughes says with a half-hearted chuckle, settling into the couch like it’s a life raft. “And hey, hit the lights on your way out?”

Ethan turns off the lights without a beat, and I quietly close the door behind us. We meet at the hall’s end, the clock whispering midnight. We move upstairs in silence, our footsteps the only sound in the vast, sleepy house.

We each have our own rooms at the clan house, but we pile into Brody’s. The dim light reveals Ava and Brody, tangled together in the most innocent of embraces on the bed, their breathing a lullaby.

I love lullabies. I bet Ava has an incredible singing voice.

I make a mental note to ask her tomorrow.

Seeing Ava so peaceful, it’s hard to picture her in any sinister plot, but Natalie’s whispered doubts are like gnats—annoyingly persistent. I strip down to my boxers and slide into bed beside Ava, and she instinctively snuggles closer, her arm finding its way over me. It’s a comfort, a silent vow of trust that fills the room.

Ethan climbs into bed on the opposite side, lying as close as he can to Brody.

In just a handful of days, Ava’s become this beacon of hope, a piece of home I didn’t even know I was missing. Imagining a future with her sparks something fierce inside me—a desire for a forever that suddenly seems within reach. She stepped in front of danger for Brody, for us, without a second thought. That bravery, that unwitting acceptance, lights up the dark.

She’s a dream worth defending and a future worth every challenge, because if we’re not here to fight for love, then what are we doing?

Ava

Worst case scenario as a woman? Definitely getting your period unexpectedly in the most inconvenient moments. Imagine, if you will, standing on a beach, sun-kissed and carefree, in a pristine white bikini, only to have the tide within betray you.

Waking up felt like I was slapped by a cloud of doom, and a trip to the bathroom confirmed my suspicions—the crimson wave had hit.

Yup, I got my period. That explains the emotional whirlwind. Great timing, universe, really. Top-notch.

I am cranky and starving, and my moods are swinging like a pendulum on steroids. No amount of willpower will tame my temper today. I am teetering on the edge of either committing homicide or bursting into tears over a broken pen.

In shifter lore, periods are as mythical as a calm family dinner. Heats are the norm, without any of the monthly earthquakes humans endure. Relying on Eloise for a crash course in shifter biology was my first mistake, since her understanding of human physiology is as reliable as a chocolate teapot.

So here I am, stuck in the bathroom, tampon-less and clueless.

The knock on the door feels like the opening scene of a horror movie. “Ava?” Tyler’s voice comes through worriedly. “You okay?”

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