Chapter 5

The folder containing evidence about my parents lay heavy in my hands as dawn broke outside my window. I hadn't slept, spending the entire night poring over bank statements, witness accounts, and cryptic notes written in the triplets' familiar handwriting. 

Each document painted a darker picture of Selene's involvement in my parents' disappearance.

A knock at my door made me jump. 

"Zara?" Mia called softly. "Are you okay? You weren't answering your phone."

I quickly shoved the folder under my mattress before opening the door to find both Mia and Ava looking concerned. They took in my disheveled appearance with worried frowns.

"We heard about what happened at the ceremony," Ava said, pushing past me into the room. "The whole pack's talking about it.”

I forced a smile, trying to mask the turmoil within me. "Yeah, just a little... drama."

Mia crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. "It’s more than just drama. You confronted Noah in front of everyone. That can’t be easy."

I sighed, moving back to my bed and sitting on the edge. "It’s complicated. I can’t just pretend everything is fine after what I learned."

Ava sat beside me, her expression turning serious. "What do you mean? You’ve been so distant lately. We’re worried about you."

I hesitated, glancing at the mattress where the folder lay concealed. The urge to share my findings with them battled against my instinct to protect them from the harsh reality of what I had discovered.

"It’s about my parents," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I found some things that suggest Selene might have had a hand in their disappearance."

Mia's eyes widened. "Selene? But she’s... she’s the Luna. Why would she—"

"I don’t know!" I snapped, the frustration spilling over. "But the evidence points to her involvement. I can’t just ignore it."

Ava placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "So what are you going to do?"

I felt the weight of the world pressing down on me. "I need to find out the truth, but I don’t even know where to start. And with everything going on with the triplets... I don’t know who to trust."

Mia exchanged a glance with Ava, clearly worried. "You can trust us," she said firmly. "We’re in this together. Whatever it is, we’ll face it as a pack."

I nodded, appreciating their support but feeling the enormity of the task ahead. "Okay, but we need to be careful. If Selene really is involved, she won't hesitate to protect herself."

Ava’s expression turned resolute. "Then let's gather more information. We can start by looking into those documents you found."

Reluctantly, I revealed the folder, spreading its contents across my bed. The room filled with a tense silence as they scanned the papers.

"These are... serious," Mia murmured, her eyes darting over the notes. "If we can prove Selene's involvement, it could change everything."

I felt a flicker of hope mixed with dread. "But it’s risky. If she finds out we're digging into her past..."

"We'll be careful," Ava assured me, determination in her voice. "We won't let fear stop us."

Just then, there was another knock at the door. My heart raced as I exchanged glances with Mia and Ava. It was too soon for anyone else to be checking on me—unless it was the triplets.

"Who is it?" I called, trying to sound casual.

"It's Noah," came his voice, laced with concern. "Can I come in?"

Before I could respond, Mia shot me a look that clearly said, *What do we do?*

"Umm, I—" I stammered, but Noah walked in before I could finish. His presence filled the room, and I felt an electric tension in the air.

"Zara," he said, his gaze locking onto mine. "I just wanted to see how you were doing after last night."

I crossed my arms defensively, unwilling to give him an inch. "I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You don’t look fine. You look like you’ve been through hell."

Mia and Ava exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable with his intrusion. "Maybe you should give her some space, Noah," Mia suggested.

"No," I interjected, surprising myself. "If he wants to talk, he can." 

Noah stepped closer, his expression softening. "I know things got out of hand last night, and I’m sorry. But we need to talk about what’s really going on."

I could feel the weight of the folder pressing against my conscience, and the urge to unleash my findings was overwhelming. But could I trust him? 

"Talk about what?" I challenged, trying to keep my guard up.

"About Selene," he replied, glancing at the papers strewn across the bed. "And about your parents. I think I can help."

The air was thick with tension as I weighed my options. Could I really let him in on this? Or was it too risky to trust the very person who had been part of the pain I was trying to escaped