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SABLE’S POV

“Is she still the same?”

“There has been no change. She’s still the same as yesterday.”

“Should we consider the possibility she’s dead. I mean, it’s been too long already.”

“Someone should tell the Alpha again.”

“He already knows.”

“Then why hasn’t he come?”

I could hear voices floating in and out of my ears as I slowly regained conciousness, and forced my eyes open.

Everything around me felt weird.

My body was heavy, it felt like someone had poured sand into the marrow of my bones. I tried to sit up and my own arms were shaking from my body weight.

My hair fell across my face, it was as thick as a curtain and even had greyish strands in them. The length was another level entirely, it had never been this long.

What was going on?

I looked around and noticed I was in the infirmary. It had the same walls and beds. But the ambience of the room felt…off.

The door opened.

Bastian stepped in and stopped dead when he saw me staring at him.

“Sable?” His voice cracked. And he rushed to the side of the bed. “Can you hear me? Look at me. Do you know who I am?”

“Bastian…” My throat felt dry and unused. “Why are you asking that? What happened? Why do I feel like this?”

He checked my pulse, my eyes, my finger movement and my legs. “You’re awake. Moon above, you’re actually awake. Can you feel this? Does anything hurt when I press here?”

“I’m fine,” I said, even though I could feel nothing at the time. “It’s morning already. What day is it?”

He froze for a minute.

“Bastian. Look at me. What day is it?”

“The fifth of the Spring Moon years.” He told me.

I stared at him in confusion. The year didn’t make sense to me. I counted backward in my head, once, then again. It had been…five years.

“That’s not possible,” I whispered.

“Sable—”

“How long was I asleep?”

He swallowed. “Five years. You’ve been in a coma for five years.”

I shook my head hard. “No. That’s cannot be true, I was only out for some hours. The battle just happened. Dorian was right here holding my hand. Finn was standing right there crying. And you were treating the wound in my side, I promised him breakfast.”

“It wasn't for a few days.”

“You’re lying to me.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Why is my hair this long? Why can’t I even sit up properly? Why does my own voice sound strange to me?”

“Because your body hasn’t moved in five years. Muscles waste away when they’re not used. Your hair kept growing and everything else kept moving without you.”

I tried to push the blanket off and swing my legs over the side of the bed. But my body barely listened, the moment my feet touched the floor my knees took a nosedive.

Bastian caught me before I hit the ground. “Easy now. Your legs aren’t ready for this.”

“Years?” I raised my voice. “Bastian, where is Dorian? Where is my son?”

He hesitated. “I’ll send for the Alpha right now.”

“Do it. Now. Don’t stand there looking at me like that. Send for him.”

“I will.”

He called for a messenger. The young wolf who appeared looked nervous the second he stepped into the room. Bastian spoke to him quietly, then the boy left at a run.

I sat on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily, staring at the floor. Five years just could not be real. My hair, my weak legs, the way even my own voice sounded strange in my own ears—none of it made sense.

“Are you sure about the date?” I asked again.

“I’m sure.”

“And I’ve been here the whole time? In this bed? In this same room?”

“Yes.”

“Did anyone stay with me? Did Dorian stay with me?”

Bastian didn’t answer right away. “He came as often as he could.”

“As often as he could,” I repeated. “What does that mean?”

“It means he had a pack to run.”

“And Finn? Did my son come?”

“Sometimes.”

The messenger came back sooner than I expected. But he didn’t look at me, instead he pulled Bastian a few steps away and spoke in a low voice.

But I could hear every word of their conversation. “The Alpha is with the Luna right now. He said he’ll come when he can.”

Bastian’s shoulders stiffened.

I lifted my head. “What did he just say?”

Neither of them answered.

“Who is the Luna?” I asked again, louder this time. “I am the Luna. Who is he talking about?”

The messenger looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him.

Bastian stepped between us. “Sable, you need to stay in bed. Your body isn’t ready—”

“Who is the Luna?”

“You just woke up. You can’t walk around yet—”

“Answer me, Bastian! I am here so who is the Luna with Dorian?”

He closed his eyes for a second. “Please…just rest. Let me send for Dorian properly. You’re in no condition to leave this room.”

“I’m not staying here while everyone talks about my husband and another Luna.”

“You don’t understand the situation—”

“Then make me understand! Five years, Bastian. You let me sleep for five years and now someone else is being called Luna in my place. Where is Dorian? Where is Finn? Why is someone else standing where I should be?”

“Sable, please sit down before you fall.”

“I’m not sitting down.”

“Your legs can’t hold you.”

“I don’t care what my legs can do.”

I pushed his hands away and forced myself to stand. My legs trembled violently and every step I took felt like I was dragging dead weight, but I kept moving toward the door.

“Sable, stop. You’ll collapse.”

“I’m not collapsing.”

“Your body can’t take this yet.”

“I don’t care what my body can take. I need to see my husband. I need to see my son and I need to know who the hell is being called Luna in my house.”

“At least let me help you,” Bastian said behind me.

“I don’t need help. I need answers. And I’m going to get them myself.”

I gripped the doorframe so I wouldn’t fall and took another shaky step. Then another.

My body screamed at me to stop, but the thought of another woman standing where I should be was stronger than the pain.

So I kept walking.