3

SABLE’S POV

The halls looked different.

I dragged one hand along the wall to keep myself upright, my legs were still shaking with every step I took.

The paint was new and even some of my pictures that used to hang here were gone. A servant I didn’t recognize stared at me as I passed, then quickly looked away.

“Where is Dorian?” I asked her.

She hesitated. “The Alpha is in the private wing, Luna… I mean—”

“Just tell me where he is.”

“The private wing, past the old library.” She finally spoke up.

I kept walking. Another servant appeared at the end of the corridor, carrying folded linens.

“Have you seen the Alpha?” I asked.

She nearly dropped the linens. “He’s with… he’s in the private wing.”

“Is Finn with him?”

“I don’t know, ma’am.”

“Has anyone seen my son today?”

She shook her head and hurried away.

I followed the direction they gave me, my heart was pounding harder with every step I took. The house felt familiar and strange at the same time.

My favorite chair by the window was missing. The vase Finn used to knock over as a toddler was gone, even the smell of the place felt different.

Then I heard a child’s voice. I froze.

I turned toward the sound and followed it into the sitting room.

Finn stood near the window, he was taller than I remembered, his hair was darker now, and his face was no longer the round baby face I had kissed every night.

He was seven years old now, and I had missed five years of his life.

“Finn,” I called, my voice was breaking from pent up emotions.

He turned around. For a second I couldn’t move. Then I stepped toward him, already opening my arms to hug him.

“Finn, baby. It’s me.”

He stared at me as if he did not know me. He wasn’t even smiling, he took a step back and looked past me.

“Aunt Talia?” he called out.

My heart felt it was being painfully gutted out..

“Finn, it’s Mama,” I said, kneeling down to reach him, even though my legs were still hurting. “It’s me, Mama. I’m awake now. Come here. Please come here.”

He shook his head and moved farther away. “Who is she? Aunt Talia, who is that woman?”

“Baby, look at me. It’s Mama. You used to fall asleep on my chest, I sang to you every night. Do you remember the song? The one about the moon?”

He kept backing up. “I don’t know you.”

Talia appeared in the doorway. She looked at me, then at Finn, then back at me. “Oh, Sable…”

She crossed the room and pulled me into a tight embrace before I could say another word.

“You’re awake,” she whispered against my hair. “You’re really awake. We prayed every single day. Every day, Sable. I can’t believe you’re standing here.”

I clung to her because she was the only solid thing in a world that had turned upside down.

“Talia,” I said in a shaking voice. “What’s going on? Why doesn’t Finn know me? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m a stranger in my own house?”

She pulled back just enough to hold my face in her hands. “It’s been five years. He was so little when you… when you didn’t wake up. He doesn’t remember, children forget things. It’s not his fault.”

“I’m his mother.”

“I know. I know you are. No one is saying you’re not.”

“Then why is he calling you Aunt Talia like I’m some random woman off the street?”

Finn stayed pressed against her side, watching me with uncertainty.

Talia stroked his hair. “It’s okay, sweetheart. This is… this is Sable. She’s been very sick for a long time. She’s been sleeping.”

“Is she the one from the stories?” he asked quietly. “The one who refused to wake up?”

“Yes,” Talia said softly. “She’s the one. But she’s awake now.”

I looked at my son and felt my heart break into pieces. “Finn, I promised you pancakes. Do you remember? With honey and the little berries. I promised I would be there in the morning. I promised you.”

He didn’t answer. He just held onto Talia tighter.

“I don’t want her near me,” he whispered.

I turned back to Talia, desperately. “Where is Dorian? Why didn’t he come when I woke up? Bastian sent someone and the messenger said he was with the Luna. Why is everyone calling someone else Luna?”

Talia’s expression softened with a look that wasn’t distant from pity. “I’ll explain everything to you okay, I promise. But you need to calm down first. Your body isn’t strong enough for this. You’ve only just opened your eyes.”

“I don’t want to calm down. I want answers. I want my husband and I want my son to know who I am.”

“And you’ll get answers. I’m here. You’re not alone in this. No one has forgotten you, Sable. I never stopped hoping you would open your eyes. I sat by your bed more times than I can count.”

I searched her face. She looked the same, she was the same sister I had grown up with.

“You swear you’ll help me?” I asked.

“I swear on everything. I’ll help you adjust to everything that has changed, just take a moment to breathe. We’ll figure it out together. You’re not facing this by yourself.”

For the first time since I woke up, I felt like someone was still on my side.

Then I heard footsteps sounding behind us. I turned around and saw Dorian standing in the doorway.

He stopped the moment he saw me and his face went pale. His mouth opened but no sound came out.

I expected him to cross the room in a few steps and pull me against himself into a hug. But instead, he didn’t move.

“Dorian,” I breathed.

I pushed myself up and went to him, tears were already beginning to fall down my face. “You’re here. Why didn’t you come to the infirmary? Bastian sent for you the second I opened my eyes. I woke up and you weren’t there. I asked for you. I asked for our son.”

He still didn’t reach for me.

“Sable…” He started.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Say something. Touch me. Do something.”

He glanced at Talia, then at Finn, then back at me.

“We need to talk,” he said.