Chapter 20: The Woman Who Should Have Been Forgotten

Faye’s POV

For several seconds, I could only stare at the woman standing at the edge of the forest.

She had my face.

Not similar features.

Not the same eyes or the same shape of lips.

She had my face.

The only difference was her silver eyes.

Leo moved closer to me.

Sebastian immediately stepped in front of us.

Roman's expression had become grim.

“Who are you?” Sebastian demanded.

The woman smiled faintly.

“You already know.”

Her gaze moved past him and settled on me.

“Don't you, little sister?”

My breath caught.

“Sister?”

The woman nodded.

“My name is Mira.”

She slowly raised her hand.

A silver crescent identical to mine appeared on her palm.

The courtyard fell silent.

One of the elders stumbled backward.

“Impossible.”

Mira looked at him.

“That's what you said when you killed our mother.”

His face went white.

My heart pounded.

“What did you say?”

Mira's eyes remained fixed on the elder.

“Our mother was the last true Moonborn.”

“She refused to surrender her power to the council.”

“So they hunted her.”

“They destroyed our family and erased our names from every record.”

I could barely breathe.

“Then how am I alive?”

Mira's expression softened.

“Because our mother hid you.”

I shook my head.

“Why would she leave me?”

“She didn't.”

Mira's voice broke for the first time.

“She believed someone would come for you.”

“But the people she trusted betrayed her.”

I looked toward the elders.

No one dared meet my eyes.

Sebastian turned toward them.

“You knew.”

The oldest elder lowered his head.

“We knew there was another child.”

Sebastian's aura exploded.

“And you said nothing?”

“We didn't know where she was.”

Mira laughed bitterly.

“You knew exactly where she was.”

She looked at me.

“They left you in the human world because they thought your blood would never awaken.”

My fingers curled.

Suddenly, so many pieces of my life made sense.

Why I had never shifted.

Why doctors could never explain certain things about my blood.

Why the wolves who met me sometimes stared for a second too long.

Why the Moon Goddess had given me another chance.

It wasn't coincidence.

My bloodline had been waiting.

Mira walked toward me.

Sebastian moved to stop her.

I raised my hand.

“Let her come.”

Mira stopped in front of me.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then she reached out.

Her fingers touched my cheek.

The silver marks on both our bodies began to glow.

A wave of warmth passed through me.

And suddenly I remembered something that had never belonged to my memories.

A woman holding two babies beneath a full moon.

A soft voice whispering, “No matter what happens, protect your sister.”

Then fire.

Screaming.

Men in black armor.

A baby being carried away.

The vision disappeared.

I stumbled.

Sebastian caught me.

“Faye!”

I pushed myself upright.

Tears filled my eyes.

“I remember her.”

Mira nodded.

“So do I.”

Leo looked between us.

“She's your sister?”

I nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

He looked at Mira with curiosity.

“Then she's my aunt?”

Mira smiled.

“I suppose I am.”

For the first time since arriving, Leo smiled.

But the moment didn't last.

A deep growl rolled across the forest.

Roman turned sharply.

“They're coming.”

Sebastian looked toward the eastern gate.

“Who?”

Roman's eyes narrowed.

“The people who killed their mother.”

Mira's expression changed.

“They found me.”

I stared at her.

“Who are they?”

Mira looked at the sky.

“The Crimson Council.”

Roman's face darkened.

“The oldest faction of the ancient bloodlines.”

Sebastian clenched his fists.

“What do they want?”

Mira looked directly at me.

“You.”

The silver mark on my wrist suddenly flared.

Far beyond the walls, dozens of wolves began howling.

Mira took my hand.

“They're coming for the Moonborn.”

I looked at Sebastian.

Then at Leo.

Then at the forest.

In my previous life, I had spent decades waiting for someone to come back for me.

This time, I wasn't waiting for anyone.

If the Crimson Council wanted me, they would have to come through me first.

I tightened my grip around Mira's hand.

“Then let them come.”