Chapter 9: The Truth He Was Never Told

Faye’s POV

Elena stood in the doorway, still holding her umbrella.

For a few seconds, the bakery was so quiet I could hear the rain tapping against the glass.

Sebastian looked at Elena, then at me.

I could see the conflict in his eyes.

Once, that conflict would have broken my heart.

Now, it only made me tired.

“You should go back,” I said.

Sebastian frowned.

“I'm not leaving.”

“You came here because of me. Elena came here because of you. You both have a pack waiting.”

Elena's fingers tightened around her umbrella.

“Faye, Sebastian came because he was worried about you.”

I smiled faintly.

“Then he can stop worrying.”

Sebastian's jaw tightened.

“You don't understand.”

“Then explain it.”

He went silent.

That silence told me more than words could have.

In my last life, I had spent years waiting for an explanation.

This time, I wasn't going to beg for one.

I untied my apron and hung it behind the counter.

“The bakery is closing.”

Sebastian looked at me.

“I'll walk you home.”

“No.”

“Faye—”

“I said no.”

He stopped.

I picked up my bag and walked toward the back door.

Before I left, I glanced over my shoulder.

“You should go, Sebastian.”

“You have an Alpha ceremony to prepare for.”

His eyes darkened.

“You're still my mate.”

I held his gaze.

“And you're still the man who left me behind.”

His expression went completely still.

I walked out before he could answer.

…

The next morning, I found a message waiting on my phone.

Not from Sebastian.

From an unknown number.

Come to the hospital at ten. It's about Leo.

My heart stopped.

For one terrible moment, the memories of my previous life came rushing back.

Leo lying sick?

An accident?

A rogue attack?

I called the number immediately.

No answer.

At nine thirty, I was already outside the hospital.

I hated that my first instinct was still to run toward my son.

Even after everything, he was still my child.

When I reached the emergency department, I saw Sebastian standing near the entrance.

He looked furious.

“Why are you here?” I asked.

“Someone contacted you?”

I showed him the message.

His expression changed.

“I didn't send this.”

Before either of us could say more, a nurse approached.

“Are you Faye?”

I nodded.

“I'm Dr. Miller. Your son is here for testing.”

My stomach dropped.

“What happened?”

“Nothing life-threatening.”

She looked at Sebastian.

“But we found something unusual in his bloodwork.”

Sebastian's expression became serious.

“What?”

“Leo's bloodline is unstable.”

Silence.

Sebastian's face changed.

“That's impossible.”

“His Alpha genes are unusually strong, but something is interfering with the transformation process.”

I remembered something from my previous life.

Leo had once suffered from violent fever after his first major shift.

Sebastian had blamed me for not being there.

Elena had treated him.

But now I wondered if that had ever been the whole truth.

Dr. Miller handed me a file.

“There's another problem.”

I opened it.

My eyes widened.

The report showed that Leo carried a rare genetic marker.

One that wasn't present in Sebastian's bloodline records.

Sebastian read the page over my shoulder.

His expression became unreadable.

“Where did this come from?”

The doctor shook her head.

“That's what we need to determine.”

Behind us, someone cleared their throat.

Elena.

She had arrived without either of us noticing.

Her face was pale.

Too pale.

The moment she saw the report in my hand, all the warmth disappeared from her expression.

Sebastian noticed.

His eyes narrowed.

“Elena.”

She didn't answer.

“You know something.”

Her lips parted.

“I…”

For the first time since I had known her, Elena looked genuinely afraid.

And suddenly, I understood.

This wasn't about my weak bloodline.

It wasn't about me being unworthy of the Silver Moon Pack.

There was something Elena had been hiding.

Something connected to Leo.

Something Sebastian had never been told.

I looked at her calmly.

“Tell him.”

Elena's eyes snapped toward me.

“Faye…”

“You wanted me gone once.”

“You wanted Sebastian to choose power over me.”

“Now you can finally tell him the truth.”

Sebastian stepped forward.

His voice was dangerously quiet.

“What truth?”

Elena took a step backward.

And for the first time, the woman who had always seemed untouchable looked like she was running out of places to hide.