Selene's POV

I didn't move. "What are you going to do?"

"Help you speak to the one who has been waiting for you," she said simply.

My chest tightened. "My mother."

"Yes."

I turned to Frederick, but he was already by the wall, his eyes fixed on me.

"This isn't safe," I whispered.

"Neither is living a lie," he said quietly.

I swallowed hard and sat down. The chair creaked under my weight. The witch began to hum, a low sound that vibrated through the air. She took a small vial from the shelf and poured a drop of thick, black liquid into the silver bowl. The water hissed, steam rising in slow, curling ribbons.

"Look into the water," she commanded.

My fingers trembled as I leaned forward. The surface rippled. For a moment, all I saw was my reflection—pale, tired, scared. Then the image shifted.

The smoke thickened. A face appeared—familiar eyes, gentle smile, long dark hair. My heart stopped.

"Mother?" I whispered.

Her image flickered, then steadied. "Selene," she said, her voice soft, echoing like a memory.

Tears filled my eyes instantly. "It's really you…"

"I don't have long," she said quickly, her gaze full of sadness. "Listen to me, my star. Everything they told you about my death—it's not true."

My breath caught. "You mean… Father didn't—"

"It was your father," she interrupted. "He feared I would reveal his plans—his dealings with the dark packs. Your father is a monster, Selene. He kidnaps little girls and sells them to the dark packs. When I discovered the truth, he paid one of Frederick's maids to poison me, to make it look like Frederick killed me."

I shook my head violently. "No… no, that can't be true."

Her expression softened. "He's changed you, Selene. But it's not too late. Don't let his hatred guide your heart. You were meant for more than revenge."

The image began to fade, the smoke swirling faster.

"Wait!" I cried, reaching out. "Please, don't go!"

But her voice was already fading. "Now you know the truth. Trust the bond fate gave you. He isn't your enemy…"

And then she was gone.

The bowl went still. The cabin was silent except for the sound of my own heartbeat.

I stared at the water, trembling. Frederick slowly approached, his voice low. "Are you okay?" He tried touching me, but I pulled away—not because I didn't want him to touch me, but because I hated myself.

I turned to him, tears streaking down my cheeks. I couldn't breathe. My whole body felt like it was burning from the inside out. "All my life," I said through shaking breaths, "I was trained to kill you. To hate you. To make you pay for something you never did. And the person who murdered my mother…" My voice cracked. "It was my own father!"

The pain ripped out of me like a scream. I wanted to hit something, to break something—but instead, I just sank to my knees. The tears came fast and hot, spilling down my cheeks before I could stop them.

Frederick moved toward me slowly, his steps careful, like I was something fragile. When he reached me, he knelt and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Selene," he said softly.

I didn't pull away this time. I couldn't. The warmth of his touch broke me completely, and I leaned into him, sobbing into his chest. His arms came around me, strong but gentle, holding me like he was afraid I'd fall apart if he let go.

"I hate this," he whispered into my hair. "I hate seeing you cry. Please, stop."

But I couldn't. The tears wouldn't stop. I'd spent years holding them back, pretending to be strong, and now they were finally free.

Frederick's voice stayed low and calm. "You don't have to worry about anything. As for your father—I'm already gathering evidence. Every deal, every crime, every secret he's tried to hide. I'll make sure the council knows the truth."

I looked up at him, my vision blurry. "You'd do that for me?"

He smiled faintly, brushing a tear from my cheek. "No, Selene. I'd do it for you and for her."

That broke me all over again. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely holding together.

Before he could answer, the witch interrupted. "Selene," she said slowly, her tone almost teasing. "Aren't you going to tell him the truth?"

My heart stopped.

Frederick turned his head toward her. "What truth?" he asked, frowning slightly.

I froze. Panic flooded through me. My pulse raced so fast it hurt. "I—"

The witch just smiled knowingly and turned back to her candles.

I turned to Frederick, shaking. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

His brows furrowed. "Sorry? For what?"

I looked at him, my voice barely a breath. "Because I should have told you before now…"

"Selene," he said gently, moving closer. "What are you talking about?"

I swallowed hard. "We're… mates."

Frederick went still. The silence was so thick it hurt.

I forced myself to keep talking, the words trembling out of me. "Since you're a vampire, you couldn't sense it—but I could. From the first moment I saw you at the party… my wolf knew. But I didn't want to believe it. I thought you killed my mother. I hated you. I told myself the bond was a curse."

Frederick's expression shifted—shock, then confusion, then pain. He took a slow step back, as if he needed space to breathe.

"You knew," he said quietly, his voice breaking. "All this time… you knew?"

Tears filled my eyes again. "Yes."

"And you still wanted to kill me?" His tone wasn't angry—it was hurt, raw and deep.

I nodded weakly. "Because I didn't want it to be true. I didn't want you to be my fate."

Frederick's jaw tightened, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And now?"

I stared at him, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. "Now… I don't know."

He turned away slightly, running a hand over his face. "You should have told me, Selene." His voice was low and heavy with emotion. "You should have trusted me."

"I was scared," I said, my voice cracking. "I thought you were my mother's killer. What did you expect me to do?"

Silence hung in the air, and I tried to move closer to him. "Do you hate me now?"

He looked at me, his eyes dark and full of pain. "I don't hate you," he said softly. "But I don't know how to feel right now."