A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 413

Chapter 413

ALEXANDER

75 P

I stepped into the room expecting silence.

Instead, I caught movement.

Faye’s hand dropped too quickly, like she had been caught doing something she didn’t want seen. Her body angled away from me at the same time–subtle, but obvious enough for me to register immediately.

My attention narrowed.

Something was wrong.

“Faye,” I called her name carefully, keeping my tone even. “What is it?”

She didn’t answer right away.

That alone told me enough.

I took a step closer.

Her shoulders were slightly tense, like she was holding something in place with effort alone. Her breathing

was controlled, but not natural. Controlled in the way someone tries to pretend they are fine when they are

anything but.

“What are you hiding?” I said more firmly.

Her eyes flicked up to mine.

For a second, I thought she might refuse.

Then-

Her entire body reacted at once.

She gasped.

Not softly.

Not controlled.

A real, sudden sound of pain that cut through everything else in the room.

“Faye-”

She staggered.

It happened too fast.

One moment she was standing; the next, her balance gave way like something underneath her had been pulled out.

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I moved before I even thought.

I reached her in time, arms locking around her before she hit the ground.

Her weight came against me, but she wasn’t stable. She wasn’t conscious in the way she should have been.

“Hey–look at me,” I said quickly, tightening my hold so she wouldn’t slip further.

Her body was warm.

That was the first thing I noticed.

Not normal warmth. Not room temperature. Something deeper.

Her breathing was uneven now, her chest rising too quickly, like she was trying to pull air through something restricting her.

“Faye,” I said again, lower this time.

Her fingers clenched at my sleeve, then moved instinctively toward her wrist.

That was when I saw it properly.

Her hand was shaking as she held it close to her body, as if even touching it too directly was causing pain. The sleeve she had pulled over it earlier had shifted slightly in the struggle, revealing part of the mark

again.

And it was no longer just a pattern.

It looked… inflamed.

Like something beneath the skin was reacting.

I pulled her closer carefully, adjusting my grip so she was fully supported.

Her forehead brushed briefly against my shoulder.

She was burning up.

Not fever–like in the usual sense.

This felt targeted.

Focused.

Like her body was reacting to something internal instead of external.

“Stay with me,” I told her quietly.

Her fingers tightened again, weaker this time, like she was fighting to stay aware

I didn’t wait.

I lifted her fully into my arms.

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She didn’t resist.

She couldn’t.

+25 Fot

I moved quickly across the room, lowering her onto the bed with controlled urgency. The moment her back touched the mattress, she shifted again, restless, her body turning slightly as if even lying still was uncomfortable.

“Easy,” I said, keeping one hand near her shoulder to steady her.

Her eyes were half–open now, unfocused, like she was trying to anchor herself but couldn’t find solid ground.

Something was happening.

And I couldn’t afford to hesitate.

I turned sharply toward the door.

I was already out of the room, walking fast through the corridor toward my mother’s quarters.

My mind was working in parallel with my body now, running through every possibility I had been avoiding acknowledging fully.

Helen had been right about stages.

And whatever stage Faye was in now-

It was not stable.

I reached her door and didn’t bother with formality.

“Mom,” I said as soon as I entered.

Helen looked up immediately.

My expression must have said enough, because she didn’t ask questions first.

“Faye,” I added, more sharply. “She’s in pain.”

That was all it took.

She was on her feet.

We moved fast back to the chambers.

When we stepped inside, Faye was no longer just restless.

She was turning slightly on the bed, her movements uneven, like her body couldn’t decide how to settle.

Her breathing was more unstable now.

Her face tighter.

And she was crying.

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Real tears, slipping out despite the effort she was clearly making to hold herself together.

Something inside me tightened at the sight.

I stepped closer to the bed.

“Faye,” I said again, softer this time.

Her eyes flicked toward me briefly, but didn’t fully focus.

Helen moved to the other side of the bed, her expression already shifting into assessment mode.

“Can you do something?” I asked her quickly.

+25 Points

I didn’t like how controlled my voice sounded right now. It meant I was holding more in than I should.

Helen didn’t answer immediately.

She leaned in slightly, observing Faye’s condition with a focus I had seen her use only when things were serious enough to override everything else.

Then she straightened.

“I don’t have medication here,” she said bluntly.

My jaw tightened slightly.

“Then what do we—”

Before I could finish, she turned abruptly.

“I’ll be back,” she said quickly, already moving toward the door.