Chapter Forty-Nine: Silent Sacrifice
Raven had gone completely silent in Charlie’s mind. The absence of her wolf’s comforting presence gnawed at her, leaving a hollow ache that made everything feel so much worse. Usually, Raven’s strength was there, guiding her, reassuring her when things got tough, but now, there was nothing. Only the suffocating quiet that left Charlie feeling more isolated than ever.
‘She’s probably upset with me’, Charlie thought, swallowing the lump in her throat. Raven had warned her, pleaded with her not to go into the woods, to go find Luther and Liam. But Charlie hadn’t listened. She had gone in search of the cry for help, thinking she could handle whatever danger lay ahead. And now… she was paying the price.
But even though the consequences were devastating, Charlie couldn’t shake the feeling that she had done the right thing. ‘What if it hadn’t been me?’ she thought. What if someone else had found Leah?
The idea of one of the Omegas or a vulnerable pack member being attacked by Leah, infected with the disease, filled her with dread. If it hadn’t been Charlie, the disease could have spread throughout the pack, causing far more harm. At least now, the threat was contained, even if it came at the cost of her own safety.
Her steps slowed as she trailed a few feet behind Liam, her eyes focused on the ground in front of her as they walked. He hadn’t said much since Dorian’s diagnosis, and his silence was a heavy weight pressing down on both of them. The only sound was the crunch of leaves beneath their feet as they made their way toward the outskirts of the pack’s territory.
Liam was leading her to an old, abandoned house that sat on the edge of the land. It was a place far enough away from the pack to keep her isolated, just as she had requested. She knew this was hard on him—on both of them—but there was nothing she could do to make it better. There were no comforting words to say, no reassurances that would lessen the pain of what was happening. She couldn’t even touch him, couldn’t offer him the physical connection that might have helped ease his sorrow.
And Luther… Charlie’s heart twisted painfully in her chest at the thought of him. The image of him running off after letting out that mournful howl haunted her. He hadn’t said a word to her after she told them about the infection, hadn’t given her any indication of what he was feeling. He had just shifted into his wolf and ran, leaving a piece of her heart shattered in his wake.
‘I’ve been nothing but pain for them’, Charlie thought bitterly. ‘Since the moment they found out I was their mate, it’s been nothing but trouble.’
She knew she wasn’t to blame for everything that had happened, but that didn’t stop the guilt from creeping in. The last thing she wanted was to cause her mates any more suffering, but it felt like that was all she had done since coming into their lives.
The trees began to thin as they neared the old shack Liam had mentioned. When they finally broke through the last line of trees, Charlie stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening at the sight before her.
The house—or what was left of it—was old and weathered, with pieces of the roof caved in and vines growing up one side. The paint was peeling in large chunks, leaving the wood beneath exposed to the elements. The whole place had an eerie, abandoned feel to it, like something out of a horror story. The sight of it made Charlie shiver involuntarily.
Liam came to a stop a few feet ahead of her, turning around to face her with a strained expression on his face. His eyes flickered with pain and frustration, emotions he was clearly trying hard to suppress. He had always been so strong, so capable, but right now, even Liam looked like he was struggling to keep it together.
“I’ll go in and get things ready for you,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. At the end of the sentence, his voice caught in his throat, betraying how hard it was for him to say the words. His hands shook slightly as he clenched them into fists, clearly fighting back the urge to do more—anything more—to help her.
Charlie nodded, unable to find her voice. She watched as Liam turned and walked toward the old house, leaving her standing in the clearing, alone with her thoughts.
She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold on to whatever scraps of warmth she had left. The sight of the broken-down house only amplified the overwhelming sense of loneliness that had been creeping over her since the moment she learned of the infection.
She had always been alone, even when surrounded by the pack. For years, they had treated her as an outcast, a punching bag for their frustrations. It wasn’t until she discovered her mate bond with Luther and Liam that she had begun to feel like she belonged somewhere, like she was finally home. But now, even that sense of belonging was slipping away.
Raven’s absence in her mind felt like a loss, one more thing taken from her. She’ll come back. Charlie told herself, trying to cling to that hope. She just needs time to process what happened. We’ll get through this together.
But no matter how many times she repeated the words, the doubt lingered.
The sound of footsteps broke through her thoughts, and Charlie looked up to see Liam emerging from the house. His face was set in a grim expression, his eyes avoiding hers as he wiped his hands on his jeans.
“It’s not much,” he said, his voice rough. “But it’ll give you shelter.”
Charlie gave a small nod, her throat too tight to speak. The sight of Liam, so close yet so far, was almost unbearable. She wanted nothing more than to rush into his arms, to feel his warmth and strength surround her. But she couldn’t. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Liam took a step toward her, his hand twitching as if he wanted to reach out. But he stopped himself, his gaze flicking away as he clenched his fists once again.
“I’ll… I’ll check on you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Every day. I’ll be here.”
Charlie nodded again, tears pricking at her eyes. She knew this was just as hard for him as it was for her, if not harder. Liam was a protector by nature, always putting others before himself. And now, he was being forced to stand by and do nothing while the woman he loved faced something he couldn’t fight.
“I’m sorry,” Charlie whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry, Liam.”
Liam’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might break down. But then he shook his head, his eyes hardening with determination. “Don’t apologize,” he said, his voice firm. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find a way.”
Charlie nodded, though deep down, a part of her wondered if that was even possible. She didn’t want to give up hope, but the weight of the unknown hung heavily over her.
Liam took one last, lingering look at her before turning away, his shoulders hunched as he walked back toward the packhouse. Charlie stood there, watching him disappear into the distance, feeling like her heart was being ripped from her chest.
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