Chapter Sixty-Five: The Calm Before the Storm
The cold tile pressed against the soles of Charlie’s feet as she stepped into the large communal showers, the steady stream of water cascading over her skin, washing away the grime and exhaustion of the last few days. She let out a soft sigh, relishing the warmth as it seeped into her sore muscles.
But even as the water soothed her body, her mind remained anything but calm.
Dorian had woken her just before sunrise, telling her they needed the room for another sick patient. She hadn't protested—how could she, knowing another life was slipping through their fingers? Instead, she let him lead her to a private room where she could shower and change before returning to her mates.
She had felt them before she saw them.
Liam and Luther stood against the far wall, their powerful forms still as stone, their arms crossed, their bodies rigid with tension, watching her in silence. Their grim expressions sent a shiver of unease down her spine, even as heat stirred low in her belly from their presence.
The weight of their gazes settled on her like a physical touch, but still, neither of them spoke. They simply watched as she ran her fingers through her long hair.
Their silence was more unnerving than anger. She had expected them to be furious—expected Luther to storm into the shower and demand answers, expected Liam to lecture her on responsibility and the risks she had taken.
Charlie turned away from them, focusing on the shower as she lathered the soap over her skin, letting the steam cloud her senses. She wasn’t trying to seduce them—but she wasn’t exactly upset by the sharp, heady scent of their arousal that filled the air, either.
She knew they were angry. Worried. Frustrated.
And she also knew that whatever words they had for her would come after this moment of quiet.
Instead, they said nothing.
And that was worse.
So she took her time.
Her hands moved slowly over her body, washing away the last remnants of blood and sweat, pretending not to notice the way their heated gazes burned into her. When she ran out of places to wash, she lingered beneath the spray, letting the water cascade down her body, drawing out the moment for as long as possible.
She dragged the washcloth over her arms, down her legs, across her stomach. She knew she had them by the way their scents shifted, thickening with something darker. The sharp tang of frustration still lingered in the air, but beneath it was something else—something primal.
Her heart pounded as she ran the cloth over her throat, down to her collarbone, lingering just a little longer than necessary.
She told herself she wasn’t doing it to tease them.
But she was.
Another few moments of silence passed before a low, animalistic growl reverberated through the air.
Charlie stilled, her fingers tightening around the cloth.
The sound was deep, guttural, sending a ripple of anticipation down her spine.
Then she heard it—the unmistakable rip of fabric.
Before she could turn, the warmth of a bare chest pressed against her back, strong arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her firmly against a hard body. A breath of heat ghosted over the shell of her ear, and then—
"You’ve been a naughty girl, my Luna," he murmured, his voice low, rough, and teasing, but carrying an edge of something dark and possessive that sent a delicious shiver racing down her spine.
A shiver rippled through Charlie’s body that had nothing to do with the cooling water that was beating down on her.
A second later, another form pressed against her front, trapping her between the two strongest men she knew. Water dripped from her lashes as she tilted her head up to meet Liam’s stormy gaze, her breath catching in her throat. His expression was unreadable, torn between frustration and something far more dangerous.
He was just there, towering over her, his blue-gray eyes dark and unreadable.
She could feel him.
The frustration rolling off of him in waves. The restraint. The tension coiling beneath his skin, barely kept in check.
“You have no idea the shitstorm your actions have caused,” he said, his voice brushing against her lips, almost a kiss in itself. His voice was barely above a whisper, yet it echoed in the steamy shower. “When word gets out about your immunity, they will come for you.”
Charlie knew what he meant. She had understood the risk the moment she stepped into that hospital room to sit beside Lily. CShe parted her lips, wanting to say something—wanting to explain, to defend herself—but before she could, his fingers came up to cup her chin, tilting her face higher.
But right now, she couldn’t focus on anything but them.
She wasn’t thinking about the pack.
Wasn’t thinking about the disease.
Wasn’t thinking about the danger she had brought upon herself.
Only her mates. Their warmth. Their strength. The way they surrounded her like a shield.
And for a moment, everything else fell away.
She exhaled, her breath mingling with Liam’s, her body reacting to their presence, their touch.
Luther’s grip on her waist tightened. “You defied us, Charlie,” he murmured, pressing closer, his chest vibrating against her back.
Liam’s thumb traced along her bottom lip, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. “We should be punishing you,” he said, his tone soft but firm.
Charlie’s pulse skyrocketed.
She didn’t know if it was from fear or anticipation.
Maybe both.
But before she could respond, Liam let out a deep breath, shaking his head slightly. “We’ll talk later,” he muttered.
And then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he dropped to his knees, kneeling before her.
Charlie barely had time to process the shift before Luther turned her head to capture her lips in a heated, consuming kiss. Charlie moaned into Luther’s mouth with the first pass of Liam’s tongue against her sensitized flesh, her body instantly reacting to the feel of her mates surrounding her.
Luther’s hands moved over her body in a loving caress, his finger pinched her hardened nipples as he made his way down to the valley between her thighs. As if in sync, Liam moved down further, shifting his focus to her dripping core so Luther had space to rub his fingers along her clit.
It didn’t take long for the two of them to bring her to completion with the both of them working her body like an instrument. The sound of her moans echoed around them in the tiled shower as her body fell apart from the two of them.
Her body sagged against Luther’s chest, her eyes focused on the sight of Liam still kneeling at her feet. The sight of him kneeling before her was a heady one, and not something she ever fantasized about before finding out they were her mates.
Luther pulled her body in closer to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around her body more tightly. “We’re not done with you yet, Mate.” The word mate came out in a growled whisper along her neck, reigniting her cooling passion.
Charlie could hear an amused chuckle coming from Liam as he rose from his position on the floor, but couldn’t spare him a moment to look at him when Luther captured her lips for another passionate kiss.
This was definitely going to be a long night.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
