Chapter 82: Secrets Among the Flowers
The garden was quiet—almost too quiet. A low breeze rustled the branches of the tall hedges surrounding the stone path, and the gentle hum of bees buzzed lazily through the flowering vines tangled along the wrought iron trellises. The sunlight filtered through scattered clouds, casting golden dapples across the worn marble bench where Charlie sat, her fingers absentmindedly plucking the petals off a blooming daisy.
She had been out here for nearly an hour, her stomach twisted into knots of nerves and anticipation. She had sent a message that morning with one of her brother’s warriors, politely—but firmly—requesting a conversation. After everything that had happened—the disease, the near loss of Luther, and the miraculous bond that saved him—Charlie needed answers.
And she expected to get them.
Her mind whirled with questions, most of them sharpened by frustration. Why hadn’t he told her she was immune? Why hadn’t he warned her that her bite could save someone’s life? Why hadn’t he helped instead of staying silent?
She let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Just then, a rustle behind one of the tall rose bushes caught her attention. Her heart jumped. She stood halfway up from the bench, instincts kicking in, but before she could call out, her brother stepped out from the foliage as casually as if he had been on a stroll.
“Gods, would you stop doing that?” she gasped, clutching her chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
He offered a lopsided smile, not looking the least bit apologetic. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”
Charlie glanced around the garden quickly. “How the hell did you get all the way out here without anyone telling me you’d arrived?”
He chuckled as he walked over and settled beside her on the bench, brushing a few specks of dust off his pants. “We’ve always had... special talents in our pack. One of them is being able to mask our presence from others—especially from wolves who aren’t trained to sense it.”
Her brow lifted, mouth quirking into a begrudging smile despite her annoyance. “So you’re telling me your whole pack is made of ninja werewolves?”
His deep laugh echoed through the garden, catching her off guard. It was the kind of laugh she remembered from her childhood, a sound she hadn’t heard in years.
“Something like that,” he said, still smiling. “Stealth has its uses when your pack’s survival depends on secrecy.”
The moment of levity faded quickly, replaced by the gravity that had drawn her here in the first place.
“I heard what happened,” he said, his voice softer now. “With Alpha Luther.”
Charlie’s stomach clenched. She still hadn’t processed everything—Luther’s suffering, her own panic, the fear of losing him, and the unbelievable relief when he’d woken up.
“I imagine you have a lot of questions swimming around in that head of yours,” he added, his eyes scanning the garden.
Charlie scoffed, the bitterness rising again. “You could say that. Honestly, I think you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.”
Her brother nodded solemnly, folding his hands in his lap. “Our pack is different. Immune to the disease that’s been spreading. It’s something in our bloodline. The disease has existed for centuries, but it’s been dormant. Forgotten. But it always comes back. We’ve stayed hidden to avoid spreading it—or being used for it.”
Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “You knew this whole time. You knew that my bite could save my mate. But you didn’t say a word.”
Silence.
Then, slowly, she stood. Her breath caught in her chest as anger surged through her.
“You watched me cry over him. You knew he was dying, and you just sat back and did nothing?”
He looked up at her, his expression unreadable.
“Were you hoping he would die?” she asked, her voice breaking. “Was that the plan? Let him die and then swoop in to keep me safe in your perfect little hidden village?”
Still, he said nothing.
Charlie’s fists clenched at her sides. “I can’t believe you. After everything... after all the time I spent wondering where I came from, missing my family—you’re telling me I finally find my brother, and you betray me like this?”
“I did it to protect you.”
Charlie blinked, stunned into silence. She stared down at him as he finally rose to his feet, towering over her as he had so many times in their childhood. His voice remained calm, even though she could sense the tension beneath his composure.
“Do you have any idea what will happen when word gets out that not only are you immune, but you can cure others?” he asked, stepping forward until only a foot remained between them. “Packs will come for you, Charlie. Alphas will want you for themselves. They’ll try to use you. Control you. Breed you.”
She recoiled at his words.
“Why do you think Alpha Greg took you all those years ago?” he pressed. “Why do you think he hid you from the rest of us? He planned to use you, Charlie. Keep you locked away and force a bond so he could harness your immunity for himself.”
Her stomach turned violently.
“And it won’t stop with him,” her brother continued, voice grim. “Once word spreads, you won’t be safe—not even with your mates. There will always be someone trying to take you from them.”
Charlie’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. Her mind swam with images—her being dragged away, Liam and Luther trying to save her, failing, dying because they had tried to protect her.
“The more times you share your immunity,” her brother said quietly, “the weaker it becomes. It’s not infinite, Charlie. That’s why I didn’t want you to return. That’s why I tried to keep you away. I couldn’t bear to lose you again. Not after going through so many years not knowing if you lived.”
Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She turned away from him, arms crossed tightly over her chest as betrayal and guilt and heartbreak warred inside her.
“I had a right to know,” she whispered, her voice thick. “You don’t get to decide that for me.”
Behind her, twigs cracked under heavy footfalls. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. Her wolf perked up instantly, sensing them before Charlie could even react.
Liam and Luther stepped into view, their expressions stormy and unreadable. Charlie caught the way their eyes flicked between her and her brother, already assessing the situation.
“Is everything alright?” Liam asked carefully, but the tension in his posture said otherwise.
Charlie turned to them slowly, pain etched in her face. “My brother was just explaining why he thought it was okay to keep the cure to this disease a secret from me. You know, the one that almost killed Luther.”
Luther’s face hardened. Liam’s hands curled into fists.
Charlie’s brother looked between the three of them and sighed heavily. “I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but everything I did was to protect you.”
Charlie stepped toward Liam and Luther, the pain of betrayal giving way to the steel inside her. “I don’t need you to protect me from my mates,” she said, her voice firm. “I need you to trust me. To respect me. Because I will protect them. With everything I have.”
The garden fell into silence again. The birds had flown off. The breeze had stilled. And Charlie stood between the family she came from and the family she chose—knowing exactly where she belonged.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
