Chapter 85: No More Choices
The warmth of the sun on my skin had almost lulled me into believing everything was okay.
*Almost.*
I sat quietly among the blooming garden, the gentle scent of roses, lilies, and lavender mingling together in the air. A breeze ruffled my hair, and for a moment, just a moment, I pretended I was simply a girl enjoying a beautiful afternoon in peace. No disease. No packs trying to tear me away. No mates worried sick about the danger looming over my head.
But the illusion shattered when the sound of hurried footsteps disrupted the peaceful quiet.
I opened my eyes slowly, my heart already picking up pace at the sharp, urgent energy filling the garden. Liam and Luther. Their faces were carved from stone, tense, every line of their bodies vibrating with controlled aggression.
And Rowan was there too, standing off to the side, speaking in hushed, hurried tones with my mates.
Something was wrong.
I could feel it in the tightening of the air. In the way Liam’s hand clenched and unclenched at his side. In the way Luther’s sharp eyes never stopped scanning the trees, like he expected an attack to come any second.
I rose from the bench, smoothing down my dress with trembling hands, and started toward them.
"Liam?" I called softly, my voice barely carrying over the thickening tension.
He turned immediately, his eyes locking onto me with a desperation that stole the breath from my lungs.
"Charlie," he said, striding across the garden with purpose. Luther followed a step behind, his posture rigid, his hands fisted.
When they reached me, Liam cupped my face between his large hands, bending low so our foreheads touched.
"You have to come with us, now," he said, his voice a low command. "There’s no time to argue."
Panic flared in my chest. "What's going on?" I whispered.
Luther’s hand brushed my lower back in silent comfort. "They're coming, baby," he said. "Wolves. A lot of them. They're almost here."
My heart stopped.
"Because of me," I breathed out.
Neither of them denied it.
"Come," Liam urged, tugging at my hand gently. "We have to move you somewhere safe."
"But what about everyone else?" I resisted, even as fear rattled my bones. "The pack—"
Luther's voice hardened, cutting me off. "Our *pack* will fight, and they will survive. Our warriors are already preparing. Rowan’s people too. Those that can’t fight are already being moved beneath the packhouse."
"But you," Liam whispered fiercely, "you are not up for debate, Charlie. You’re coming with us. You’re our priority. We can’t lose you again."
I opened my mouth to argue again, to protest that I couldn’t be the reason others were hurt or killed, but then I saw it—the haunted, broken look in Liam’s eyes.
The same look he wore when I was taken from him before.
The same pain.
The same fear.
And I couldn’t do it to him again.
Couldn’t tear open those wounds a second time.
Nodding silently, I let him pull me close. I felt Luther’s hand close firmly around my waist, anchoring me between them.
"We have a safe house," Rowan said, stepping closer. His voice was steady, but there was a glimmer of regret in his eyes. "Secluded. Fortified. You'll be protected there."
I nodded again, my throat too tight for words.
Liam pressed a kiss to my temple. "Stay close," he whispered. "Don't let go."
Together, we hurried from the garden, cutting through the back of the packhouse. Around us, wolves were shifting, warriors gearing up for battle. Orders were barked across the grounds. Tension hung heavy in the air, thick enough to choke on.
I caught flashes of faces—young wolves, older ones, omegas—all preparing themselves for a fight they hadn’t asked for.
Because of me.
Guilt gnawed at my insides, but my mates' unyielding grips didn’t allow me to spiral too far into it.
When we reached the vehicles, Rowan and four of his strongest warriors were already loading supplies into a black SUV.
"I ride with her," Liam said immediately, opening the back door.
"And I drive," Luther growled.
Rowan simply nodded, climbing into the second vehicle with his men, acting as the decoy convoy if necessary.
The second Liam and I were in the backseat, the doors slammed shut and Luther peeled out of the driveway like a bat out of hell.
The world blurred past us. Trees, roads, houses—it all became a smear of color.
I curled into Liam’s side, clutching at his shirt like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.
"We're going to keep you safe," he murmured against the top of my head. "No matter what it costs."
I looked up at him, my heart breaking all over again at the fierce protectiveness in his gaze.
"I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me," I whispered.
Luther's voice rumbled from the front seat. "We’re not doing this because we have to, Charlie. We’re doing it because we *choose* you. Every time. No questions. And no regrets."
Tears burned my eyes.
How had I gotten so lucky to have them?
How had I found two souls willing to burn the world down just to keep me breathing?
I squeezed Liam tighter, silently vowing that if we survived this, I would spend every day making sure they knew they were loved. Cherished.
The ride was silent after that. Heavy with everything we couldn’t say. Every mile that passed, every tree that zipped by, brought us closer to the hidden safe house.
Closer to safety.
But as we pulled off the main road and into the dense woods, my wolf stirred uneasily.
Something was coming.
Something worse than we could imagine.
And I had the horrible, sinking feeling that running might not be enough this time.
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