Chapter Thirty-Two: Unspoken Words

Liam sat down on the floor just outside of the tiny closet that had once been Charlie’s prison. He positioned himself to the side, leaving enough room in case she decided to open the door. But as the sound of her quiet sobbing filtered through the cracks, his chest tightened, knowing she wasn’t ready to face him—or anyone—just yet. His heart ached for her, for the pain she must be feeling. Whatever had happened while he was talking to Doctor Dorian had shaken her to the core, and Liam cursed himself for leaving her alone.

Leaning his head back against the wall, Liam stared up at the ceiling, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on his shoulders. He needed help. He couldn’t do this alone. He reached out with his mind, sending a link to his brother, Luther.

‘Where are you? We have a problem.’

The response was immediate. ‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ Luther replied, his tone sharp, alert. The connection snapped closed, and Liam exhaled slowly, knowing Luther would come as fast as he could.

Minutes passed, though they felt like hours, the soft sound of Charlie’s muffled sobs the only thing breaking the silence. Liam’s chest ached with each tear she shed, the bond between them making him feel her sorrow deep in his soul. He wanted to break down that door, hold her in his arms, and make it all go away. But he knew that pushing too hard would only make things worse.

Soon enough, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, heavy and quick as Luther rounded the corner. His eyes were filled with confusion and worry as he saw Liam sitting outside of Charlie’s old room, the door shut tight.

“What did you do?” Luther growled, his voice low but dangerous. His wolf was clearly on edge, and his footsteps pounded hard on the wooden floor as he made his way over to his brother.

Liam quickly stood up, pressing his index finger to his lips to hush him. “Quiet,” he whispered, glancing toward the door with concern. The sobbing had gone silent the moment Luther appeared, and now an eerie stillness settled over the room. It was as if Charlie was trying to disappear entirely, her presence behind the door barely noticeable.

Luther’s brows furrowed, his confusion deepening as he stared at Liam. But he didn’t press further. Instead, Liam connected through the mindlink, explaining everything as quickly and quietly as he could.

‘I was meeting with Dorian about the disease that’s spreading in the neighboring packs. We were in my office, which you know is soundproofed, so I didn’t hear the kitchen timer or smell the burning brownies until we were finished. Charlie assured me she would be fine in the kitchen, but when I got there, the brownies were burning, and she was gone. I couldn’t catch her scent over the smoke, so I thought she might have gone back to our room.’

Luther’s face tightened, his jaw clenching as he listened through the link, his eyes narrowing. ‘But she wasn’t there, was she?’

‘No,’ Liam replied, his heart sinking as he remembered the moment he realized where Charlie had gone. ‘My wolf pushed me to keep walking, and I found her here. In her old room. She’s been crying… she won’t open the door.’

Luther’s expression shifted from confusion to concern, and a spark of anger flickered in his eyes. He stepped closer to the door, his movements much more cautious now. The last thing either of them wanted was to scare her more. With a gentleness that contrasted sharply with his earlier anger, Luther raised his hand and gave the door a soft tap.

“Charlie?” he called out, his voice low and soothing. “Can you open the door for us, sweetheart?”

A choked sob was the only response, and Liam felt a pang of guilt slice through his chest.

‘What the hell happened while you were gone?’ Luther asked through the link, his anger barely contained. ‘She was fine when I left her this morning.’

Liam’s throat tightened, and his hands curled into fists at his sides as the truth of his suspicion sank in. ‘I think Leah said something to her while I was with the doctor.’

The link between them buzzed with the weight of that statement, and Liam felt the sharp flare of rage that burst through Luther’s mind. His brother’s eyes darkened, his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth.

‘Leah?’ Luther growled internally, his wolf surging to the surface. ‘What did she say?’

‘I don’t know exactly,’ Liam admitted, his frustration mounting. ‘But Leah was in the kitchen. I could barely smell her scent along the doorway leading in. Something must have happened after I left. I can’t get Charlie to talk to me, but I know Leah had something to do with this.’

Luther’s fury was palpable, a burning anger that radiated from him like the heat of the sun. His wolf, Rex, was close to the surface, clawing to get out. The idea that Leah had hurt Charlie in any way sent waves of rage crashing through the bond they shared. Leah had crossed a line, and there would be hell to pay for it.

But first, they needed to get through to Charlie.

Luther stepped closer to the door, his face softening despite the storm brewing inside him. He reached out again, tapping lightly against the wood.

“Charlie,” he called gently, his voice filled with warmth. “It’s Luther. Can you let us in, sweetheart? We’re worried about you.”

There was no response this time. Only silence. The quiet that filled the hallway was deafening, each second stretching out like an eternity as the two brothers stood there, helpless outside the door.

Liam’s heart clenched painfully as the silence dragged on. The bond between them buzzed with an undercurrent of Charlie’s pain, and he could feel it deep in his chest. The urge to break the door down, to pull her into his arms, nearly consumed him, but he knew that wasn’t the answer. She had locked herself in there for a reason. She needed time, space to process whatever poison Leah had fed her.

But waiting was agony.

Luther growled under his breath, his frustration clear. His fists clenched at his sides, his wolf barely held at bay as the silence from the other side of the door stretched on. ‘I swear, if Leah said something to make her feel like this…’ Luther’s voice was seething, a promise of violence underlying his words.

‘We’ll deal with Leah later,’ Liam replied, his voice tight through the link. ‘But right now, we need to focus on Charlie.’

Luther’s gaze flicked back to the door, his expression a mix of anger and concern. He pressed his hand flat against the wood, leaning closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “Charlie, we’re not going to leave you. We’re right here, okay? We’ll wait as long as you need.”

A few moments passed in heavy silence, but then a sound came from behind the door—a soft, shaky breath, followed by the faintest whisper of a sob. It was enough to break their hearts all over again.

Liam’s chest ached with the weight of it, and he pressed his palm flat against the door beside Luther’s. “We love you, Charlie,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “Whatever Leah said, it’s not true. Please…let us in. Let us help.”

There was no immediate response, but Liam could sense the turmoil on the other side of the door, the confusion, the pain. The bond between them still pulsed with Charlie’s heartbreak, but there was also a flicker of something else—a faint spark of hope.

They wouldn’t push her, not now. And when she was ready, they’d be there.

The silence lingered, but the brothers remained by the door, refusing to leave Charlie alone in her pain.