Chapter Thirty-Five: A Shattered Trust

Liam wrapped his arms around Charlie, pulling her close to his chest, enveloping her in his warmth. Her body softened against him, her muscles slowly releasing the tension she’d been holding onto for what felt like hours. In his arms, the world didn’t seem so heavy. The pain and confusion were still there, lingering at the edges, but for the first time in what felt like days, she allowed herself to lean into the comfort of his embrace.

Liam’s hand rubbed soothing circles on her back, his touch grounding her, reminding her that she wasn’t alone. Charlie closed her eyes, savoring the steady rise and fall of his chest against her cheek, the way his heartbeat seemed to synchronize with her own. The silence between them wasn’t awkward—it was healing, a moment of respite from the whirlwind of emotions that had been threatening to consume her.

But even in Liam’s arms, the weight of Leah’s words still gnawed at her. The doubts, the insecurities—they were all too real, too sharp to ignore. And no matter how much she wanted to push them away, they clung to her like shadows.

After a long moment, Charlie pulled back just enough so that she could look up into Liam’s eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest, knowing that what she was about to say would change everything. There was more she needed to tell him, more that had been eating away at her since Leah had dropped her cruel bombshell in the kitchen.

“There’s more,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. The moment the words left her lips, she felt Liam stiffen, his body tensing as he sensed the shift in her tone. His eyes darkened with concern, and his grip on her tightened ever so slightly, as if bracing for what was to come.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice low and careful.

Charlie took a deep breath, her throat tightening as she prepared herself to say the words she had been dreading. “Leah told me… she told me that Luther was with her the night you and I—” Her voice cracked, and she had to swallow down the knot in her throat before she could continue. “The night we were intimate.”

She felt Liam’s entire body go rigid beneath her, and she could feel the way his wolf, Al, surged beneath the surface, responding to the hurt and confusion that now radiated from Charlie. Her eyes filled with tears, the familiar sting prickling at the corners as the hurt feelings she had been trying to suppress came rushing back.

“There was no lie in her words, Liam,” Charlie continued, her voice breaking. “I know it’s true. Wolves can tell when someone is lying, and Leah was telling me the truth.”

The weight of her confession hung heavy between them, and she could feel Liam’s chest tighten as he struggled to keep himself in check. His jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger—not at her, but at the situation, at Leah, and perhaps even at Luther.

Charlie pulled herself deeper into Liam’s arms, pressing her face against his chest to hide the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. “Why would he turn away from me and go to her?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, but the hurt behind the words was unmistakable.

Before Liam could respond, the sound of footsteps approaching from the hallway broke the tense silence that had settled over them. The door creaked open, and the familiar scent of Luther filled the room, but it wasn’t just his scent that hit Charlie—it was hers.

Leah.

Charlie’s heart plummeted as the smell of Leah clung to Luther’s body, like a sickening confirmation of everything Leah had said to her. It was one thing to hear Leah’s cruel words, but now, smelling Leah on Luther like some kind of bitter reminder—it was too much.

A choked sob escaped her, and she instinctively burrowed herself deeper into Liam’s chest, as if trying to hide from the reality of what was happening. Her hands clutched at his shirt, her tears soaking into the fabric as her body trembled with the weight of her emotions.

Luther stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes widening in confusion as he took in the scene before him—Charlie huddled in Liam’s arms, her sobs muffled against his chest, and Liam’s face twisted with barely contained fury.

“Leah told Charlie what happened between the two of you in the woods,” Liam growled, his voice laced with anger. His arms tightened protectively around Charlie, and she could feel the tension radiating off him in waves. “Though she didn’t bother to tell the whole truth, I’m sure.”

Luther’s face paled, his expression shifting from confusion to guilt as the weight of Liam’s words sank in. He took a hesitant step into the room, his eyes darting between his brother and Charlie, trying to make sense of the situation.

“And now,” Liam continued, his voice cold, “you’ve walked in here smelling like HER.”

The accusation hung in the air like a dark cloud, and Charlie could hear the barely restrained fury in Liam’s voice. He wasn’t angry with her—he was angry with Luther, with Leah, with the entire mess that had spiraled out of control.

Luther’s steps were hesitant as he crossed the room, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and desperation. “Charlie,” he said softly, his voice pleading. “Please let me explain.”

But Charlie couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She pressed herself even tighter against Liam, her body trembling with the weight of her emotions. Her heart ached, the pain of betrayal wrapping itself around her chest like a vise, squeezing until it was hard to breathe. Luther’s scent was all around her now, but so was Leah’s, and the two together were unbearable.

“I don’t want to hear it,” Charlie whispered, her voice shaky as fresh tears slid down her cheeks. “I don’t… I don’t understand why you would go to her. Why—”

Her voice broke again, and she couldn’t finish the sentence. The hurt was too raw, too fresh.

Luther dropped to his knees beside the bed, his hand reaching out as if to touch her, to comfort her, but he hesitated, his fingers curling into fists as he drew them back.

“I didn’t… I didn’t go to her the way you’re thinking,” Luther said, his voice filled with a desperate kind of sincerity. “Yes, I was with her that night, but it wasn’t what Leah made it seem like. Nothing happened.”

Charlie didn’t respond, her body stiff and unyielding as she clung to Liam, her head still buried in his chest. She wanted to believe Luther, wanted to trust him, but the scent of Leah on him, the cruel words she had whispered earlier in the day—it all made it impossible to think clearly.

Liam’s hand rubbed soothingly against her back, his touch steady and reassuring even as the tension between the brothers simmered in the air around them.

“Luther,” Liam growled lowly, his voice a warning. “You need to start talking. And fast.”

Luther swallowed hard, his eyes filled with guilt as he looked at Charlie’s trembling form. “Leah followed me into the woods that night,” he began, his voice strained. “I went out there to run, to clear my head after what happened between you and Liam. I wasn’t thinking straight. And she… she cornered me. She touched me, yes, but I pushed her away. I stopped it before anything happened. I swear, Charlie, I didn’t want her. I’ve only ever wanted you.”

His words hung in the air, a desperate plea for forgiveness, but Charlie’s mind was still reeling. She didn’t know what to believe. The pain of betrayal was still fresh, and the doubt Leah had planted in her heart continued to fester, poisoning the bond she had with Luther.

Liam pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, his lips brushing against her hair as he whispered, “He’s telling the truth, Charlie.”

But even as Liam’s words tried to soothe her, Charlie couldn’t stop the aching question that lingered in the back of her mind.

If Luther doesn’t want Leah, then why did he go to her again today?

Luther’s voice broke through her thoughts again, his tone filled with anguish. “Charlie… please. Let me fix this.”