Chapter Thirty-Six: An Unforgivable Mistake

Luther sat outside Charlie’s old bedroom door, his back against the wall, listening to the soft, rhythmic sound of her breathing coming through the door. It felt like they had been there for hours—waiting, listening, hoping that at some point, the pain she was feeling would ease enough for her to let them in. But she hadn’t. The only relief they found was in the slowing of her sobs, and now, the steady rise and fall of her breath.

Luther glanced at Liam beside him, seeing the same tension and worry reflected in his brother’s posture. They hadn’t spoken much since their failed attempts to comfort Charlie, both too lost in their thoughts, too burdened by guilt. Leah had done this. She had broken their mate. And Luther’s chest ached with the weight of his own culpability.

Suddenly, Luther’s sharp ears caught the change in Charlie’s breathing—it was soft and even now, the telltale signs of sleep. He rose slowly from his place on the floor, his body stiff from sitting still for so long.

Liam glanced up at him, his eyes silently questioning.

“Charlie’s fallen asleep,” Luther whispered. His voice was heavy with emotion, and he hated how raw it felt. He looked at the door, the tiny prison that had once been Charlie’s world, a place that still seemed to trap her in painful memories.

“I don’t want her to ever wake up in that room again,” he added, his voice barely above a growl.

Liam’s expression softened as he nodded in agreement, rising from the floor as well. Neither of them ever wanted Charlie to feel like she had to hide in that dark, miserable space again.

Luther moved to the door, careful not to disturb the silence that had fallen over them. With a low breath, he brought forth his wolf’s claw, using it to quietly unlock the door. The latch clicked softly, and Luther gently pushed the door open.

The sight of Charlie curled up on the thin mattress, her body small and fragile, tugged at something deep inside him. Her cheeks were stained with dried tears, and her eyes, even closed in sleep, were swollen and red from crying. It was a sight that broke his heart—and it fueled his anger.

Leah did this to her.

Luther clenched his fists at his sides, struggling to suppress the surge of rage that clawed at his chest. His wolf, Rex, snarled inside him, urging him to act, to take revenge for what had been done to their mate. But Luther pushed it down. There would be time for that later. Right now, he needed to take care of Charlie.

With slow, deliberate movements, Luther knelt beside her. He slid his arms beneath her sleeping form, lifting her from the mattress with the utmost care. She was so light, so fragile, and it only made the guilt fester deeper within him. How could he have let things get this far? How could he have allowed Leah to poison the bond he was trying so hard to build with Charlie?

Liam stepped forward, his concern evident in the way he hovered at Luther’s side. He opened the door wider, ready to lead the way back to their room, back to a place where Charlie could feel safe again.

Together, they moved silently through the house, careful not to disturb her slumber. Charlie’s head rested against Luther’s chest, her breath soft and steady as she remained oblivious to the turmoil swirling around them. Luther’s grip tightened on her slightly, as if holding her closer could somehow keep her safe from the pain that had already taken root.

Once they reached their room, Luther gently laid Charlie down on the bed, making sure she was comfortable before stepping back. Liam stood by the bedside, watching over her with a protective gaze, but as soon as Charlie was settled, he moved towards the door.

‘Where are you going?’ Liam’s voice rang through the mindlink, tense with concern.

Luther shook his head, the weight of what he needed to do pressing heavily on his shoulders. He didn’t answer aloud. Instead, he headed for the door without a word.

‘Leah’, Luther said through the link, his tone sharp with barely restrained fury. ‘Meet me at the edge of the woods. You have five minutes.’

He cut off the link before Leah could respond. He didn’t want to hear her excuses, her explanations. He didn’t care. She would come. She always did. The manipulative little slut.

Luther’s steps were quick and purposeful as he made his way through the packhouse and out into the open air. The cool breeze brushed against his skin, but it did little to temper the fire burning inside him. His mind was a storm of rage and disgust, both at Leah and at himself. How had he let it come to this?

He had been foolish, blinded by the temptation Leah had provided. She had been a convenient distraction, someone he could lose himself in when he needed to let off steam. She liked it rough, and she never shied away from his brutal side the way some of the other women in the pack had. In the beginning, that had been enough for him.

But now, now he saw Leah for what she really was—a manipulator, a poison in their midst. She had taken advantage of his weaknesses, used his need for release to keep herself close, always waiting for the chance to worm her way deeper into his life. And now, she had nearly destroyed everything that mattered to him.

The thought made his stomach churn with disgust—disgust at Leah, yes, but mostly at himself. If he had known what kind of damage Leah would cause, if he had known that she would target Charlie with her venom, he would never have given her the time of day. She was nothing more than a distraction, a temporary escape, and now he regretted every moment he had spent with her.

The trees blurred past him as he walked, his steps mindless but sure. His wolf prowled beneath the surface, waiting for the moment they would find Leah, waiting for the moment they could release the anger that had been building since Charlie’s tears had first fallen.

Luther didn’t need to think about where he was going. His body led him on autopilot, straight to the place he and Leah had met countless times before—on the edge of pack territory, hidden deep in the woods.

It had been their spot. The place where they had met to fuck—because that’s all it ever was. It was never more than that. No matter what Leah might have thought, no matter what games she had been playing, it had never been more than just sex to him.

And now, that place, that dark little corner of his past, felt like a stain on his soul.

As Luther approached the clearing, he wasn’t surprised to find Leah already waiting for him. She stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, a look of smug anticipation on her face. She probably thought this was going to be another one of their usual meetups. Another round of rough, emotionless sex.

But Luther’s blood boiled as he looked at her, disgust filling his chest.

This wasn’t going to be an enjoyable meetup between them. Leah was going to pay for hurting his mate.

And as he stepped into the clearing, his wolf growled beneath the surface, ready to make sure she never got the chance to hurt Charlie again.