Chapter Forty-Six: The Confession

Liam shifted back into his human form, his breath coming out in shaky bursts as the cool night air sent a shiver down his bare skin. The clearing was eerily quiet, save for the faint rustle of leaves in the wind and the soft sound of Charlie’s panting. His heart pounded in his chest, both from the exertion of the run and the overwhelming fear that gripped him.

Beside him, Luther remained in his wolf form, his eyes trained on Charlie with laser focus. He hadn’t moved since her command, staying frozen in place as instructed. Liam could feel the tension radiating off his brother, but neither of them dared take another step forward.

“Charlie,” Liam said softly, his voice low and soothing. He raised his hands slightly, trying to show her he meant no harm. His wolf urged him to move closer, to protect their mate and make sure she was safe, but Liam knew better than to push her right now.

Charlie’s body was trembling, blood dripping from her clothes and splattering onto the earth beneath her feet. Her eyes, wide and wild, darted between the two of them. Fear, raw and potent, clung to her like a second skin, making her wolf skittish and unpredictable.

“I said to stay BACK!” Charlie’s voice was no longer entirely human, a feral growl undercutting her words as her wolf surged to the surface. Her body lowered into a crouch, her eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight.

Liam froze mid-step, his hands still raised in a placating manner. He could feel the pull of his wolf, the desire to close the distance and make sure she wasn’t hurt, but Charlie’s reaction made it clear that any wrong move could send her over the edge.

Behind him, Luther’s voice cut through the tension. “Charlie,” he said softly, the pain evident in his tone. “Please.”

Luther took a cautious step forward, his hands out in front of him, palms up, trying to make himself look smaller. It was a gesture of submission, one that wolves often used to calm one another, but the moment he moved, Charlie reacted.

A low, menacing growl rumbled from her throat, and her hand swiped out in front of her. Her fingers were partially shifted, claws extending from her nails, sharp and gleaming in the dim light.

Luther flinched at the swipe, the pain flashing across his face before he quickly masked it. He straightened up, his heart heavy with frustration and worry. “We’re not going to hurt you, Charlie,” he said, his voice soft but filled with anguish. “Please believe that.”

Liam glanced between them, his heart aching at the sight of his mate, barely holding on to her humanity. They had worked so hard to earn her trust, to show her that she was safe with them, but whatever had happened here had shattered that fragile bond. Something had brought all her old fears rushing back to the surface.

Liam’s gaze drifted downward, toward the body that lay crumpled at Charlie’s feet. He couldn’t make out many details in the dim light, but he knew instinctively that this body was the key to what had gone wrong. Whoever this was—whatever had happened—it had pushed Charlie back to the brink of terror.

His wolf pushed at the edges of his mind, urging him to look closer, to understand what was going on. But when Liam took a step toward the body, Charlie reacted with a snarl, her body moving to shield it from view.

The growl that tore from her throat was feral, almost unrecognizable, and Liam quickly raised his hands again, taking a step back. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he whispered, trying to calm her down. He didn’t care about the body, not at this moment. All he cared about was Charlie.

“Charlie,” he said gently, “we won’t punish you for whatever has happened here. Please…”

Her expression wavered at his words, her features softening for just a moment. The wildness in her eyes flickered, replaced by something more human—something more like the Charlie they knew. She looked at him, then at Luther, her breathing still fast and shallow, but the tension in her body seemed to ease just slightly.

“Back up,” she whispered, her voice less feral now, more like the Charlie they were used to. “Please.”

Liam glanced at Luther, who met his gaze with a brief nod. Slowly, they both took a few steps back, giving Charlie the space she needed. Once they had created enough distance, Charlie straightened up from her crouch, her body relaxing as she let out a long, shaky breath.

She stood over the body, her hands shaking slightly as she glanced down at it. Blood stained the ground around her, the scent thick and suffocating, but Liam forced himself to focus on his mate, not the growing dread in his chest.

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Charlie said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes were wide, filled with guilt and fear, and she looked between the two of them as if searching for reassurance. “You know I love both of you more than anything… and I trust you more than anyone else. But…” She trailed off, her hesitation sending a fresh wave of worry through Liam.

Luther’s fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with barely restrained emotion. “But what, Charlie?” he asked, his voice strained. “What happened?”

Tears welled in Charlie’s eyes, and she bit her lip, struggling to hold back the sobs that threatened to break free. “This body…” She swallowed hard, her voice cracking as she forced herself to continue. “This body is infected with the werewolf disease.”

Her words hung heavy in the air, sinking into the clearing like a weight that none of them could escape. Liam’s heart pounded in his chest, the blood roaring in his ears as the reality of what she was saying hit him.

“And now,” Charlie whispered, her voice breaking completely as tears streamed down her cheeks, “so am I.”

Liam’s mind went blank. The air left his lungs in a rush, and for a moment, the world seemed to tilt on its axis. He couldn’t process what she had just said. Couldn’t accept it.

“No,” he whispered, shaking his head, as if denying it could make it untrue. “No, Charlie…”

Luther let out a low, pained growl, his fists tightening until his knuckles turned white. His wolf was dangerously close to the surface, the urge to fix everything clawing at him, but there was nothing they could do. Not right now.

Charlie wiped at her cheeks, but more tears followed, her body trembling as she looked at the two of them, her lips trembling as she tried to speak. “I—I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Liam couldn’t move, couldn’t think. His entire body felt frozen, locked in place as his mind tried to comprehend what this meant. The werewolf disease… it had been spreading through the neighboring packs, killing wolves faster than they could find a cure. And now… it had reached Charlie.

Their mate.

“No,” Liam repeated, his voice hoarse. “This can’t be happening…”