Chapter Six: The Revelation

Liam wiped the sweat from his brow as he and Luther made their way back toward the packhouse. Their muscles were sore from hours of running through the woods, letting off steam in their wolf forms. The late-night run had helped settle the restlessness that had been building in him for days, but it hadn’t completely erased the nagging tension that lingered just beneath the surface.

He still couldn’t get the image of Charlie out of his mind—the way she had looked so small and fragile as his father had towered over her in the kitchen, his hand raised to strike. Liam didn’t understand why he had intervened, especially when he had always stood by in the past, letting her endure the pack’s cruelty.

His wolf, Al, had always been different when it came to the tiny omega. From the very first moment they’d laid eyes on her, Al had been unusually protective. But this time… this time Al had gone to the extreme. Liam couldn’t explain it, but he knew he couldn’t just stand by and watch Charlie be hurt again. There was something about her that called to him, something his wolf wouldn’t let him ignore this time around.

They entered the packhouse, the familiar sounds of the pack settling in for the night surrounding them. Luther nudged him with an elbow, as if to shake off the lingering tension from their run. But before either of them could say a word, a scent hit them—a scent so intoxicating that they both froze in place.

Liam’s eyes widened as he inhaled deeply. The scent was like nothing he had ever experienced before—sweet and earthy, with a hint of something wild. It wrapped around him, igniting a fire deep in his chest that he couldn’t ignore. His wolf stirred inside him, instantly alert, pacing with a kind of excitement that Liam didn’t understand.

Luther stiffened beside him, his expression mirroring the shock Liam felt. They exchanged a glance, their confusion shared but unspoken.

“Do you smell that?” Luther asked, his voice low and rough, his eyes darting around as if searching for the source.

Liam nodded, his body already moving on instinct, his feet carrying him down the hallway, following the irresistible pull of the scent. It was magnetic, undeniable, like a force drawing him closer with every step. Luther followed, both of them moving swiftly and silently through the halls, the scent growing stronger with each step.

They didn’t need to speak. They knew they were both tracking the same thing, the same scent that was making their wolves nearly uncontrollable.

The scent led them through the winding corridors of the packhouse until they came to an abrupt stop at the end of a narrow hallway. Liam’s heart raced as he realized where they had been led. They were standing right outside the door to the tiny closet that Charlie called home.

He exchanged a look with Luther, his brother’s eyes wide with the same shock and confusion that Liam felt coursing through his own veins. Could it really be…?

Liam hesitated for a moment before reaching out to open the door. It creaked on its hinges as it swung open, revealing the small, empty room inside. There was no sign of Charlie, but her scent filled the space, clinging to every corner like a thick fog. It was overwhelming now, and Liam’s wolf, Al, practically pranced inside his head, howling with excitement.

‘Mate!’ Al cried out, his voice echoing in Liam’s mind with absolute certainty. ‘MATE! MATE! MATE!’

Liam’s entire world tilted on its axis. He stood there, frozen in the doorway, his heart pounding in his chest as the truth settled over him like a heavy weight. Charlie was his mate. The one he and Luther had been waiting for, searching for all these years, had been none other than the invisible girl living in their pack.

Beside him, Luther let out a low curse under his breath, his own wolf no doubt shouting the same word inside his head. Luther’s face mirrored the shock and disbelief that Liam felt inside, but beneath that was something darker—something like fear.

How could this be? How could they have treated their mate, the one person who was destined to be theirs, with such cruelty? They had tormented her, ignored her pain, stood by while the pack mistreated her. And now, she was supposed to be their mate—the one they were meant to protect, cherish, and love.

Liam’s throat tightened with regret, a sickening wave of guilt washing over him as he stared at the empty room. How could they have been so blind? So cruel? A low whimper escaped past his lips before he could hold it back.

He glanced over at Luther, and for the first time in years, his brother’s confident mask had cracked. Luther’s jaw was tight, his fists clenched at his sides, but his eyes—those dark, determined eyes—were filled with uncertainty.

They both knew what this meant. They both knew what they had done.

Liam swallowed hard, his mind racing with the weight of it all. How could they ever make this right? How could they possibly fix what they had broken?

“She’s our mate,” Luther said quietly, his voice thick with disbelief. His eyes flicked back to Liam, and in them, Liam saw the same fear he was feeling.

“What are we going to do?” Liam asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His heart clenched with dread, the reality of their situation settling in.

They stood there in stunned silence, neither of them sure what to say, what to do. All they knew was that they had found the one they were destined for, and they had treated her worse than anyone else.

Now, all they could do was hope—hope that they could somehow make amends for their mistakes.

But deep down, Liam feared it was already too late.