Where The Ice Gives Way Chapter 28

**Charlotte**

When Mara and I step back into the living room, the boys are still there, but it’s quieter now. Theo is leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Charlie is on the couch where I left him, although his clothes have changed… Blake is standing near the window, posture controlled, but he’s oddly still. Gareth turns his head toward us as we enter. His gaze lands on my face and stays there, calm but heavy. Mara’s hand brushes lightly against my back as I sit down beside Charlie. It’s a small gesture, but it’s nice. Charlie leans closer instantly, voice low. “You okay?” I nod. “Yeah.” He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t push. Not in front of everyone. Gareth clears his throat. “Alright,” he says. “Now we address the other thing.” He looks at me, eyes soft but leaving no room for anything but the truth. “Charlotte. What happened to your face?” I keep my eyes on the floor for half a second too long, and Charlie’s hand finds mine again, tight and protective. I breathe in slowly and lift my chin. “Dad drinks sometimes and doesn’t know what he’s doing...” The room falls silent before Gareth slowly nods. “Does this happen often?” My throat tightens, and I hesitate to answer. Charlie’s grip on my hand tightens, like he’s begging me not to say it out loud. “It doesn’t matter,” I manage. “It matters,” Blake says, and the words slice through the room before he can soften them. He takes a breath, jaw flexing, then says it again with more control. “It matters.” I swallow hard. Mara’s voice is quiet. “Sweetheart.” She says, reminding me that Charlie and I don’t have to be alone in this. I stare at the rug as I reply. “Yes,” I admit. 

Charlie’s breathing turns rough beside me, and he closes his eyes for a second. I feel awful for making him look bad in front of his new friends. Gareth’s voice stays calm, but there’s something colder under it now. “Then you’re not going back there.” My head lifts to him fast. “We have to.”

“No,” Gareth says, and it isn’t a shout, but it has weight. “You don’t.” Charlie’s shoulders tense beside me. “He’s our dad.” Gareth’s gaze shifts to Charlie. “And he put his hands on your sister.” Charlie flinches at that, and I understand his conflict all too well. I force myself to speak because I don’t want them to think Charlie doesn’t care for me. “He’s not… a good dad,” I say, voice steady even when my throat burns. “But he’s still our dad. He’s been through a lot losing our mum…. He gets sad sometimes and tries to numb the feelings with alcohol. Then the alcohol makes him forget who he’s supposed to be.” I look up to see Blake’s eyes on me, dark, fixed and furious. “Grief isn’t an excuse to hit a woman, he says, voice low and hard. I look away from him because if I don’t, I’ll break. “I know,” I whisper.

Mara leans forward slightly, capturing my attention. “Charlotte, you can stay here. Both of you. As long as you need.” Gareth’s voice is soft and rough at the same time when he says, “This house is for the whole pack. You will be safe here.” I shake my head slowly, wincing as it makes my head throb. “You don’t understand.” Gareth’s eyes narrow slightly. “Then make us understand.” I swallow and decide to lay it all on the table. “If we don’t go home,” I say, “He will come looking for us. He’ll call the school. He’ll show up. He will make it worse.” Charlie nods beside me, jaw tight. “And he’ll blame her.” Blake’s expression hardens as he can picture it. Like he already hates it. Mara’s voice is barely a whisper. “He has no right.”

“Rights don’t matter to him,” I say quietly. “And if he’s alone, he’ll drink more. He’ll spiral and do something stupid. Get arrested. Lose his job. Then we’re moving again. It’s a cycle. One we’re trying to break.” Charlie squeezes my hand, supporting me through the whole admission. “We can go back and keep our heads down,” he says, like he’s trying to convince himself more than anyone else. “Just until we figure it out.” Gareth exhales slowly. “It’s not right.” Charlie’s gaze flashes to him. “It’s not, but we’ve been dealing with this together for long enough to know how to handle it the best we can.” The room goes quiet again, and Mara looks at me, eyes gentle but sharp. “What do you want, Charlotte?” I know what she means. What do you want? For you. I can’t answer that out loud in front of everyone, so I say the safest thing.

“I want this not to escalate.” I watch as everyone in the room struggles to understand that: everyone but Charlie. We’ve been trying to keep our own little pocket of peace for so long now. The last thing we want is to start making waves. Gareth looks to Mara, then to Blake, and even to Theo before he responds. “If you choose to go home tonight, we won’t stop you, but,” he continues, “you need to understand you are wolves. You are in our territory, and you are not alone here, whether you accept it yet or not. I’m offering you a place in our pack,” he says, voice soft. “Whenever you’re ready.” Charlie looks at me, eyes slightly wide with hope. The idea of belonging somewhere makes my chest ache, too. Mara nods once beside him. “You don’t have to decide tonight,” she says. “But it’s there.” Theo mutters from his corner, “Welcome to the weirdest sleepover invite ever.” I can feel Blake’s eyes burning holes into me. I can’t bring myself to look, though. I have no idea where we stand… What we are to each other. He’s Charlie’s friend. Charlie’s captain. Charlie clears his throat, trying to hide the emotions I know are sitting near the surface. “We’ll… think about it, thank you.” I swallow hard and do the same. “Thank you.” Mara stands quickly and claps once. “If you’re going home, at least eat first.” I shake my head automatically, already rising from my seat. “We should go now.” I see Blake step forward a fraction, voice low. “I’ll drive you.” Charlie’s head snaps toward him. “No.” Blake’s jaw flexes, and Charlie tries again. “No, thank you, but if Dad sees a car, it might set him off.” Blake seems to accept that, because he doesn’t say anything more as Charlie and I head for the door. The warmth of the house clings to my skin like a memory I’m not allowed to keep… And the whole way down the driveway, the mate bond pulls, quiet and relentless, like it’s already decided that leaving isn’t the end of this.