Where The Ice Gives Way Chapter 30

**Charlotte**

I wake up to a voice that isn’t mine. *Hello.* My eyes snap open in the dark. The house is quiet, cold air sits on my skin, and the ceiling stain hangs above me like it always does. I blink once, then twice, and lift a hand to my face. The swelling has gone down, and it no longer hurts. That was quicker than normal. *Hello,* the voice says again, this time softer. I lie still, listening to my own heartbeat. *Hi,* I think back cautiously. There’s a pause, like the voice is deciding whether I’m really listening or just pretending. *Shanti.* I frown into the dark. *Huh?*

*My name is Shanti.* She responds. I stare at the ceiling for a second, then whisper to myself because saying it out loud feels insane. *Oh. Hi. Um. I’m Charlotte.*

*I know.* She says, and then she goes quiet again, like she’s done her part and doesn’t need to fill the silence. I lie there a moment longer, hand still on my cheek, letting the reality settle in. I wasn’t crazy… and my wolf has a name. Shanti.

I swing my legs out of bed, and the floor is cold against my feet. I pull on socks, then jeans, then my sweater. I tie my hair back quickly, grab my bag, and shove my school uniform inside. I step into the hall and pause outside Charlie’s door, knocking once before pushing the door open. Charlie is already awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees. His eyes lift to me immediately, and I can see just how tired he is. I wonder if he slept at all. He stares at my face and blinks hard. “Your eye,” he says. I touch my cheek. “Crazy, right?” Charlie rubs his hand down his face. “That’s… a lot quicker than you’ve ever healed before.”

“I think it’s the wolf thing,” I say quietly. Charlie looks at the bag in my hand and stands fast. “You’re leaving?”

“Work,” I remind him. “Early shift.”

“I’m walking you,” he says immediately. “You don’t have to,” I say, even though I know he won’t let me go alone. “I’m walking you,” he repeats, leaving no argument. I step back so he can grab his hoodie and shoes, and we sneak downstairs together. Dad is passed out on the couch again, mouth open, arm hanging off the side, the television still glowing on mute like it’s been watching him instead of the other way around. Charlie’s gaze flicks to him for half a second, then away.

We don’t bother with the kitchen. There’s no point. If there’s anything in there, it’s not enough, and even if it was, we don’t have time to risk waking him. We slip out the door and let the cold hit us. Outside, the sky is still dark, but the edge of it is lightening. Snow crunches under our shoes on the quiet street. We walk close together, shoulders hunched, hands shoved into sleeves. “So,” Charlie says. “We’re not the only ones.”

“Nope,” I reply. He lets out a short breath that could be a laugh if it wasn’t tired. “That’s… weird.”

“It’s more than weird,” I say. “It’s everything.” Charlie nods slowly. “It explains a lot.” I glance at him. “Like what?” He shrugs, but his eyes are dark. “Like, why we never fit anywhere until here.” My stomach twists at that because I’ve thought the same thing, but never said it out loud. Charlie keeps going, voice low. “Do you think he knows?” I stare at the road ahead, focusing on the snow banks that line the curb. “I don’t know,” I say. “But if he does, he never told us.” Charlie’s jaw flexes. “Maybe he kept moving because of this.”

“Maybe,” I admit.

The pull in my chest tightens suddenly, sharp enough that I stop walking for half a second. Charlie notices, turning towards me. “You okay?” I nod too quickly. “Yeah. Just… that feeling again.” Shanti stirs in the back of my mind like she’s been waiting for me to notice it properly. *Mate is close.* My head turns before I decide on it. For a second, I see nothing unusual, nothing except the massive black wolf standing just inside the trees. His eyes are dark and focused. The mate bond pulls hard, as if it recognises him instantly, and the wolf takes one slow step forward. Then stops. Charlie’s head turns too, following my gaze. His body tenses beside me. “Is that…” he starts. “Blake,” I whisper. The wolf holds still, ears forward, head slightly lowered like he’s trying to look smaller even though he’s huge. He’s… following us. Shanti settles again, satisfied. My mate, she says, softer. I look back at Charlie, and the words fall out of me before I can stop them. “I’m sorry about this mate bond thing,” I mumble. Charlie blinks, then lets out a small, awkward laugh that sounds like he doesn’t know what to do with it either. “Hey,” he says, rubbing my shoulder with a rough kind of gentleness. “Nothing to be sorry for. Apparently, we don’t choose fate, huh?” He says it like he’s trying to make peace with the idea, even if he hates it. I nod once, throat tight, and we keep walking.

Blake’s wolf stays near the treeline, always there when I glance over, never closer than he needs to be. He moves quietly, like he knows how to watch without being seen. When we reach the glow of Nanna’s Diner, the smell of coffee greets me. Charlie walks me right up to the door. “Want me to wait?” he asks. “No,” I say. “You should go. Get some practice in before school.” He nods, then pushes the door open for me anyway, like he can’t help it. Sophie looks up from behind the counter, and her face brightens. “Morning, love.”“Morning,” I say, then gesture awkwardly beside me. “This is my brother. Charlie.” Charlie gives her a polite nod. “Hi.” Sophie’s eyes flick over him and then back to me. “Well,” she says, “aren’t you both a sight at this hour.” Sophie points at a booth with her chin. “Sit. Both of you.” Charlie opens his mouth. “We’re fine, we don’t need…”

“I wasn’t asking,” Sophie says, not unkindly. Charlie blinks, then obeys, and I sit across from him. Sophie disappears into the kitchen, and a few minutes later, she comes back with two plates of eggs and toast. My stomach tightens with the instinct to refuse. Charlie’s eyes flick to me, and I know he’s thinking the same thing. Sophie sets the plates down firmly. “Eat.” Charlie glances up at her. “We’ll pay.” Sophie waves a hand. “Your sister works hard enough for you both to deserve breakfast.”

Outside the window, snow keeps falling, and across the road, near the treeline, I catch the faintest movement of black fur before it disappears. *Go to him,* Shanti whispers. I take another bite of toast, chewing slowly, trying to hold onto this moment of warmth before the day starts demanding things of us again.