Where The Ice Gives Way Chapter 31

**Blake**

The second Charlotte’s head turns, Lex freezes. Her eyes lock onto mine, and for a heartbeat, the whole world goes quiet. There’s nothing but her gaze and the pull in my chest tightening. *Mate.* Lex’s ears tip forward, and his body leans, one step away from breaking into a full-on sprint to her. I hold him back and watch her trying to make sense of what her instincts are telling her. I can almost feel her wolf now. She’s awake. That changes everything. Lex shifts his weight in the snow, careful not to spook her. We stay just inside the trees, far enough that I’m a shadow, close enough that if something goes wrong, I can get to her quickly. Charlie keeps walking, talking low, and Charlotte’s hand touches her chest once as her breath catches. I can see it even from here. That tug. Our bond. Her body is finally recognising what her mind isn’t ready for. She looks back toward me once more. Lex lifts his head slightly, letting her see that we’re protecting her. That she’s safe with us. Then I take a slow step back. She turns forward again and keeps walking.

I follow at a wider angle, parallel to the street, using the bush line and fences for cover. The smell of coffee and butter hits me long before Nanna’s comes into view. Warm light glows through the windows, and Charlotte and Charlie safely reach the door. He walks her inside, and Lex watches the entrance until the door shuts behind them. Only then do I let myself breathe. I watch as time passes and Charlie leaves. Then I watch even closer and link to Theo. His mind answers with a lazy hum. *If this is about me waking up early, I’m going to bite you.*

*Bring me clothes,* I shoot back. *And shoes. I’m near Nanna’s.* Theo laughs through the link. *Alright, alright. I’m coming. Don’t get arrested for indecent exposure, Captain.* I shut the link and step out of the bush line far enough to see the diner properly without being obvious. There are cars parked out front, and a couple of people move in and out, shoulders hunched against the cold. I scan the street for anything that doesn’t fit, and the rotten smell drifts across for a second before it vanishes in the wind. Lex growls low under my skin. I stay still, breathing slowly, letting my senses work. Minutes pass, and Theo’s car crunches up the road and pulls in a few houses away. He gets out with a bag in his hand and heads toward. He stops when I shift, and he sees my expression. His grin fading. “You look like you want to kill someone,” he says quietly. “Working on it,” I mutter. Theo hands me the bag. “Shoes. Hoodie. Spare shirt. Pants.”

“Thanks.” Theo’s gaze flicks to the diner. “You’re really doing this stalker thing?”

“I’m doing the protect-my-mate thing,” I correct. Theo snorts softly. “Same vibe.” I shoot him a look, and he lifts both hands. “Alright,” he says. “What’s the plan?” I glance back toward the diner. “No plan. Just watching.”

Theo leans against a fence post beside me and scans the street, too, like this is normal for us. Which it is. After what feels like hours, the rotten scent drifts again, this time it’s closer. Theo’s head turns slightly, his nostrils flare. “You smell that?”

“Yeah,” I say, voice low. We both go still as the diner door opens and Charlotte steps out. She’s got her school bag slung over one shoulder, hair tied back and that damned too-thin sweater over her uniform. She pauses on the sidewalk, glancing down the street. The bond yanks hard in my chest, and Lex presses forward. *Go.* I hold him back with a single thought. *Not yet.* Charlotte starts walking toward the corner, heading for school. Then a figure steps off the curb a little too close behind her. At first, it looks like a normal person, but then the wind shifts, and I get a nose full of rot. My blood goes cold, and Lex snarls under my skin. The figure closes the distance like he’s got all the time in the world.

Charlotte keeps walking, shoulders hunched against the cold, bag strap tight in her grip, and he matches her pace with ease. He doesn’t even pretend to be heading anywhere. He follows, drifting closer by inches, letting the wind carry his stink straight into my throat. Theo is already moving beside me, his posture changing in an instant from casual to ready. We cross the road in a blur, sneakers hitting snow, breath ripping out of our lungs. Charlotte doesn’t even have time to turn before Theo hooks the guy’s arm, and I slam a shoulder into his ribs. The impact knocks him sideways, and we drive him into the side street between the diner and the old bakery. He hits the ground with a grunt, and Theo drops a knee into his hip. I pin his shoulders, forearm across his chest, keeping his hands down. The guy tries to twist, but he’s too skinny and twitchy. Theo leans close, voice low and lethal. “What are you doing here?” The rogue turns his head slightly and smiles. It’s not a normal smile, it’s too wide, too pleased, like he’s enjoying this. I bare my teeth. “Why were you following her?” His eyes flick past us, toward the main street, then he looks back at me. His smile grows. “We must take her down,” he whispers, “before she takes us.” Theo looks at me with an eyebrow raised. “What the hell does that mean?”

The rogue’s gaze stays on me. “She’s waking up.” He says just before Lex surges, furious and I press down harder, ready to break his bones if I have to. “Who sent you?” Theo swears under his breath. “Blake…” I lift my head just enough to see a pack of rogues in human skin coming for us. Theo and I barely have time to react. The first hits Theo from the side, and he goes down hard, shoulder slamming into the wall. Another grabs my arm and yanks, trying to pull me off the rogue I’ve pinned. I twist and strike, elbow into ribs, but hands are everywhere, claws scraping, teeth flashing. I watch as two of them hook under the pinned rogue’s arms and haul him up. He’s still smiling, still watching me like he’s going to remember my face forever. “Tell your Alpha,” he calls, voice carrying down the alley. “We want her.” The pack surges out of the side street and into the scrub behind the buildings, disappearing into the trees like rot on the wind. One shoves Theo aside as they go, and another slams a shoulder into me hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs. I take a step forward, ready to chase, but I stop because Charlotte is still out there, and if I run after them, I leave her exposed.