Chapter 0216
Kane POV
"Charlotte..." I whispered but it evidently fell on deaf ears as I watched my mate leave, a sense of dread churned in my gut. She was agreeing to my plan, a plan I had thought was foolproof. But Charlotte had laid a compelling case at my feet, making me doubt everything. As the door closed behind her, I met Knox's icy blue hues.
"Brother?" I asked, seeing him look utterly overwhelmed and hurt., although I got it. Not only had he just learned that he had a wolf all along and that our parents had lied to him, but he was also facing the possibility of losing Charlotte, his mate. The misery rippling through him was palpable, a physical force that hit me like a punch to the gut.
I stepped forward, closing the distance between us, and wrapped my arms around him, ignoring the way he fought to push me off. He needed me whether he knew it or not. Knox was usually taller and more imposing than me, but now, he felt small and fragile in my embrace. It seemed impossible, given his size and strength, but in this moment, he was vulnerable, and I needed to be the strong one.
"I've got you, brother," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "We'll get through this." Knox's body shuddered as he let out a breath he had been holding, leaning into my embrace. I could feel the weight of his emotions pressing against me, his anger, his confusion, and his deep, aching pain. He had always been the rock, the one I relied on, but now it was my turn to be his anchor.
"I can't believe they lied to me, Kane," Knox murmured, his voice muffled against my shoulder. "All this time, I thought I was... different. Broken."
"You're not broken, Knox," I reassured him, tightening my grip. "You're strong. And we're going to figure this out. All of it. she might be lying" I added with a hopeful edge to my voice, one I did not feel deep down.
"But Lottie... what if we lose her?" He asked as he pulled back slightly, just enough to look me in the eyes. I shook my head, determination hardening my resolve.
"We won't let that happen. She's our mate, Knox. We'll fight for her, for our family. No matter what." I explain, with resolve, I truly felt sitting in my gut
Knox nodded, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes.
"You're right. We have to stay strong. For her. For us." As we stood there, a united front against the storm of uncertainty, I felt a surge of fierce protectiveness. We had faced countless challenges together, but this was different. This was personal, a battle for the very essence of who we were and what we stood for.
"Let's go find Charlotte," I said, my voice steady. "We need to talk to her, to figure out our next steps. Together."
"Together," he echoed, his voice stronger now as he took a deep breath, drawing strength from our bond. Quickly throwing some of Knox's clothes on, I gave myself a once over in the mirror and sighed realising that over the last four to five days my life had been so chaotic I had barely had the chance to shower, shave and give myself the TLC My reflection showed I seriously needed.
"That's my favourite shirt." Knox whined like a child as he came out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of loose shorts and a vest. Looking every bit the model he always did. It irritated me that I had to go to such lengths to look good when that bastard could rock up in a garbage bag and look sexy as fuck, and have
all the damn girls fall over him.
"I know." I announced smugly smoothing the shirt out. "But you have to admit, brother... It looks better on me." I teased as I walked down to Charlotte's room. "Prick." Knox yelled playfully as I pushed her door open, not bothering to knock.
"Hey." Charlotte called as she sat up
let
from the bed dressed in yoga pants and a t-shirt. Like Knox, she had the gift to look stunning in anything. Nodding to her with a gentle smile I felt my heart sink seeing the red tinges to her eyes, the wetness on her lashes and the firm pull of her lips. She was fighting back tears.