Chapter 9: Arrangements
321words
"If you're serious about helping," he said, turning back to face me, "there will be rules. Strict ones."
"I understand," I said, though I had no idea what I was agreeing to. All I knew was that I couldn't walk away from this discovery—or from the suffering young man in the next room.
"Get some rest," Liam said, his tone making it clear the conversation was over. "Tomorrow will be... complicated."
As he turned to leave, I called after him. "Liam? Thank you for trusting me with your name."
He paused at the doorway but didn't look back. "Don't make me regret it, Charlotte."
As I settled back on the sofa, my mind racing with everything I'd learned, I knew one thing with absolute certainty: my life had just changed forever. And somehow, I suspected that learning Liam's name was just the first of many barriers I would need to break through to truly understand the mysterious world I'd stumbled into.
The next morning, I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was—then it all came rushing back. The storm. Liam carrying me to safety. And the young man... transforming.
Werewolves. They actually existed.
I sat up slowly, testing my ankle. The swelling had gone down considerably, thanks to Liam's herbal remedy. I'd spent hours the previous night observing as he treated his friend, fascinated by the traditional remedies he used despite my fear of the situation.
The cabin was quiet now. I glanced toward the closed door where the young werewolf had been, wondering how he was doing.
"He's resting."
I jumped at Liam's voice. He stood in the doorway to what appeared to be a kitchen, holding a single steaming mug. His face was completely neutral, eyes cold and distant. The brief moment of connection we'd shared last night when he'd told me his name seemed to have vanished entirely.
