Chapter 47: Escape
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A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "We need to get her out of here," he said to the others. "The bullet might be silver."
"This way," Sophia directed, pointing toward a service elevator. "It leads directly to the surface."
Liam lifted me effortlessly, cradling me against his chest as we moved toward the elevator. The other pack members followed, some still in wolf form, others having shifted back to human.
"What about Richard?" Jackson asked.
"Maya and the others will ensure he's contained," Liam replied grimly. "He'll face werewolf justice for his crimes."
"No killing," I murmured against Liam's chest. "Please. He's still Sophia's grandfather."
Liam's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "No killing. But he will answer for what he's done."
As the elevator carried us toward the surface, I felt my consciousness fading, the pain in my shoulder spreading through my body.
"Stay with me, Charlotte," Liam urged, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "We're almost there."
"It's Charlie," I whispered. "My friends call me Charlie."
The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Liam's face, his green eyes filled with an emotion I'd never seen there before—fear, yes, but something else too. Something that looked remarkably like love.
I woke to the sensation of gentle fingers stroking my hair and the smell of pine and earth. Opening my eyes, I found myself in Liam's cabin, lying in his bed with him seated beside me, his expression a mixture of relief and lingering concern.
"Welcome back," he said softly.
"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Three days," he replied. "The bullet was silver. It… complicated your healing."
