“A Goodbye I never wanted”

CHAPTER NINE

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Charlotte's POV

My mother rushed to hold me the moment Olivia’s pack walked out of the room. She held me tight, like she didn’t want to let go. I couldn’t speak, my throat was tight and my legs were still shaking.

The man called Aiden stepped forward and said, “Please, follow me. I’ll take you to the study.”

My father gave a small nod and we followed him. My steps were slow, heavy. Everything felt unreal. I didn’t know what was waiting for me in this palace, but I knew nothing would ever be the same again.

“Charlotte!”

Mia’s voice broke through the silence as she ran toward me. Before I could even react, she threw her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. She was crying—really crying and that did something to me. It shattered whatever strength I had left.

Hazel, my second-youngest sister, joined us a moment later. She wrapped her arms around both of us without saying a word.

The three of us stood there, holding each other like it was the last time we would ever see each other. No one said anything for a while and then eventually, we moved toward the study.

Aiden closed the door quietly behind us, leaving just me, my family and my pack members in the room. My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed onto the cold floor.

I didn’t have the strength to hold anything in anymore. The tears fell freely, hot and uncontrollable, blurring everything in front of me. I looked up at my father, my heart breaking.

“I’m sorry,” I said, barely able to get the words out. My voice trembled with every syllable. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you… or the pack… or anyone. I never wanted this to happen.”

My eyes swept across the room slowly. I looked at my mother first, she was standing quietly, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes red but dry.

Then I looked at my siblings. Mia was still crying softly, holding Hazel close to her side. I finally glanced at the few other pack members who had came with us. No one said a word. No one looked at me for more than a second.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered again, my throat tight. “I’ve embarrassed all of you. I ruined everything.”

I sat there, waiting. My heart pounded in my chest as I prepared for what I thought was coming. For my father to raise his voice. To tell me I had shamed the pack. That I was reckless. That I had failed them.

Most of all, I braced myself for the one thing I couldn’t bear to hear, that I had disappointed him.

After everything he had been through today, being blamed, questioned, and humiliated in front of everyone, my father had every right to be furious with me.

But he wasn’t.

Instead of raising his voice or walking away, he bent down and gently helped me to my feet. Then, without a single word, he pulled me into his arms tight, steady, and warm.

He held me there, his hand patting my back in a quiet rhythm. And even though he didn’t speak at first, the way he embraced me said it all.

He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t ashamed. He was just… there. As my father. As someone who still saw me as his daughter, no matter what had happened.

That broke something in me.

I felt safe in his arms, even if only for a moment, and I cried. The fear. The shame. The pain. It all came pouring out. And still, my father didn’t let go.

After a while, my father spoke. His voice was low and rough, like he was holding back everything he truly felt.

“This won’t be easy,” he said quietly. “But you have to stay strong. Not just for yourself, but for all of us. We’re counting on you to keep going.

Staying here at the palace… it’s going to be hard now that you’re at the center of everything. People will talk. They’ll judge. But you need to rise above it.”

My mother stepped forward then, her warm hands grabbed both my hands with love.

“No matter what happens,” she said softly, “remember, you’re not alone. We may not be beside you every day, but we’re with you in every step you take. Be brave, Charlotte. You’re stronger than you know. And please, try your best to avoid trouble. Just stay quiet and stay safe until your father finds a way to bring you home.”

I nodded, biting my lip to keep the tears from falling again. Their words hurt, because they reminded me of how much love I was walking away from.

I nodded slowly, too overwhelmed to speak. Then I pulled both my parents into a hug, holding them tightly, wishing I could stay in that moment a little longer.

I tried to absorb every bit of comfort, every drop of strength they offered, because I knew once I stepped out of that room, everything would change.

Just behind them, my younger siblings stood quietly. Their eyes were wide, confused, but I could tell they understood something big was happening. Maybe they didn’t know the full story, but they could feel the weight in the room.

My mother reached back and gently pulled them close to her, placing her hands on both their shoulders.

“Charlotte will be gone for a while,” she said softly, brushing Mia’s hair out of her face. “She’s taking on something important. But she’ll visit when she can.”

I looked at each of them, Hazel’s trembling lip, Mia’s tight grip on our mother’s dress and I gave them a small smile. My chest ached, but I smiled anyway. For them. For myself. For the little bit of hope I needed to hold on to.

“No, no, no. Charlotte can’t go away, Mother! Isn’t there a way we can beg the King to let her stay?” Mia cried out, her voice shaking with disbelief and fear. “I can’t live without Charlotte. Please, Mother, Father—let’s beg him!”