When Charlie woke up, pain was filling his body and panic was racing through his mind.

The memories of the day before were blurred and in pieces, but what he remembered was a bear and Arthur.

Right now he found himself bruised and feeling very broken.

And bound at the wrists and under a large number of covers and pillows. It was the first bed he had been in for the better part of a decade, but it was hardly a moment to enjoy the warmth and comfort.

For all he knew, his older brother was dead or dying somewhere in this strange place.

He needed to find out for certain.

It was dark and he couldn't see more then a few feet in front of himself. He could tell he was inside, but where he didn't know. Part of him flinched at the idea that he may have been found by his father's men.

Straining his senses, he tried to find out if anyone else was with him and more importantly where he was. When he was certain that he was alone, he began to try to force himself out of the binds and to his feet.

When a stinging sensation burned around his wrists, it told him that these people were not as kind as his brother. The bindings were silver this time, and he let out a slight whimper as they began to singe away at his flesh.

Letting out a low growl of frustration when he found himself unable to get rid of the binds. He gave in, and threw back his head and said as loudly as his hurting throat would let him. "Is anyone there?" He called.

Pausing as he listened out for any signs of life, he heard footsteps and froze. Preparing himself for whatever might meet him on the other side of the door.

The door opened, streaming light from the outside into the room and blinding Charlie for a moment. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the new light and he squinted through it to look at his captor.

A stranger.

Multiple strangers.

Quickly noting the fact that they were armed, heavily, with crossbows. Charlie let out a low growl, but made no move to try to remove the binds from his wrists. The best he could to appear to not be a threat to the people who held his fate in their hands.

"Hello," the word came from the only unarmed man. It was simple, and Charlie wasn't sure how to react.

Charlie wasn't in the mood to be polite at this moment in time.

"Where's my brother?" well aware that he was in no place to be asking questions or making demands. Yet sometimes desperate times called for desperate measures, and Charlie couldn't remember a time he felt more terrified.

Grateful to find that these men, in spite of being armed, were at least somewhat kind. They didn't seem offended by what he had demanded.

"Hurt, but safe and healing. Much like you," the unarmed man spoke again.

Searching for any scent which might have indicated the stranger was lying, he found none. It didn't necessarily mean that the man was speaking the truth, for he could be a very good liar. Yet for the time being he would accept it as the truth.

These people were being kind enough to try and help him, he would do his best to make sure that he did nothing to hurt them. Until they proved themselves otherwise.

From what Charlie had seen of life in his thirty years, he knew all too well that the possibility stood that these people could be a lot worse then they first appeared.

The stranger was wearing robes, a priest. Charlie decided, watching in silence. God faring men can be evil as well, he told himself as he sat up. Straining against the binds a little as he pulled himself into a straight position.

Wincing at the pain ricocheting through his leg as he moved. Yet the pain was not as bad as it had been the day before, which told him that it was healing at least somewhat. It didn't mean that it no longer caused him pain, but it was tolerable for the time being.

"Now it is our turn to be asking the questions," it was the armed man to the left of the priest which spoke now. Much less kindly, the fear apparent in his eyes even from metres away.

Do they know who we are? He thought, eyes narrowing a fraction. If it was true, he'd need to escape as soon as he could. His father was not a well loved man.

He was going to need to think fast.

Forcing himself not to stumble on his words when he spoke, if he wanted to survive he had to be convincing.

"My name is Adam, and my brother is Richard. We are making our way home as our mother is ill and with the war coming, we felt it was best to say our last goodbyes, in case something goes wrong."

The lie tumbled from his lips with ease, it surprised him how quickly he was able to create the lie. Maybe he had taken after his father more than he had originally believed, but he pushed the idea away.

If the strangers had any idea that his words were lies, they didn't make it obvious. Charlie was thankful either way.

Charlie watched the three strangers deliberate for a short moment, he forced himself not to eavesdrop. They would have found him as a wolf, so they would be aware of his hearing capabilities.

After a while, they returned their gaze to the man in the bed. "I am Father Nolan," the robed man explained calmly. "This is Liam and Jude, you find yourself in our Church." He gestured to the two men beside him who nodded, looking like they'd rather rip Charlie's head from his shoulders then talk calmly like civilised men.

He noted silently that they had not said where they were. It would make it harder for Charlie to escape and find his way home, it was a pointed and intelligent decision. Even if he found it rather annoying.

It was the next question which surprised Charlie the most, the one he had by no means been expecting. Even if it was one of the more simple questions that could have been asked at the time. "How are you?"

With a shrug of his shoulders, Charlie answered with equal simplicity. "I'm healing." Never use twenty words where two will work just as well. Especially in front of strangers. Again he found himself sounding like his father.

"Me and my brother will be out of your hair before you know it," he added with a forced smile.

However, the father shook his head firmly. "No need to worry about that, you can stay for the day." He insisted, and Charlie found a frown beginning to form. He held it back as to not raise suspicion, but it made concern burn in his chest.

The longer he stayed, the more of a danger he became. These people seemed kind enough, they didn't deserve the fate which he might bring them.

"Please, that's not necessary. These beds are needed I'm certain, and we really must be on our way."

Father Nolan didn't seem to be the type to have his mind changed when he had made it, and he narrowed his eyes. Charlie wanted to shrink back under the cold gaze of the much older man but he stood strong in spite of it.

"Our Church stands as a halfway house for many, you will be pleased to know that we have a number of men coming here this evening and heading north like yourself. They are friends of ours and would be more than willing to take you with them."

It all sounded perfectly orchestrated, and Charlie didn't like how planned it felt.

Charlie shook his head, "No, honestly. Me and my brother are capable of making our own way, we'd prefer it if anything. It would be best this way," he explained as vaguely as he was able to whilst making it convincing.

"No," Nolan spoke one final time. Apparent that he wasn't going to change his mind, and forcing Charlie to accept it unless he wanted to see perhaps a darker side to the Priest's apparent temper should he further refuse.

"You wont get far by yourselves, no means of transport. You will stay with us for the evening, and set off in the morning."

He didn't speak for a moment, resting back against the bed but not taking his eyes off the man. "Fine." He spoke calmly.

The man nodded, seemingly happy that he had convinced the man. "Good, dinner will be ready by eight o clock this evening. I will inform your brother of the same, please be punctual." When Charlie nodded, he continued quietly. "I will leave you to further heal."

And that he did.

Charlie watched as the door closed, plunging the room into darkness once again and he was left with his thoughts. A place he had always hated to be alone with.

One which he had been in for the past decade, and still wasn't used to being.

Now by himself, Charlie buried himself beneath the covers. Cursing at himself for forgetting to ask that the binds be removed from his wrists. The burning beginning to make it hard for him to think, but he forced himself to push through the pain.

He closed his eyes, and sleep took him quickly into its depths.

When he awoke again, to a knocking at the door. He paused, before calling out. "Come in."

The sight at the other side of the entrance made his heart soar.

Battered, beaten and bruised but alive, was Arthur. Grinning in the way he always did as he entered. "Dinner time, sleeping beauty. You coming?"

"Is it safe?" Charlie asked immediately, trusting the instincts of his brother far more then he did his own. Mostly because his own instincts were much more animalistic then those of his brother, and hence tended to be more logical.

Settling down on the edge of Charlie's bed, though careful not to touch the broken leg. Arthur shrugged his shoulders.

"As far as I can tell, but it's a church. What are they going to do to us? We are their guests, and killing people definitely wont get them into heaven."

Charlie didn't feel as sure as his brother, but remained silent. Deciding to take Arthur's words for it. He pulled his hands from where they sat beneath the covers. "Do you have the keys for these?" he asked, hopeful.

Narrowing his eyes at the dreadful binds around the wrists of his brother. Arthur in less then an elegant gesture, wrapped his fingers around the silver and tore it apart. It clattered on the ground beneath them and he kicked it beneath the bed.

"Dinner?" Arthur asked now the deed was done, and Charlie nodded. His stomach rumbling once again despite the deer they had eaten the day before.

The pair made their way downstairs in silence, careful to make their way through and not draw attention to themselves.

"Who did you tell them we were? Father Nolan came in calling me Richard?"

"I wasn't going to tell them who we actually were," Charlie answered. Quietly. "They might not have been as friendly."

Arthur nodded, knowing this to be very true.

It wasn't long before they found themselves in what could be described as a dinner hall. It was a great place, plates lining the tables and delicious smells coming from every corner. Many people were already seated, and turned to look when the two strangers entered, then turned to look at Father Nolan, seated at the head of the centre table, who only nodded.

With the acceptance of their leader, the men and women returned to eating, ignoring the two brothers.

A young woman approached the two brothers, a smile on her face and a pair of glasses in her hands, she offered both to the men. "You are Adam and Richard I assume?" The pair nodded in response. A little taken back by the great amounts of energy coming from the very small woman.

"Brilliant, you have been assigned a seat beside me. Come." She gestured as she turned and returned to the tables, taking a seat.

The brothers followed.

Sitting beside the woman, and exchanging a cautious glance.

"Eat," she insisted, digging into the food herself without a care in the world.

The brothers didn't need to be asked twice.

The food was good, and Charlie had powered half way through it before he thought to touch the drink he had been offered. He swallowed a chunk of bread almost whole, without bothering to chew it particularly and took a sip.

Only to choke, hard.

It took Arthur a moment to realise that something was wrong, and he looked over with caution.

"You ok? Charlie!" He yelled, smacking his brother on the back but it did little to help.

In one of the remaining moments of consciousness, Charlie recognised a horrendous taste which now coated his throat.

"Wolfsbane," he choked through the pain and fell to the floor with a thud.

Now every pair of eyes in the room were on the brothers, or rather on Charlie.

Father Nolan looked up, worried as he stepped forward, only to be taken aback by the sight of Charlie contorted in agony on the floor. "What are you?" He demanded, but he didn't mean the wolves.

But Charlie was unable to respond, pain rippling through him. Barely able to breath, the darkness was beginning to edge into his vision.

A man may have fallen, but a wolf was rising.