** Paige’s POV **
The four-hour drive takes us a little longer because of my inability to follow simple instructions from my sat nav. When we finally cross the border of our new town, I feel a sudden wash of calm.
As I slow down, the rustic wooden “Welcome to Cinderwood” sign makes me smile.
“This is it,” I say to Jax, who immediately turns his gaze to the window to take in our new home.
“Where is Auntie Pops?” he asks.
“I think she is at our new house waiting for us.”
At a slow pace, I drive through the picturesque town. Taking time to admire the old-style houses and clean streets. I point out a park and the small school to Jaxon, and he talks excitedly about finding new friends.
As we arrive at the small town house I’ve rented, I see Poppy and her friend Annie waiting on the front porch for us. I had arranged for her to collect the keys from the landlord.
“Auntie Pops!” Jaxon yells with enthusiasm as I open my car door.
“Hey, little J, I’ve missed you,” Poppy says, coming over to help him from the car and then pulling him into a hug.
“Stop. You’re squishing my jelly out,” Jaxon giggles as he attempts to wriggle from her arms.
“Come on, I can’t wait for you to see your new bedroom,” she says, giving me a one-armed hug before leading him inside.
I watch as they go inside and lean against my car to soak it all in. I breathe deeply. Dense woods behind our new home fill the air with the crisp, clean scent of pine. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I have a good feeling about this place. I’ve never been here before, but it feels like I’m coming home.
“Mummy, come see!” Jax calls from the doorway, waving at me to come inside.
I wave back at him and move to the back of the car, grabbing our bags before lugging them into the house. The place is clean and already has a homely feel to it. The walls are all painted with a fresh magnolia. They’re like a blank canvas for us to decorate as we please. We have a six-month probationary period imposed by the landlord before we can decorate, giving us plenty of time for planning.
I follow Jaxon upstairs, where he excitedly shows me his new bedroom. His is at the front of the house and is slightly smaller than my room that’s directly opposite his. Both rooms have a double-sized bed, and Jax climbs straight on top of his.
“Do you like your new room?” I ask as he bounces excitedly on his bed.
“I love it. It’s so much bigger than my old one and this bed is giant.”
“Should we put your clothes away whilst mummy and auntie Pops bring the rest of the stuff in?” Annie asks, and Jaxon nods.
“Thanks.” I give Annie a grateful smile and take the second bag into my room.
I dump the bag next to the wardrobe and stop to look out of my bedroom window. The view is beautiful. There’s a small garden and then trees for as far as the eye can see. I chose this room because I love the view and the window seat. It will be perfect for reading.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Poppy says, coming to sit beside me on the window seat.
“I love it. Thanks for this. I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had,” I say, nudging my shoulder against hers playfully.
“You’re going to be okay, Paige. You were far too good for grumpy Greg anyway, and J is going to thrive here. I just know it. Plus, the men around here are so hot. I swear there must be something in the water. Everyone I have seen in this town has been so buff. They must have a great gym,” she laughs.
“I’m done with men.” I shake my head.
“What, so you’re into women now? I saw some good-looking women too,” she waggles her eyebrows teasingly.
“No men or women, I’m done dating. It only ends in heartbreak. From now on, it’s just me and Jaxon,” I tell her with determination.
“You’ve barely given anyone a chance. You’ve had two boyfriends in your whole life. Mum always said we have to kiss a few frogs before finding our prince. You can’t give up yet,” she squeezes my hand.
“Ryder wasn’t a frog.”
“No, he was a damn ghost. Forget him, and Greg. Your prince will come when the time is right. Now stop moping, we have unpacking to do,” she says with a clap of her hands.
I sigh and get up to follow her, when movement out the window catches my eye. I lean in closer to the window, trying to figure out what I just saw moving between the trees. Whatever it was, it was large and fast. Maybe they have deer here, or perhaps it was someone’s big dog? I shrug it off and head downstairs to bring the rest of our belongings in.
By dinner time, we have finished unpacking, and been grocery shopping, stocking the fridge and cupboards with everything we will need for the next few days.
Poppy and Annie stay with us for dinner before heading back to their student accommodation at the university. I offer to drive them back, but Jaxon has already fallen asleep, so they have a friend come pick them up.
The university is only a twenty-minute drive away, and I’m so happy to be close to my sister again. I hated not being able to see her regularly because of the distance.
Following a busy day of moving and heartbreak, I decide to make some camomile tea and go upstairs to read in the window seat for a while before bed. I need to unwind and rest before another busy day tomorrow.
I’m not sure if I’m handling this breakup particularly well, or if it just hasn’t fully hit me yet, because whilst I’m sad, I’m not the weeping mess I expected to be. Maybe it’s this town? Or perhaps I didn’t love Greg as much as I thought I did.
At some point, I must doze off, because a sudden noise startles me awake and my e-reader clatters to the floor. The sound was almost like a wail, or a howl of pain. After quickly checking on Jaxon, who is sleeping peacefully, I shrug off the noise as some woodland creature and pick up my e-reader.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise suddenly, and I have the uneasy feeling of being watched. My eyes move to the window, but it’s difficult to see anything as it’s so dark outside. I close the curtains quickly, dismissing the feeling as nervousness about being in a new place.
I quickly check all the doors and windows, making sure they are locked before crawling into bed. Thanks to the book I’d been reading before bed, I spent the rest of the night dreaming of wolves chasing each other playfully through the forest.
**Paige’s POV ** Much to my disappointment, Ryder had a late-night patrol. Which meant he didn’t mark me, just kissed me softly and sent me off to bed. I can’t deny I needed the rest, though. Even without him, I’d ended up curling into his sheets, deciding to spend the night in his bed, anyway. It felt good to have some space to myself. I hadn’t realised how much I needed it. As I drifted off, my mind wandered into dangerous territory… thoughts of our future. Not the mushy happy-ever-after fantasy, but the practical things. My work. Where I’m meant to live. I know the guys aren’t going to let me go back to my quiet little house, the one I barely got to settle into. Not with the hunters still out there. But honestly, I know they’re right. It’s safer here, not just for me but for Jaxon. Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t crave some space of my own. I don’t want to be the girl who hops between beds every night. If this is going to work, if I’m truly going to share a bond with f
** Parker’s POV ** The moment Paige takes Jaxon upstairs to bed, I pull out the file our intel guy handed me at the pack meet from where I shoved it in my jacket. I flip it open on the kitchen island, careful not to spread everything out too wide in case Paige wanders back in. She doesn’t need to deal with this tonight, not after the day she’s had. She’d been radiant today, nerves hidden under that quiet grace of hers, standing tall before a crowd that looked at her with suspicion. The first picture almost guts me. Paige in a white dress. It’s simple yet elegant, the kind of beauty that doesn’t need lace or sparkle to shine. Her hair is pinned up in soft curls, a few strands loose around her face. The sunlight streaming through the church windows catches her eyes, making them brighter. She looks younger here, and there’s a hope there I’ve never seen in her. It makes my chest ache; I want to make her look that way. I want to bring that hope back into her eyes. Greg stands a
** Paige’s POV **“That was so much harder than I expected,” I admit, my eyes meeting Ryder’s.“You held your ground,” he says, voice low, pride and fury mixed in his tone. “You didn’t back down once.”“I wanted to,” I admit, my throat tight. “The way they looked at me… like I didn’t belong. Like I was some… mistake. I wanted to turn and run.”“You’re not a mistake.” Callen soothes. “You’re the one thing they don’t know how to handle. You are a change, and that terrifies them.”I feel Remy’s need to touch me, but he doesn’t know if it’s the right time. I decide for him, catching his hand and squeezing it. His shoulders drop slightly, his jaw unclenching. “Let them talk,” he says, softer now. “They’ll see who you are soon enough. I’ll make sure of it.”Parker clears his throat, stepping closer. “They’ll fight it. Some harder than others. But the pack isn’t blind, Paige. They saw the way Jaxon carries Ryder’s blood. That you were strong enough to produce such a powerful alpha. I don
** Paige’s POV **The clearing is packed with wolves. Some shifted, some still in human form, all eyes are trained on us as Ryder and Callen lead us forward. Jaxon squeezes my hand tighter, his little chest puffed out, completely unbothered by the weight of so many gazes. I wish I had half his confidence.Ryder’s voice carries, steady and commanding. “Phoenix Pack. Thank you for joining us on such short notice. I know rumours have been spreading, and you’ve all waited for answers. Today, you’ll have them.”A ripple of anticipation sweeps through the pack. Callen steps closer, his hand brushing my back, steadying me. “This is Paige.” His voice is firm, unapologetic. “She is our mate.”Gasps, murmurs. Someone in the back snarls softly. My pulse kicks up, but Ryder doesn’t give anyone a chance to speak.“And this,” he continues, lifting Jaxon effortlessly into his arms, “is my son. The alpha heir.”Silence. Then, as if on instinct, bodies bend low. Dozens of wolves bow to the little
** Remy’s POV **The bond thrums steadily between us, not the sharp, unrelenting pull it used to be when I fought it, but a deep, grounding hum. It doesn’t feel like chains anymore, binding me to something I don’t want. It feels like… peace.I should be angry with Callen. Hell, part of me still is. He pushed me into this, manoeuvred me into a corner until I had no choice but to face what I wanted. What I needed. I hated him for that, for stripping away the walls I’d spent most of my life building. But then watching him with her? The anger bled out of me.I thought it would shred me, seeing his mouth on Paige, his hands roaming where mine should be. I braced for jealousy to burn through me, to make me lash out like the reckless bastard I usually am. Instead, I felt… fascinated. Hot all over. Like watching him unravel her was somehow feeding a hunger inside me too.And our goddess, Paige, had welcomed us both, with no hesitation or fear. Just trust I’m not sure I deserve. The way sh
** Paige’s POV ** Remy is the first to stir, rolling onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow so he can look at me. His face is flushed, damp with sweat, but his eyes are softer than I’ve ever seen them. I can feel him through the bond, all tangled hunger and tenderness, and it makes my throat tighten. “I tried so hard to stay away,” he admits quietly, brushing a strand of hair from my face with shaking fingers. “Thought it would keep you safer. But all it did was tear me apart.” I cup his cheek. “I don’t want distance, Remy. I want you. All of you. Even when it’s messy.” His lips part, his eyes burning, and before he can answer, Callen lets out a low, satisfied sigh beside me. He drapes a strong arm around my waist, tugging me against his chest, sandwiching me between them. “Finally,” he mutters, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for him to pull his head out of his ass.” Remy shoots him a glare. “You set me up.”