“You do, Remy. She’s your mate. You’re just too scared to give her a chance.”
His eyes flick away, jaw tight. “It doesn’t matter. She’s got enough going on. The last thing she needs is me complicating it more.”
“It’s not about what she needs, it’s about what fate has already decided. You can’t outrun a bond.”
“Maybe not,” he mutters. “But I can have her reject me, and then I can stay out of the way. Maybe with just three mates she has a fighting chance, so let me be the one to bow out.”
I shake my head, frustrated. “That’s not noble, it’s cowardly.”
His eyes snap to mine, fire burning behind them. “And what would you have me do, Parker? Walk in here and stake a claim like it doesn’t change everything? Like it won’t mess her up more than she already is? She’s human, for f**k’s sake! Even a she-wolf would struggle to manage four mates, and you expect this fragile little thing to do it?”
I don’t answer. Not because I don’t have one, but because he’s right. She is overwhelmed. She is trying to figure this out, one step at a time. But hiding from her, hiding from this, doesn’t fix anything.
He exhales a slow, pained breath, raking a hand through his hair. “I just came to grab a shower and head back out. I didn’t know she’d be here.”
“She lives here now,” I say bluntly. “This is home for her.”
He doesn’t reply. Just nods once and disappears down the hall.
I turn back to Paige. She’s still sleeping soundly. I grab a throw blanket from the back of the couch and drape it over her. She stirs slightly, curling into herself with a soft murmur, then stills again.
I sit beside her, close enough to protect her but not close enough to wake her. I’ll stay right here. Just in case. She deserves more than chaos and confusion. She deserves to rest, and when she’s ready, when we’re all ready… we’ll deal with everything else together.
**Paige’s POV **
Callen’s home. He’s right here, looking as if nothing ever happened, but it still doesn’t feel real.. my
He’s sitting beside me on the couch, his thumb tracing lazy circles against the inside of wrist like he’s been doing it for years. Like he didn’t almost die. Like I haven’t spent every day since replaying the moment I thought I’d lost him for good.
I rest my head against his shoulder, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. It’s strong.
“I missed you,” I whisper.
He hums and tilts his head to rest against mine. “Me too.”
For a few minutes, neither of us says anything. We just sit there, tangled up in the quiet, in the warmth of something familiar and new all at once.
But even in the comfort, the guilt creeps in. Because Callen’s not the only one I missed. I close my eyes and remember the touch of Parker’s kiss on my lips. The way his hands. gripped my waist. The heat in his gaze when I told him I wanted him to kiss me, and the way Remy looked at me last night… just for a second, but I caught it.
They’ve kept a distance from me for the past two days. With Remy barely coming home and Parker backing off. I know why. We need to talk and get everything out in the open. There shouldn’t be any secrets if we stand any chance of this working, and every interaction feels like another secret to add, another guilt to carry.
A soft knock breaks the silence, and Parker pokes his head into the room.
“You both okay?” he asks me, his eyes flicking between me and Callen.
I nod, sitting up a little straighter. “Yeah. Just… sitting.
“Figured you might want some tea. I made a fresh pot.”
“Thanks,” I say, voice quiet. “I’ll come grab some in a minute.”
He lingers, as if he wants to say more, then seems to think better of it. “Okay.”
He disappears again, leaving me with that familiar, comforting ache in my chest that I’ve
More Berwarde 5. started associating with him.
Callen watches me carefully. “Something is going on between you and him.”
My heart skips. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, but I can sense something is off. Did you two argue?”
I shift, guilt rising as I lie again. “No, it’s just been a strange few days for us all. Have your seen much of Remy?”
He shakes his head. “He’s been avoiding me, I think. I tried to talk to him through the mind link this morning, but he just brushed me off.”
“He’s barely been home the last two days, but no one has really. I’ve mostly been here alone. with Jax and some scary enforcers guarding the house.”
“I know Rye and Parker have been busy strengthening our borders. They’ve installed motion sensors and deer cams. If anyone gets anywhere near our land, we’ll know. I’m sorry if you’ve felt abandoned. Safety is the top priority at e moment, but I’ll make sure at least one of us is home with you from now on.”
“It’s okay,” I smile. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. Will the kids be returning soon?” to school
“I’m not sure, I’ve been a bit out of the loop, but we will work something out, even if it’s just the pack kids and Regina in the social cabin for a few weeks.”
I nod. “I should go check on Jax and Ryder, it’s gone suspiciously quiet up there. Can I get you anything while I’m up?”
“No, thanks. I’m going to head up for a shower anyway. I need to wash the smell of the healer’s cabin off me before my skin crawls right off,” he says, wrinkling his nose.
“Can you manage on your own?”
He closes his eyes and tilts his head back against the back of the couch as if pained. “Now
I’m debating whether I should pretend I’m not fully healed, just to get you in the shower with me.”
“Nice try,” I snort a laugh and get up, holding a hand out to him.
Callen wraps his hand around mine and gets up. I turn and walk out ahead of him.
“Goddamn, I’ve missed your ass,” he mutters behind me.
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