His smile fades, replaced with something softer. “You’d run through fire for him.”
“Of course I would.”
“Then we were out there for the same reason. Protecting the people we love.” He covers my hand where it rests on his. “And I’m sorry you were marked without permission. That is not something we condone in this pack.”
I swallow, unsure how to answer. I understand why he’s angry. I also know that the heat. curling low in my stomach isn’t just mine; it’s bleeding through the bond, pulsing faintly with Remy’s emotions.
It’s unsettling, intimate in a way I’m not ready for. I can’t block him out, and I don’t even know if I want to yet.
Callen clears his throat, breaking the quiet. “The hunters won’t push again tonight; they suffered heavy losses. We’ve got patrols doubled just in case. I’ll be on the perimeter.” He gives Ryder a pointed look before heading for the door, clearly giving us space.
Remy hasn’t moved, his eyes are still on me, steady, unreadable. The hum of the bond shifts as he finally turns for the door, his presence dimming but not gone. I don’t know if he’s leaving to give me breathing room or because he’s smart enough to know staying will keep the tension boiling.
N.O Darling
**Paige’s POV **
The house falls quiet again.
Parker is still upstairs with Jax, and Ryder is brooding silently at the kitchen island.
“What happened out there?” I ask, sitting next to him.
Ryder doesn’t answer right away. He lifts his gaze to meet mine, and then his eyes drift to my neck. I don’t miss the flash of anger before he turns his head away.
“They came at us from three directions. It was an organised attack, but not as organised as our defence. We’ve had years to learn this land, and Ronnie has been preparing the pack to defend it as soon as they turn eighteen. We knew they’d find us one day, I’m just sorry it has to be now. I wish you could have joined us during our peaceful years. You’d have loved it here.
“Did you lose any pack members tonight?”
I suddenly feel sick at the thought. I had been too worked up over Jaxon, the mate bond, and worrying about my mates that I hadn’t even given a second thought to the others out there fighting.
Ryder reaches out and cups my cheek, a slight smile on his face and his eyes full of an emotion I can’t place.
“We had some casualties, but no losses. The severely injured are with the healers; they will be okay.”
I blow out a relieved breath. “That’s good.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No,” he shakes his head. “Just being here is enough. You give us even more reason to come home. The pack is important, but there’s nothing more important than a mate and a child.”
He brushes the hair from my neck and examines the bite mark I know is still there. He runs a gentle finger over it. “Does it hurt?”
I shake my head. “No, but it’s… sensitive.”
“I’m sorry he did this to you. I’m sure it was inevitable once he pulled his head out of his ass,
More Hewards > but you deserved better than this. It should have been special, a monumental event in your life that you looked forward to. Not a rushed decision to save your life.”
“Don’t be mad at him.” I bring my hand up to cover his on my neck. “We literally had hunters. breathing down our necks. He did what he needed, and it worked. I got back here so fast and almost silently. It was unbelievable. I felt like… like Superwoman!”
“You are Superwoman,” Ryder chuckles.
“I mean, I was super fast, and I could hear everything so much more clearly. It was pretty amazing. It wore off quickly though,” I pout.
“It didn’t wear off. It’s still there; you just don’t need the abilities right now.”
“So it only works when I need it?” I frown, wondering how that works.
Maybe it’s like an adrenaline thing.
“Kind of, but you can tap into it whenever you want to. Focus on Jaxon upstairs, try to listen in on him the way you would if he were in the next room.”
I close my eyes, blocking out the soft golden light of the kitchen and the weight of Ryder’s gaze. I picture Jaxon upstairs, his little legs swinging from the edge of his bed, his hair sticking up in chaotic tufts, in the mismatched pyjamas he insisted on wearing.
At first, all I get is the hum of the refrigerator, the faint ticking of the wall clock, and Ryder’s steady breathing beside me. But then something shifts, like someone’s turned a dial inside my head.
The creak of the floorboards upstairs. The soft rustle of sheets as Parker tucks him in.
Jaxon’s tiny inhale… and then his sleepy giggle. I can hear Parker’s voice, low and calm, reading him a story, each word clear, like he’s whispering directly into my ear.
My eyes fly open. “I can hear them,” I whisper, breathless. “Every word, every sound. It’s like
I’m right there in the room with them.”
Ryder’s smile is slow and proud. “See? It’s in you now. That connection, that speed, the strength, you’ll always have it. The bond with Remy lets you tap into his wolf’s gifts.”
“It’s… a lot.” My voice cracks just a little, because it is. This is my life now… wolves, mates, powers I never asked for. But there’s also a strange sense of belonging, like some piece of me that had been missing all my life has finally slotted into place.
Ryder leans forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I know you didn’t get to choose the moment. You deserved a choice. You deserved to know what it would mean and to look forward to it, not just survive it.”
I swallow hard. “And if I wanted… if I asked… would you?”
His hand tightens around mine, his thumb sweeping gently across my skin. “Yes. I have dreamed of it for years. Even before I knew it was a possibility. If you want it, I’ll mate with you the right way. No danger or panic. I’ll make it something you remember for all the right reasons. I’ll make it special, Paige.” His voice is low, almost as if he’s making a vow.
Something in my chest loosens, a pressure I hadn’t realised was there. “You make it sound nice.”
Ryder’s eyes hold mine. “It is supposed to be nice. The best day of our lives, joining together. I promise. You’ll never be rushed into anything again. Not with me.”
“Then when I’m ready, I’ll let you know.” I smile. our souls
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