“Remember, I won’t hurt you,” he says, and I see a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.
I smile at him and nod. “I trust you.”
Parker lets go of my hand and steps back to strip off his shirt and pants, his eyes never leaving mine as the shift ripples over him.
Bones crack, muscles stretch, fur blooms across his skin, and in seconds the man is gone, replaced by a massive wolf, dark and imposing, his amber eyes fixed on me with a raw intensity that steals my breath.
This time he doesn’t look away; he holds my gaze.
I take a cautious step forward, my heart hammering in my chest, but he lowers his head, a soft whine escaping him as if urging me closer. I finally lift my hand to touch his thick fur; a deep rumble vibrates through him. Not a growl, it’s something softer, almost like a purr.
“Parker,” I whisper, even though I know he can’t answer.
He presses his muzzle against my chest, nudging me gently, then circles around to brush his body against mine, marking me with his scent, staking a claim that is both primal and protective. My breath catches, tears filling my eyes again, but this time they’re not from fear or grief. They’re from the overwhelming certainty that I belong here, with him, with all of them.
I bury my hands in his fur, laughing through the wetness in my eyes. “Okay,” I breathe. “I get it now.”
His fur is softer than I expected, warm under my fingers, carrying a wild, earthy scent. He leans into my touch, his massive body pressing against my side as though he wants to crawl right under my skin.
I let out a shaky laugh. “You’re beautiful.” I tilt my head back to meet his glowing eyes.
His tail wags at the compliment, and my chest squeezes. I slide my hands up his neck, burying my face in the thick fur. His body vibrates with a low sound. A half growl, half rumble, and I realise its contentment.
He nudges me insistently with his nose, pushing until I stumble a step back. I laugh, and he tilts his head, watching me with a look that is too intelligent for an ordinary wolf. When I don’t move, he pads closer, lowering himself onto his belly at my feet. I wait to see what he will do next, but when he doesn’t move, I drop to sit on the grass beside him. Then, with a huff, he drops his great big head into my lap as if to say you’re not going anywhere.
A rush of something close to love runs through me, warming me from the inside out. I stroke his ears, trace the strong line of his jaw, and he closes his eyes as if in bliss, huffing out a soft breath. I feel like I’m living in a fairytale. One where a human befriends an animal they should run from. The gentleness of him is overwhelming. The same animal who can level an enemy with one strike is now sprawled across the grass, clinging to me like he’ll die if I walk away.
“You really don’t hold back, do you?” I hum. “No wonder you all avoid me when Jax is around.
His eyes open, big and intense. I lean down until my forehead rests against his, fingers tangling in his fur. “I’m yours,” I whisper, and the answering rumble in his chest sends a shiver through me.
** Ryder’s POV **
** Ryder’s POV **
The air in the forest smells of pine and damp earth. I love being out here at this time of day, just before twilight, when the world starts to still. It usually settles my wolf, but not today. Today, he’s practically pacing with excited anticipation. The softer scent of sweet wax and smoke drifts in as I light the candles we’ve set all around. I breathe it in and let my gaze sweep across the clearing, forcing myself to see it the way Paige will. It needs to be perfect. No, it needs to be better than perfect. She deserves more. She deserves everything I never gave her when we were young.
The tent is up, “glamping-style,” or so I’m told by Aubrey, one of our pack’s mated females. It’s much bigger than any tent I’ve ever seen, and miles apart from the one me and Paige used back then. Its cream canvas glows faintly with the lanterns set up inside, it looks warm and safe. It’s so big that we have a proper bed in there, with sheets, pillows and blankets. There’s no thin sleeping bag or cold ground this time.
A light wind blows, making the candles flicker. Food containers fill the blanket spread out on the grass, and there’s wine chilling in an ice bucket. I’ve checked everything twice, but my chest still tightens with nerves.
The first time I had her in a tent, I was a boy playing at being a man. I thought it was the start of forever for us, and we’d never be apart again. Instead, I left her with nothing but a broken heart and a son I didn’t even know existed.
This time, I won’t fail her.
“Daddy! Where do these go?” Jaxon’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
He comes stumbling toward me, his arms wrapped around a basket of wildflowers he’s been picking with Remy. His grin is wide and proud as he takes in the scene.
I crouch down, taking half of the load before the whole thing tips over. “We’ll spread them around the blanket, bud. Your mummy loves flowers.”
“That’s because they’re pretty, like she is,” he says matter-of-factly, nodding like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
My throat goes tight. He has no idea what he does to me with words like that. He’s such a sweet and caring child, especially when it comes to his mum. I couldn’t be any prouder of
:. him. “Exactly like her.”
We scatter the flowers together, little purple and yellow and white petals all around until the blanket looks like it’s sitting in the middle of a meadow floor. Jaxon claps his hands when we’re done, bouncing up and down. “Mummy’s going to love it!”
“She will,” I smile, smoothing his wayward hair.
My boy is strong. He’s been carrying this secret all day without slipping up, even though he’s practically buzzing with excitement. He’s stronger than I ever was at his age, and that’s because he has Paige as a mother.
“Red means love!” he announces proudly, pointing at the single red rose lying beside the ice bucket.
“That’s right.” I grin. “How do you know that?”
“My mummy told me,” he shrugs. “We put purple and blue ones on Granny and Grandads grave to tell them how much we miss them.”
She taught him about the rose colours, something I’d learnt from the only foster mother that ever loved me. That breaks something in me, and I almost burst into tears. It makes me feel like maybe I had a small part in his upbringing, even if I wasn’t physically there, Paige made sure I wasn’t completely absent from his life.
I clear my throat, but my voice still comes out thick with emotion. “They’re great colours to leave for them.”
“We left a black one for you too, at your old house,” he says, leaning into me.
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. She took him to my house and left me a rose. I don’t even know how to respond. Memories flood back to me of my old home. It hadn’t been a very happy place, not until Paige was in it, but knowing she still visited, and took my son there… my heart swells so much it feels like it might burst right out of my chest.
“Thank you,” I choke out, lift him for a hug, inhaling his scent. It’s the perfect mix of mine and Paige’s.
Behind us, Callen is stringing lanterns through the branches, each one flickering to life in a soft golden glow in the dimming light.
“The lanterns are all set,” he calls down, sounding pleased with himself. “They will guide her straight here.”
“Good,” I answer, though my mind is already racing to the next detail.
Remy crouches near the new candles he’s just set down, shielding a match from the breeze. He mutters something under his breath about the wind direction and making sure nothing goes out.
“Do you want the wine left on the blanket or moved into the tent?” he asks without looking up.
“It’s fine there,” I nod, trying to picture it all through her eyes again.
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