Parker gives me the faintest smile. “Because you’re ours. It’s our job to know.”
Remy just squeezes my shoulder once, but it’s enough.
I know I must look a mess right now, with red puffy eyes and pale skin, but neither of them looks at me with pity, only patience.
Remy finally speaks. His voice is low, but with a softness I rarely hear from him. “Skip the shower. Let me run you a bath instead. A hot soak will help. You need to let your body catch up with your head before you tear yourself apart.”
Before I can argue, he disappears out the door.
Parker moves to sit behind me on the bed, his hands smooth over my shoulders, and then he applies pressure, massaging the knots I can feel there. “You’re carrying the whole world up here,” he hums.
“It feels like it,” I say with a shaky laugh.
“Then let me tell you something that Ronnie used to tell us as kids, back when we were terrified and grieving.” He says softly. “Do you know why our Moon Goddess is always painted with her hands open?”
I shake my head.
“Because she’s asking us to share our burdens with her, she carries what we can’t. That’s why wolves look to her. That’s why we trust her.” He squeezes my shoulders gently, leaning closer so I feel the brush of his lips against my ear. “You don’t have to hold everything, Paige. Let it go, let her take it, let us take it.”
Tears sting my eyes again, but they’re different this time. I let out a shaky breath, trying not to think about Parker and Remy as scared kids and instead focus on the comfort he’s trying to bring me.
“I’d like to learn more about your goddess.”
Parker kisses the side of my neck softly before answering. “Then I’ll teach you.”
“Bath is ready,” Remy’s voice floats into my mind like it’s my own thought, and I flinch. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to someone else’s voice inside my head.
Parker presses one last kiss to my neck before helping me up. His eyes hold mine. “One step at a time. We’ll get both of you through this.”
I nod before letting him lead me downstairs. Remy is waiting in the bathroom doorway, his sleeves rolled up and steam floating around him. He doesn’t say much, just offers me a towel with one hand and a nod that says more than words ever could.
The warmth of the bathroom hits me first, the steam carrying the scent of lavender. The water ripples gently, inviting me in and promising to soothe every muscle. Remy was right, a bath was a better choice.
“Go on,” he gestures to the bath as Parker steps into the bathroom, closing the door gently behind him and shutting the three of us in.
I hesitate for a moment before I slip out of my clothes, aware of their presence but not self-conscious. They don’t look at me like they’re hungry for something. They look at me like soldiers keeping watch, keeping my body and mind safe. I sink into the water, and the instant warmth spreads over me. I almost cry from relief. The tension in my body begins to melt away.
Parker sits on the floor beside the tub, his back resting against the tiles. “Do you want me to tell you more about the moon goddess?” he asks softly.
I nod, closing my eyes and tipping my head back against the edge of the tub.
His voice drops to a soft, soothing tone as he talks. He tells me stories meant to bring comfort and inspire strength. My throat tightens as I listen, but this time it isn’t fear choking me, it’s love.
Remy moves to sit beside Parker. He doesn’t add words, but he doesn’t need to. His presence and the bond say it all.
I keep my eyes closed, drifting somewhere between sleep and deep relaxation. I’m not sure how long I stay like that, but the water is beginning to cool when Parker finally rises, rolling up his sleeves to help me out. He wraps a towel around me, and then Remy takes over, wrapping it tighter and tucking the edges in.
Between the two of them, they guide me back to the bedroom. Parker keeps an arm around me while Remy trails at my other side, silent and protective. The sight of Parker’s bed makes my whole body sag with relief.
Parker pulls back the quilt. “Come on, beautiful,” he says. “Let’s get you warm.”
I climb in, still wrapped in the towel, and sink into the mattress. The moment my head hits the pillow, the weight of everything tries to drag me under again. The court date, Greg’s written words, the risks we’ll have to take. Panic niggles at me again, but then Remy sits on the edge of the bed, his hand resting against my leg.
“Stay here,” he says. “Just stay with us.”
I understand his meaning. He doesn’t mean just physically; he means mentally. He doesn’t want me to spiral again.
Parker slips in on the other side, lying beside me, his fingers brushing through my hair. You’re safe,” he whispers. “With us, you’ll always be safe.”
“
“Can you tell me more?” I whisper, turning my head to face Parker. “About the Moon Goddess.
“
He smiles softly. “Another story?”
“Please,” I nod.
So, he does. He tells me about how the Moon Goddess chose fated mates, not to trap wolves but to strengthen them. She believed love wasn’t about possession, but survival. How bonds strengthen packs and ensure the best matches for offspring.
Remy adds a low rumble of agreement here and there, and finishes some of Parker’s sentences, his thumb tracing lazy patterns against the back of my calf. Together, they create a safe little bubble, where there’s no more room for fear.
Eventually, my eyelids grow heavy. Their words blur into the hum of the bond, and the last thing I hear before sleep takes me is Parker’s whisper.
“No matter what happens, we’ve got you, always.”
“No one takes what’s ours,” Remy’s voice rumbles as I finally let go.
** Ryder’s POV **
I leave the bedroom and take a deep breath, plastering a smile on my face before going down the stairs. When I walk into the living room, Jaxon is already yawning, his little eyes heavy with sleep, and I can’t help but smile for real this time. He’s perfect.
He is everything I could ever dream of, sweet and polite, full of energy, and he absolutely adores his mum, just like me. Paige and I made an amazing little boy who makes my heart want to burst with pride.
I can’t wait to watch him grow and be there every step of the way from here on out. I can’t wait to meet his wolf and watch him become the great alpha he is destined to be.
When I look at him, I just get the sense that everything is going to be okay. I just need to deal with the threats looming over us first.
My boy doesn’t deserve any of this. The courts, Greg, the threat of hunters, it’s too much for anyone, let alone him. I wish I could protect Paige from it the way I can Jaxon. At least at his age, we can shield him from learning about it all.
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