Poppy. My wolf pricks, sharp and alert as we listen to the whole conversation, mostly about us. But she’s laughing, and that laugh… it hits me harder than I want to admit.
The call ends a few minutes later. Paige’s footsteps move around the bedroom.
Callen lets out a low whistle. “Well, that was enlightening. I quite like the word harem. I’m a proud member.”
“Focus,” I snap, though part of me wants to storm down the hall and make sure Paige knows exactly what she means to me. To all of us.
Remy tilts his head. “Poppy is her full sister, right?”
“As far as they know,” I nod. “If Paige’s bloodline is something other than human, then Poppy’s should be too. Tomorrow’s dinner is our chance to find out.”
Callen grins. “So we poke around? Subtly, of course.”
“Observe,” I correct. “Not interrogate. If there’s anything off about Poppy, we might notice because we are not blinded by the mate bond. And if there isn’t… then we keep digging.”
Parker’s frown is back in place. “You think Poppy could be in danger too?”
“If hunters catch wind of any of this?… Yes. Hunters hate wolves, but I bet they’ll hate something they don’t understand even more, and if that happens, both sisters will be targets. Silence falls heavily. My wolf snarls inside me, protective rage simmering.
I head upstairs, just needing to see her, and then pause outside the bedroom door. Through the wood, I hear Paige humming softly as she gets dressed. The sound should ease me. Instead, it claws at something inside me.
Paige doesn’t know what she is, Jaxon is too young to understand, and I’m pretty sure Poppy doesn’t know either. But I will find out, and no matter what we uncover, one thing is certain: all three are mine to protect.
** Paige’s POV **
Back at my rental house, I hold my breath as Ryder unlocks the door and pushes inside with Remy right behind him. My gaze drops automatically to the floor just inside the entryway. No ominous letters are waiting for me this time. I let out a relieved breath.
We wait outside for the all-clear before stepping fully inside. The place is exactly how we left it, but the air is stale, like a room sealed off for too long. I move from window to window, unlatching and pushing them open to let the cool air trickle in. Jaxon plops onto the couch in the living room, the TV already flickering to life, and my guys drift toward the kitchen that suddenly feels far too small.
It hits me then: this place has never really felt like mine. I’ve never spent enough time here for it to build those special memories, and it doesn’t have the familiarity or ease of home that the cabin does. And with four overgrown men in the kitchen, I can barely breathe.
I should give this place up. Keeping it is just draining my savings. But then where would I meet Poppy for dinner? It’s not like we can cram into her shared city flat, and I can’t exactly invite her to the cabin.
“What’s on your mind?” Parker asks quietly. He leans his hip against the counter next to me, his arms crossed, eyes soft.
“Just this place,” I say, flicking the kettle on. “It’s such a drain on my savings to pay for somewhere we barely visit.”
“Then give it up,” Callen says from the doorway, shrugging like it’s obvious. “You’re not coming back here. Your home’s with us, on pack land.”
“I know,” I murmur, “but what about Poppy? I can’t exactly have her over to your place for dinner.”
“Our place,” Callen corrects gently.
I roll my eyes but smile a little. “Our place,” I repeat, liking how that sounds. “Still. Poppy would have a million questions. She’d worry I’m rushing into moving in with you all. Humans don’t usually move in together this fast; they don’t feel the pull or the certainty of the mate bond.”
Ryder moves in closer. “We can make it work,” he says. “We will keep the wolves out of sight for a couple of hours a week, make it look normal. It’s not a big deal.”
“I can’t expect you to do that every time she visits.”
“You’re not expecting it,” Parker says with a small smile. “We’re offering.”
They talk as if it’s simple. Like we’re already a family and this is just logistics. It warms something inside me.
“I’ll think about it,” I say, adding a tea bag to the cup I’ve set out.
The kettle clicks off, and I pour the water, feeling their eyes on me. I’m grateful they’re not pushing. By the time I’ve finished half my cup, headlights light up the street and stop outside the house.
Jaxon shoots up from the couch. “Auntie Pops!” he shouts, racing for the door before I can even set the cup down.
“Slow down, Jax,” I call after him, but he’s already there, yanking it open.
I pull up my collar, making sure my mate marks are covered before following him.
Poppy stands on the step, a wide grin on her face and her arms full of stacked pizza boxes.” Special delivery!” she announces.
Jaxon flings himself into her free side. She juggles the pizzas to hug him, laughter spilling out of her. “Whoa, buddy, careful! I nearly lost the garlic bread.”
My chest aches at the sight. The normalcy of it. Poppy in her jeans and hoodie, her hair scraped back in a bun. She has this way of looking great no matter what she wears, how she does her hair or if she wears makeup or not.
“That smells good,” I say when the scent of the pizza floats through the open doorway.
She steps into the entryway, and her gaze immediately lands on the kitchen. On them.
Ryder steps forward quickly when he sees her, taking the pizzas from her arms and placing them on the table.
Paige tosses her bag onto the counter. “I see the cavalry is already here,” she winks, glancing at Ryder, Callen, Parker, and Remy.
I roll my eyes at her. “You’re impossible,” I mutter, pulling her into a hug.
Poppy’s grin only widens when we pull apart. “Oh, don’t give me that face. You knew I was going to make a comment the moment I walked in and saw your…” her gaze flicks to the four men, now pretending very hard not to be paying any attention, “…bodyguards.”
“They’re not bodyguards,” I say quickly, my voice a little too sharp.
Her brows lift. “Mhm.”
Jaxon, oblivious to everything but the food, bounces in front of us. “Auntie Pops, did you bring pineapple?”
She moves her attention back to him, crouching to his level and pointing to the top box that’s smaller than the others. “Do I ever let you down? Pineapple, extra cheese, and garlic bread.”
He squeals, climbing onto a seat at the table. Ryder takes the top box, opening it on the table in front of him.
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