Then, Ryder opens the other envelope and his entire body goes still. I hold my breath, waiting for the explosion.
“What the hell is this?” Ryder growls, his voice so low it vibrates through me.
He flips to the second page and reads it out loud.
“I am applying for a child arrangement order so that I may have joint custody of my son, Jaxon Wilson. I believe it is in Jaxon’s best interest to have a meaningful relationship with both of his parents. Since separating from Ms Thompson, I have had limited involvement in Jaxon’s life. I am concerned that I am being deliberately excluded from decisions regarding his upbringing, and that my parental responsibility is not being respected. I am seeking regular contact with Jaxon, including overnight stays. Joint decision-making regarding Jaxon’s education, medical care, and general welfare. Recognition as Jaxon’s father on official records. I wish to stress that my intention is not to disrupt Jaxon’s stability, but to ensure he has the benefit of a consistent and loving relationship with both parents. Signed, Gregory Thompson.”
Remy takes it from him before Ryder rips it in half. He reads it with his jaw clenched. By the time he finishes, his eyes are blazing with his wolf. “That bastard’s actually trying to claim
Jaxon?”
I nod, throat tight. “He filed for access through the courts.”
Ryder surges to his feet, pacing the room like a caged wolf. His anger is like a storm, rolling off him in waves. Seeing him like this makes my chest ache.
“He has no right. No right! Jaxon is my son,” he growls.
Remy’s eyes flick to me. “We can’t let him anywhere near Jaxon, but if we ignore this, it’ll draw more attention. Judges, solicitors, people poking into your lives. Into our town. One way or another, we need to shut this down, and fast.”
The thought makes my stomach churn. He’s right.
Callen and Parker come in then. “What’s going on?” Callen demands, his eyes narrowing.
Remy holds out the letter. “Greg filed for custody.”
Callen curses under his breath, pacing like Ryder. Parker’s jaw flexes as he reads the letter, his voice flat but deadly. “He’s painting a target on all of us, using the human authorities to get to us.”
I grip the mattress, forcing myself to breathe evenly. “So what do I do?”
No one answers me, the room falling silent. Then Ryder stops pacing. He crouches in front of me again, his expression fierce. “We don’t hide, we don’t run. We fight and prove the truth.”
Remy nods. “A DNA test.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
“Ryder takes one,” Parker explains. “We have it processed through the human system, completely legal. Then we file to have him added to Jaxon’s birth certificate. When the court date comes, we’ll walk in with the proof that Greg has no claim. No judge will give access to a man proven not to be the father.”
Ryder’s hand finds mine, strong and unshakable. “Once I’m on the record as his father, there’s no loophole. Greg will be finished.”
Emotion swells in my chest, a mix of fear, relief, and hope. “You’d really do that?”
“Paige,” Ryder says, squeezing my hand. “He’s my son. Of course I would. Even without this threat, I’d still do it. I want it to be official, I want to be on his birth certificate. Jaxon belongs with us, always.”
The others nod in agreement.
“But isn’t it a risk to put your DNA into the system?” I ask.
“Not for this, it’s a basic test, not an in-depth analysis looking for abnormalities. Besides, I’m sure it’s already in the system after they found me as an abandoned baby. They would have run tests to try to trace my family.”
“My games finished!” Jax calls from downstairs.
“Okay, I’ll be down in a minute!” Ryder says over his shoulder before turning back to look at me. “Don’t worry about this, he’s not got a leg to stand on. Tomorrow we’ll find a solicitor and get the ball rolling. We will make him look like a fool in the courts, and then we will take down his band of hunters.” He rests his forehead on mine and then kisses me before turning to leave.
I watch him go. The fear is still there, but it’s no longer as suffocating. I know I’m not alone in this fight. Greg may have the courts, the hunters, and the arrogance to think he can claim
Jaxon, but I have Ryder, Remy, Callen, and Parker. And Jaxon has a whole pack ready to defend him. Together, we’ll make sure Jaxon is untouchable.
** Paige’s POV **
Callen lets out a sigh, running his hands through his hair. “Don’t worry about Jax, we will get him settled. You stay here and try to relax,” he says before turning to follow Rye.
“Thanks,” I try to say, but my voice comes out weak, barely above a whisper as my mind begins to spiral again.
The words in the letter keep flashing through my mind, playing on a loop like they’re haunting me.
I don’t even realise I’m shaking until Parker moves closer. He lowers himself onto the edge of the bed, slowly. His eyes soften, and when he speaks, his voice is low and steady.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “Breathe with me.”
“I can’t.” My voice cracks as my chest tightens. “It’s too much. He can’t… he can’t take Jax,
Parker. I can’t let him…”
“You won’t.” He cuts me off gently, his hand sliding over mine. “You won’t lose him, Paige. You have us, and Greg doesn’t stand a chance against that. Jaxon is this pack’s most precious member. We will go to war for him if we have to.”
My eyes sting again, and I look away, ashamed of the tears. I know what he says is the truth, but I can’t stop the fear from creeping in. Parker doesn’t let me hide from him. He lifts my chin with a gentle hand, forcing me to meet his gaze.
“There’s no shame in being upset by this, but you are so much stronger than you think,” he says. “You’ve looked after Jax this far. You kept him safe through everything, even when you thought you were alone. Now you’re not. So let us carry some of that weight.” His lips brush over my knuckles, a touch so soft it makes me ache. “You don’t have to fight any part of this battle by yourself anymore, so if you want to scream and cry, then do it. We are here for it all,
Paige.”
A sob breaks free from my throat then, and I lean into him, pressing my face into his shoulder. His arms come around me instantly, solid and protective. “That’s it, let it all out,” he soothes.
I do. He holds me while I let myself break down, knowing without a doubt that he is here, ready to help put me back together when I’m done.
Remy doesn’t move at first. He stays leaning against the wall, watching us silently. When my tears begin to slow, he finally crosses the room. His hand rests on my back, and just the contact soothes something inside of me, it strengthens me. He doesn’t speak or try to fix it with words. He just stays a silent support, lending me his strength.
Between Parker’s whispered reassurances and Remy’s solid presence, the panic finally eases. My hands unclench, and my breathing evens out. I still feel the dread festering in a deep pit in my stomach, but it’s no longer threatening to consume me.
I pull back enough to look at them both. “How do you always know what I need?” I ask with a shaky voice.
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