Jaxon talks animatedly, listing all the constellations he can remember, and I catch Ryder watching us from the kitchen, a proud smile on his face.
“Who wants bacon sandwiches?” Ryder calls.
“Me!” Jax shouts, running into the kitchen and abandoning our conversation in favour of breakfast.
We follow him in, and Ryder slides two cups of coffee onto the kitchen island for us. I take a sip and moan. I needed this more than my next breath.
Parker leans into me, and I feel the bond humming faintly, a quiet, steady presence reminding me that we’re connected, now and always.
We watch Ryder cook while he and Jax tell us all about their night out in the wild. They make it sound like they went on a great adventure, and I love that. Jax deserves to have this, to have a dad like Ryder.
Callen and Remy arrive shortly before we sit down to eat. They’re both smirking at the sight of Parker and me wrapped around each other like two halves of the same soul. Or maybe it’s because of what they got up to last night. I look between them and raise a brow, turning Remy’s smirk into a shy smile, and Callen winks at me playfully.
Breakfast is loud and messy in all the best ways. The guys fighting over bacon, and Jaxon making us all laugh with his chatter. Parker sits at my side, his warm hand resting on my thigh. It feels like a scene from someone else’s life, one I used to think I never deserved, but here it is, all mine.
When the plates are cleared, Ryder ruffles Jax’s hair. “Come on, pup. You’ll be late for school if we don’t get moving.”
Jaxon practically bounces off his chair, excitement radiating from him. “All of you are coming, right?” His gaze sweeps over the five of us.
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Callen says.
So we all go. Walking through the pack grounds with all four of them flanking Jaxon and me feels powerful. Like no one could ever touch us. Jaxon walks in the middle, holding Ryder’s hand with one and mine with the other, but every so often he skips closer to Parker or glances back at Remy and Callen like he wants to be sure everyone is still there.
By the time we reach the little cabin they’re using as a temporary school tucked near the edge of the woods, my chest feels so full it might burst.
Regina waits by the door, her arms folded, watching the group of pups run past her. When she spots us all together, her eyes widen before softening into a knowing smile.
“Oh,” she breathes, her gaze flicking to either side of my neck, where my mate’s marks peek above my collar. I resist the urge to tug my shirt higher, but there’s no hiding it, not from her.” Well, it seems congratulations are in order for all of you.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, but Ryder just lifts his chin, pride written all over him. Callen smirks like he’d been waiting for this exact moment, Remy steps in closer, and Parker squeezes my hand.
Regina shakes her head in disbelief. “A completed mating bond between five… the goddess certainly has her ways.” Her eyes meet mine, and something like respect shines there. “You are truly blessed.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, unsure what to say, but she saves me the trouble by crouching down to Jaxon’s level.
“And you, young man,” she says warmly, “are an absolute delight. As clever as they come. Do you know, he explained the phases of the moon to the entire class yesterday without a single prompt?”
Jaxon beams. “Dad showed me the stars last night!” He glances up at Ryder like he’s telling the world’s greatest secret.
Regina’s smile grows bigger. “Of course he did. You’re going to do extraordinary things, Jaxon.” She looks up at me again. “He’s bright. A natural leader, and so polite, it’s a pleasure to have him in my class.”
My throat tightens further, emotions threatening to spill over. I smooth Jax’s hair and manage a whisper. “Thank you. That means more than you know.”
Jaxon runs off to join the other pups. The five of us wait for a moment, watching him. He fits here so easily. He belongs effortlessly. He’s laughing, already playing some running game with the others, and my chest swells with that aching kind of love that feels too big to fit inside me.
Ryder’s hand moves to my lower back. “Come on,” he whispers, guiding me gently away.
The five of us turn back down the path, and that’s when it starts.
The first pack member we pass, an older woman with a basket of bread, pauses, her eyes darting from my neck to Ryder’s arm around my waist. I brace myself, but then she breaks into a warm smile. “Congratulations,” she says softly, dipping her head in respect.
I manage a small smile in return. “Thank you.”
It happens again a few steps later. A pair of young men heading toward us look us over with wide eyes, and one of them blurts, “All four of you? Goddess, she must have some…” His friend elbows him sharply, cutting him off and muttering something I can’t hear, before nodding stiffly at Ryder.
“Careful,” Callen warns. “Stare too long and I’ll start charging admission.”
I nudge him with my elbow, but his teasing makes the tension in my chest ease.
Not everyone smiles, though.
A couple with their arms linked pass us, the woman’s eyes lingering on me with open disapproval. She doesn’t say anything, but the judgment in her eyes is loud enough. Her mate keeps walking, but the woman slows for a second, shaking her head before moving on.
It stings more than I want to admit.
Remy must sense it, because he moves closer. “Ignore it,” he murmurs. “They’ll learn.”
Parker leans in on my other side, his voice gentle. “We’re not here to fit into their mould, Paige. We’re here to build something better.”
Ryder glances at me. “Anyone who can’t accept this bond doesn’t matter. Not compared to us.”
His certainty settles something in me. By the time we reach the quieter stretch near the house, I’m exhausted from pretending it doesn’t affect me.
Callen suddenly slings an arm over my shoulders, tugging me into his side. “Hey. Don’t let the sour faces get to you. You saw Regina’s reaction. She knows what this means. The goddess doesn’t waste her blessings.”
“Besides, if anyone thinks they can disrespect you, they’ll have to get through four of us. I’d like to see them try” Remy adds.
That earns a grunt of agreement from Ryder, and Parker presses a kiss to my temple.
I breathe easier then, looking at the positives. For every frown we passed, there were smiles too, real ones, full of hope, which is more than what we saw last time, and I cling to that as we walk the rest of the way home together.
When we reach the cabin, we don’t head inside; instead, the guys lead me around the back, where I can see the tent still set up in the tree line.
“Okay, Paige, time to show us what you’ve got,” Callen grins. That cheeky look on his face that usually means trouble.
“What I’ve got?” I ask, my brows raised.
“Yep,” he nods. “The mate bond is complete with us all now. We want to see what a badass you are now that you have the strength of four wolves connected to you.”
I blink at them, torn between laughter and nerves. “You want me to… what? Punch a tree? Wrestle Ryder? Race Remy?”
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