Chapter 189 – The Lost Pack (Paige & Ryder) Novel Online Free

She’s right, and we both know it. I should be dead. I shouldn’t be lying here, cracking jokes or watching the way she chews on her lip when she’s trying not to cry again.

“I’m fine,” I promise. “Or at least I will be.”

She gives me a weak smile and squeezes my hand once before standing. “Try to rest. I’m going to freshen up before Parker gets back.”

I let her go because I know she needs to move. Paige doesn’t do well sitting still when her emotions are running high. Watching her cross the small room settles something in me. She saved me. They all did, but it was her voice I heard in the dark. Her light that reached me when everything else disappeared, and I’ll never forget that.

I look over at Callen, who’s half asleep on the bed opposite mine. I know he gave too much, but I also know he’ll never admit just how much it’s affecting him. Ronnie sits in one of the chairs near the foot of my bed, his arms folded, watching the rain through the window.

Remy hasn’t said much since he gave us an ominous message, but I can feel his gaze on me from across. the room. It’s that Beta look, the assessing one that never misses a detail. I can tell he’s waiting, watching for any sign that I’m weaker than I’m pretending to be.

I meet his eyes. “You can stop analysing me; I’m still breathing.”

He nods once. “Just making sure you stay that way.”

“It’s appreciated,” I say, and I mean it. Even though his silence is unsettling.

Remy’s always been quiet and calm under pressure. But right now, there’s something new behind his eyes, something more than just concern. Ronnie shifts in his chair, breaking the tension. “Since we’re waiting for Parker anyway,” he says, leaning forward, “might as well get you caught up on what’s been happening while you were… taking your little nap.”

Callen snorts without opening his eyes. “Oh good, story time.”

I shoot him a look, but Ronnie just shakes his head, with a small smile. “Two of our females have mate-matched with Midnight’s enforcers.”

That gets my attention. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” Ronnie nods. “Mara and Elsa, both unmated until now.”

“I guess that means we’ll be seeing a lot more of Midnight around here,” Callen murmurs.

“Looks that way,” Ronnie says. “The rest of their patrols went smoothly. No new hunter activity, and the Midnight wolves are settling in fine. No friction so far.”

That’s good news, but it doesn’t ease the tightness in my chest. I’ve seen enough temporary alliances fall apart over less. Still, if the Goddess is blessing these bonds, maybe it means we’re moving in the right direction. Maybe it means we’re not fighting this war alone anymore.

Remy still hasn’t spoken. He’s pacing near the far wall, his expression unreadable.

“You’re quiet,” I say.

He stops, exhales slowly, then looks over at me. “Because I’m trying to decide where to start.”

Callen cracks an eye open. “That bad?”

Remy hesitates long enough that I already know the answer. Then the door opens, saving him from answering right away.

Parker steps in first, shaking the rain from his hair. Poppy’s right behind him, carrying a small stack of files. Jake follows last, calm and focussed as usual. Paige slips back in too, closing the door behind them. She gives me a small smile before joining Poppy near the back wall.

Remy’s eyes flick to Jake. “Do you want to explain?”

Jake nods, taking the files from Poppy. He glances at me, and the look in his eyes makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

“That vial contained traces of the same toxin we found on the bullet we pulled out of Leo, Jake says. He pulls a small glass case from his pocket, holding it up so we can see the silvery residue inside. “It’s a potent compound. Part Wormwood extract, part mercury derivative. On their own, either one could be lethal in high doses. Together…” He shakes his head. “Together, they’re something else entirely.”

His words make my stomach turn. “How bad are we talking?”

“Fast-acting and nearly impossible to survive without immediate extraction. A weaker wolf wouldn’t stand a chance. You’re lucky Poppy drained a lot out and Paige reached you when she did. Another few minutes and…” He trails off, not finishing the sentence. He doesn’t need to.

I run a hand through my hair, trying to piece it together. “So the hunters are dipping their bullets in this stuff now?”

“That’s what we’re assuming,” Jake says grimly. “We tested the round you collected from the fire pit. It’s the same compound, the same corrosion on the casings. It’s deliberate.”

Callen curses under his breath. “They’re making sure that if the bullet doesn’t kill us, the poison will.”

Remy crosses his arms, jaw tight. “They’ve learned from the last fight. They know wolfsbane is not fast-acting enough, so they’re adapting.”

I stare down at my hand. The marks are gone, but I still remember the burn. “Then we adapt faster.”

Silence follows that. Not because anyone disagrees, but because the truth is too heavy to answer right away.

Jake sets the sample back in his pocket, his expression thoughtful. “I’ll need to run more tests. There might be a way to neutralise it before it spreads through the bloodstream. But for now, the best defence is speed, removal and bleeding it out as soon as contact occurs.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Paige says quietly, and her faith steadies me in a way nothing else could.

Remy’s still watching, though his expression has softened slightly. “You look better,” he says to me finally. “

Your colour is back, and your pulse is steady. I guess I can stop hovering now.”

“Hovering?” Callen snorts. “You mean brooding in the corner?”

Remy flips him off with a smirk.

The tension in the room eases a little, enough for me to breathe easier. Still, I can see the lines of worry etched into Remy’s face. He’s already thinking ten steps ahead, planning for things none of us can see yet.

Ronnie leans forward in his chair. “So, what’s our next move?”

“Right now?” Remy says. “Jake, I want your notes shared with the Midnight and River packs’ healers. They need to be ready, and if they’ve seen anything like this before, we’ll need their intel.”

Jake nods. “I’ll send it today.”

“We should ask for blood donations too. If we have a stock ready to go, that will speed things up is infected with the poison again,” Poppy adds.

“I’ll send out a pack message for donations,” I nod.

“And long term?” Parker asks.

Remy exhales. “We find out where the hunters got it. Compounds like this don’t come from nowhere.”

I can tell from the tone in his voice that he’s already planning to lead that investigation himself. I glance at Paige again. She’s quiet, lost in thought.

It hits me again just how close I came to never seeing her again. Never hearing Jax’s laughter or watching my brother argue with a healer or teasing Remy until he cracks a smile.

I almost lost everything, and for what? A war that keeps taking from us piece by piece. The thought chills me. I look around at all of them, my family, my pack, my heart, and the weight of what could’ve been presses down hard on my chest.

“I don’t want to waste another damn second,” I say quietly, mostly to myself.

Paige looks up with a frown. “What?”

I shake my head, smiling faintly. “Just realising I’ve been taking too much for granted. That’s not happening anymore.”

Her eyes soften, and she moves to my side, leaning in to kiss my temple. For a moment, everything feels right. The cabin comes alive with quiet conversation again, Remy, Parker, Poppy and Jake talking about the logistics of a blood drive, Ronnie and Callen trading sarcastic comments.

For a moment, it feels normal, but beneath it all, I can feel the unease stirring again. The knowledge that this peace is fragile, that the poison was just another warning shot. The hunters are changing their tactics, and they almost had a win last night.

We’re not out of danger yet, but for now. I let myself breathe, let myself exist in the warmth, the laughter, the sound of life continuing around me. Because now I understand exactly how precious that sound is, and I’ll fight like hell to make sure it never stops again.

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