“I know, sweetheart.” I forced a smile, even as my pulse quickened. “It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay.
The hum grew louder, spreading through my chest like wildfire. The air thickened, vibrating faintly. The spoon slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the floor, and the scent of warm metal filled the room.
Jaxon stepped closer, concern etched across his face. “Mum?”
“Stay back,” I said gently, holding out a trembling hand. The glow intensified, flickering like sunlight through rippling water. My heart pounded fiercely. “It’s okay, baby. I just need…”
The light burst outward-not harsh or violent, but breathtaking. A slow wave of shimmering silver and gold swept through the kitchen, wrapping around the furniture like a delicate mist. The pancakes lifted slightly from the pan, hovering for a heartbeat before settling back down. Dust motes in the air sparkled like tiny stars.
The hum in my chest steadied, deepening into something calm and steady. Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
I gripped the counter, my breath coming in heavy gasps. The last flickers of light shimmered faintly across my skin before sinking beneath the surface. Jaxon stared at me, eyes wide with amazement.
“Mum… are you a wizard?”
I swallowed hard. “No,” I whispered. “I don’t think so.”
Before I could say more, the front door slammed open.
“Paige?” Ryder’s voice cut through the silence-sharp and controlled, but laced with panic.
“I’m okay!” I called back, louder than I intended.
Footsteps thundered on the porch. Ryder was the first to reach me, his eyes scanning both me and Jaxon for any sign of injury before he even took a breath. Callen, Parker, and Remy followed close behind, all alert and tense, their wolf sides bristling beneath their skin.
Ryder cupped my face immediately, his eyes flickering between mine. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I managed. “I was just cooking. And then…” I glanced around at the faint shimmer still hanging in the air. “That.”
Callen stepped closer, eyes narrowing as he examined the counters, the stove, and a faint scorch mark on the metal. “No damage,” he muttered, frowning. “Just… light.”
“Yeah,” Parker said quietly. “But that’s not normal light.”
Remy’s gaze lingered on my hands, where faint traces of gold still faded beneath my skin. “That looks exactly like what I saw at the creek.”
“It felt the same,” I admitted softly.
Ryder pulled me into his arms, holding me close against his chest. His heartbeat was steady and strong beneath my cheek. “It didn’t hurt?”
“No, just… pressure. Energy, maybe.”
Jaxon edged closer, peeking out from behind the counter. “It made the pancakes float.”
That earned a surprised laugh from Callen. “She’s leveling up mid-breakfast. Great.”
“Not helping,” Ryder growled.
But even he couldn’t hide the faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he looked down at Jaxon. “You okay, buddy?”
Jaxon nodded. “She’s magic.”
“Yeah,” Ryder murmured, voice softening. “She is.” He glanced back at me. “You’re sure you feel fine?”
“I’m fine.” I exhaled slowly. “It just… happened. Like it was waiting.”
Parker moved toward the window, eyes watching the tree line. “Ronnie’s going to want to run tests again.”
Remy snorted. “He’ll run out of theories before he runs out of tests.”
Ryder shot them both a look but didn’t argue. His focus stayed on me. “Next time you feel anything like that, any change at all… you call us. Understood?”
I nodded, the weight of his words settling over me like an anchor. “Understood.”
He pressed his forehead to mine briefly, grounding us both. “Good.”
For a long moment, no one moved. The kitchen hummed quietly, alive with the lingering traces of energy.
Then Jaxon piped up. “Can we still eat the pancakes?”
That broke the tension completely. Callen groaned, shaking his head. “Kid’s priorities are in order.”
I glanced at the counter. The pancakes were still perfect, untouched. Somehow, the light hadn’t burned or ruined anything. It just… was.
“Yeah,” I told Jaxon softly. “We can still eat.”
Ryder squeezed my shoulder once before letting go, though he stayed close as we moved around the kitchen. The others remained nearby, hovering with that subtle protective energy they all carried when pretending they weren’t worried.
When the first pancake landed on Jaxon’s plate, the house felt almost normal again. Almost, because beneath it all, I could still feel it-that faint hum beneath my skin, the energy that wasn’t fading this time.
I looked up and found Parker already watching me, his eyes full of quiet understanding. He didn’t ask what was wrong; he just knew. Always did. He crossed the room in a few strides and pulled me into his arms. The moment he held me, everything inside me steadied.
The hum softened. My pulse evened out. The air felt lighter.
I melted into him, letting his warmth seep into me. From the moment I met Parker, he had been this-my anchor in chaos, my comfort blanket. The calm in my storm, the safe place I hadn’t known I needed until I found him.
He pressed a gentle kiss to my head without a word, and that simple touch was enough to melt away the last traces of tension from my body.
Ryder moved quietly in the background; he was my steady center of gravity. My rock. The one who kept me grounded no matter how wild the world became. Just one look from him reminded me I wasn’t alone.
Callen leaned casually against the counter, pretending to inspect the pancakes, but I caught the curve of his mouth fighting back a smile. Mischief sparkled in his eyes, always. He was my reminder that even in the darkest moments, laughter and lightness could still be found-if you were brave enough to seek them out. Chaos wrapped in charm, and gods help me, I wouldn’t trade a second of it.
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