The porch light casts a warm golden glow across the steps, glinting off the dew-covered grass. Everything looks peaceful, as though the world hasn’t just shifted beneath my feet. As if my mother isn’t suddenly a mystery and my bloodline not something out of legend.
I wrap my arms around myself and take a deep breath. The scent of pine is strong in the air-familiar and grounding. I focus on that, on the small, ordinary things.
Behind me, the door creaks open softly. I don’t need to turn to know who it is. Poppy’s footsteps are gentle and slow.
“Are you okay?” she asks quietly.
I pause to really think. Am I okay? I have my son, my heart, my reason. Four men who would walk through fire for me. My sister, fierce and loyal. A pack that feels like home. My life isn’t perfect, but it’s mine. And I won’t let some ancient legend define who I am.
I exhale and turn to her with a small smile. “I’m fine. Just needed a moment to remember who I am, no matter what some ancient text says.”
She nods, slipping her arm through mine. “Good. Because I think the world’s about to find out who that really is.”
We stand side by side in the quiet night, the air soft around us. Above, the moon peeks out from behind the clouds, its light gentle and comforting, as if silently watching over us.
Suddenly, a shrill alarm shatters the stillness, echoing through the trees and splitting the night.
The alarm rings through the air, sharp and piercing, cutting through the peace like a blade. Every muscle in my body locks.
Hunters.
I’m already moving before Ryder gives the order, instincts taking over, adrenaline flooding my veins. Chairs scrape, boots hit tile, and in seconds the kitchen that had been filled with quiet conversation erupts into chaos.
Paige and Poppy run in through the door, their faces pale and eyes wide. Leo and Jake pull Poppy between them, trying to shield her from a threat that’s not here yet, but it’s close.
Parker makes a grab for Paige, pulling her against his chest, while Callen is already sprinting up the stairs for Jaxon, giving Rye time to listen to the information coming in through the pack link and directing enforcers to where they are needed. I move to Paige, ready to defend her from anything that tries to take her from me.
Callen jogs back down the stairs with a startled-looking Jax in his arms. Ryder meets him at the bottom, kissing his son’s head and crouching a little to get at his eye level. “Remember what we talked about if we hear the alarm?”
Jaxon’s bottom lip trembles, but he nods. “Stay with Uncle Cal and help keep Mummy safe.”
“Good boy, I love you, Jax,” he says, his voice breaking. “I’ll see you very soon.”
Ryder turns away, with a mixed look of anger and heartbreak on his face.
“I love you too, Daddy,” Jaxon’s small voice calls as Cal carries him to us, letting Paige take him.
Ryder’s voice booms over the noise. “Callen, Parker, you know what to do. Remy, with me!”
Paige flinches at the sound, and for a split second, I see it… the life we’ve all built here balanced on a knife’s edge.
“We need to move,” Ronnie says, already pulling his shirt over his head. “Perimeter sensors lit up across the northern line, three separate breaches, and one on the West. I’ll get out there and update you as soon as I get eyes on the situation.”
Four. That’s not a scouting party. That’s a hit team.
Ryder turns to me, eyes sharp and glowing faintly. “We go out with the enforcers. Contain it before they get close.” nod, but my gut twists. My gaze flicks to Paige, her arms are wrapped around Jaxon, but her eyes are on me and Ryder.
She looks so small at that moment. Small and impossibly brave. Every instinct I have is screaming to stay. To keep her safe. To keep them safe.
Ryder catches my hesitation. “Rem…”
“I can’t just leave them,” I snap before I can stop myself. The sound of my voice surprises even me. “Not with hunters this close.”
His gaze softens, but only for a heartbeat. “You think I want to? But they’re not safe if we don’t hold the line. You know that.”
He’s right, and I hate that he’s right. The protective pull in my chest is tearing me in two. Half of me wants to plant myself between Paige and whatever’s coming; the other half wants to rip through the forest and tear every hunter apart before they can cross the border.
Ryder exhales, voice dropping low. “You remember the contingency?”
I nod. Of course I remember. We created it together years ago. The Alpha-Beta Designated Survivor protocol.
If an attack ever reached this level, one Alpha and one Beta were to stay off the front lines, no exceptions. If the worst happened… if the pack fell, there would still be leadership left to rebuild. As twins, Ryder and
Callen, me and Parker, each share half of the same dominant trait. One the fighter, one the strategist. It’s instinct, nature balancing strength with reason. If Ryder fell, Callen’s alpha instincts would take over. If I did, Parker would inherit mine. It’s the only way packs like ours survive.
Ryder’s jaw tightens. “Callen and Parker will go with Paige, Poppy, Jake, and Jax to the clinic. They’ll lock it down and wait for our call and prepare for casualties. We stick to the plan.”
I hate it. Every cell in my body rebels against it. But I know the logic. The system works because it has to.
“Callen,” Ryder says, turning toward his brother. “Get to the clinic. No stops.”
Callen nods once. “Got it.”
Ryder hesitates, glancing back at Paige and Jaxon before he turns and looks at Leo. “Go with them.”
A look of relief washes over Leo’s face; he’d clearly been uncomfortable leaving Poppy.
Parker gently takes Jaxon from Paige. “Come on. We move now.”
I take one last look at Paige. She’s clinging to Callen now, trying to keep her expression calm, but I can see it, the worry, the fear, the weight she carries even now.
I step closer. “Paige…”
She shakes her head, forcing a small smile. “Just be careful.”
Her voice wavers, and it nearly breaks me. I nod once, letting the bond flare open between us. “Stay safe,” I say to her through the mind-link.
Her reply comes back out loud, soft but steady. “You too.”
Ryder’s already at the door. “Remy, let’s move.”
I follow him out into the night, the cold air hitting like a slap. The scent of smoke and metal burns my throat. The forest ahead glows faintly red where the perimeter sensors have flared to life. The hunters are close. Too close.
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