The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

**Paige’s POV **

The house falls quiet again.

Parker is still upstairs with Jax, and Ryder is brooding silently at the kitchen island.

“What happened out there?” I ask, sitting next to him.

Ryder doesn’t answer right away. He lifts his gaze to meet mine, and then his eyes drift to my neck. I don’t miss the flash of anger before he turns his head away.

“They came at us from three directions. It was an organised attack, but not as organised as our defence. We’ve had years to learn this land, and Ronnie has been preparing the pack to defend it as soon as they turn eighteen. We knew they’d find us one day, I’m just sorry it has to be now. I wish you could have joined us during our peaceful years. You’d have loved it here.

“Did you lose any pack members tonight?”

I suddenly feel sick at the thought. I had been too worked up over Jaxon, the mate bond, and worrying about my mates that I hadn’t even given a second thought to the others out there

fighting.

Ryder reaches out and cups my cheek, a slight smile on his face and his eyes full of an

emotion I can’t place.

“We had some casualties, but no losses. The severely injured are with the healers; they will

be okay.”

I blow out a relieved breath. “That’s good.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No,” he shakes his head. “Just being here is enough. You give us even more reason to come

home. The pack is important, but there’s nothing more important than a mate and a child.”

He brushes the hair from my neck and examines the bite mark I know is still there. He runs a

gentle finger over it. “Does it hurt?”

I shake my head. “No, but it’s… sensitive.”

“I’m sorry he did this to you. I’m sure it was inevitable once he pulled his head out of his ass,

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but you deserved better than this. It should have been special, a monumental event in your life that you looked forward to. Not a rushed decision to save your life.”

“Don’t be mad at him.” I bring my hand up to cover his on my neck. “We literally had hunters.

breathing down our necks. He did what he needed, and it worked. I got back here so fast and

almost silently. It was unbelievable. I felt like… like Superwoman!”

“You are Superwoman,” Ryder chuckles.

“I mean, I was super fast, and I could hear everything so much more clearly. It was pretty

amazing. It wore off quickly though,” I pout.

“It didn’t wear off. It’s still there; you just don’t need the abilities right now.”

“So it only works when I need it?” I frown, wondering how that works.

Maybe it’s like an adrenaline thing.

“Kind of, but you can tap into it whenever you want to. Focus on Jaxon upstairs, try to listen

in on him the way you would if he were in the next room.”

I close my eyes, blocking out the soft golden light of the kitchen and the weight of Ryder’s

gaze. I picture Jaxon upstairs, his little legs swinging from the edge of his bed, his hair

sticking up in chaotic tufts, in the mismatched pyjamas he insisted on wearing.

At first, all I get is the hum of the refrigerator, the faint ticking of the wall clock, and Ryder’s

steady breathing beside me. But then something shifts, like someone’s turned a dial inside

my head.

The creak of the floorboards upstairs. The soft rustle of sheets as Parker tucks him in.

Jaxon’s tiny inhale… and then his sleepy giggle. I can hear Parker’s voice, low and calm,

reading him a story, each word clear, like he’s whispering directly into my ear.

My eyes fly open. “I can hear them,” I whisper, breathless. “Every word, every sound. It’s like

I’m right there in the room with them.”

Ryder’s smile is slow and proud. “See? It’s in you now. That connection, that speed, the

strength, you’ll always have it. The bond with Remy lets you tap into his wolf’s gifts.”

“It’s… a lot.” My voice cracks just a little, because it is. This is my life now… wolves, mates, powers I never asked for. But there’s also a strange sense of belonging, like some piece of me that had been missing all my life has finally slotted into place.

Ryder leans forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I know you didn’t get to choose the

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moment. You deserved a choice. You deserved to know what it would mean and to look

forward to it, not just survive it.”

I swallow hard. “And if I wanted… if I asked… would you?”

His hand tightens around mine, his thumb sweeping gently across my skin. “Yes. I have dreamed of it for years. Even before I knew it was a possibility. If you want it, I’ll mate with you the right way. No danger or panic. I’ll make it something you remember for all the right reasons. I’ll make it special, Paige.” His voice is low, almost as if he’s making a vow.

Something in my chest loosens, a pressure I hadn’t realised was there. “You make it sound

nice.”

Ryder’s eyes hold mine. “It is supposed to be nice. The best day of our lives, joining together. I promise. You’ll never be rushed into anything again. Not with me.”

“Then when I’m ready, I’ll let you know.” I smile.

our souls

“I’ll be ready,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to my temple. “No pressure, but just so we are. clear, I am not even going to try to pretend I’m not insanely jealous that Remy mated with

you.”

I know now that t

that this is no longer a matter of ‘if‘; it’s a definite ‘when‘. It’s an enormous leap, a lifelong commitment, but one I want to make. Not just because I have to be here for Jaxon’s, but because I can’t imagine not having Ryder in my life ever again. I can’t imagine not having

him look at me like I hung the moon.

It’s not just Ryder either; it’s Parker, my sweet, patient Parker, who makes me feel secure. It’s Callen, witty and exciting, having me laughing one moment and setting my blood on fire the next. And Remy, who can no longer hide his true feelings from me. I feel his fierce protectiveness, his worry for me, his hope for our future.

Ryder leans back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Want to try something else?”

“What, like… more hearing?”

“No. Speed.” He jerks his chin toward the living room. “There’s a glass of water on the coffee

table. Go get it.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That’s your big training exercise?”

“Trust me. But don’t just walk, focus on getting there fast. Picture yourself already holding it.”

I push my chair back, still skeptical, and pad toward the doorway. The second I think about

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moving faster, it’s like a rush of warmth floods my veins. My muscles coll without my permission, and in seconds, I’m standing by the coffee table, my fingers wrapped around the

glass.

I stare down at it, my mouth falling open. “Holy crap.”

Ryder’s deep laugh carries from the kitchen. “You should see your face right now.”

I walk back toward him, deliberately slow, setting the glass in front of him. “Okay… that was

insane. I felt like my feet barely hit the floor.”

“That’s the point,” he says, his tone softening again. “When you need it, your body will just

move. But if you practise, you’ll control it. You don’t need to rely on danger to push you.”

I glance down at my hands, still tingling. “So… I’m like… Superwoman and The Flash?”

Ryder smirks. “Exactly. My very own superhero. I bet you’re faster than all of

E now.

I’m still smiling when I see him shift in his seat, eyes narrowing slightly. Before I can ask why,

his hand darts out, swiping for the glass in front of me. My fingers close around it before he

even reaches halfway.

“What the…” I blink down at my hand, holding the glass like it’s glued there.

Ryder laughs, that deep rumble that always sends heat curling through me. “Reflexes. Faster

than you thought, huh?”

“You could have just asked me to pass it,” I say, but I can’t keep the grin off my face.

“Where’s the fun in that?” He leans in, lowering his voice. “You’re more capable than you give yourself credit for, Paige. That bond didn’t just save your life; it gave you a way to protect yourself, to protect Jax. You’re amazing, and I think we’ve barely scratched the surface of

what you can do.”

Something about the way he says it makes my chest tighten in the best way.

“Guess I’m just going to have to practise… maybe you can be my sparring partner. I could probably do with some defence skills if I’m going to be sticking around here,” I tease.

“Oh, I’ll be more than your sparring partner,” Ryder says with a sly smile, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “But for now… just know when you ask for that moment, when you ask for me, it’ll be exactly the way you deserve.”

I feel the moment Remy stops to rest. Despite the events of the night, he feels relaxed. I want

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to ask him when I will see him again. I don’t think I could handle it if he returns to avoiding me. Not now, not with this connection between us making me itch with a need to be near

him.

“Can you teach me how to use the mind–link?” I ask.

Ryder’s eyes go from mine to the mark on my neck. “You might not be able to communicate

that way; there’s no guarantee with thatcular skill.”

I frown. “But Remy spoke to me that way. I heard him as clearly as if he were speaking out

loud.”

“Then let’s give it a shot, although Remy has a habit of blocking everyone out when he’s

stressed,” he sighs.

“He’s not stressed, he’s calm, relaxed even,” I tell him with certainty.

“You have such a strong connection with him already. It’s a surprise considering you’ve barely spent time with him. Let me tell him what we’re about to try, because there’s no point in you trying to talk to a brick wall.”

Rye goes quiet for a moment before nodding, “Okay, let’s give this a shot.”

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