Chapter 98

bChapter 98 /b

b** /bPaige’s POV **

425 bP /b

Back at my rental house, I hold my breath as Ryder unlocks the door and bpushes inside /bwith Remy right behind him. My gaze drops automatically to the floor just inside bthe /bentryway. No ominous letters are waiting for me this time. I let out a relieved breath.

We wait outside for the all–clear before stepping fully inside. The ce is exactly how we left it, but the air is stale, like a room sealed off for too long. I move from window bto /bwindow, utching and pushing them open to let the cool air trickle in. Jaxon plops onto the couch in the living room, the TV already flickering to life, and my guys drift toward the kitchen bthat /bsuddenly feels far too small.

It hits me then: this ce has never really felt like mine. I’ve never spent enough time here for it to build those special memories, and it doesn’t have the familiarity bor /bease of home that the cabin does. And with four overgrown men in the kitchen, I can barely breathe.

I should give this ce up. Keeping it is just draining my savings. But then where would I meet Poppy for dinner? It’s not like we can cram into her shared city t, and I can’t exactly invite her to the cabin.

“What’s on your mind?” Parker asks quietly. He leans his hip against the counter next to me, his arms crossed, eyes soft.

“Just this ce,” I say, flicking the kettle on. “It’s such a drain on my savings to pay for somewhere we barely visit.”

“Then give it up,” Callen says from the doorway, shrugging like it’s obvious. “You’re noting back here. Your home’s with us, on packnd.”

“I know,” I murmur, “but what about Poppy? I can’t exactly have her over to your ce for

dinner.”

“Our ce,” Callen corrects gently.

I roll my eyes but smile a little. “Our ce,” I repeat, liking how bthat /bbsounds/b. b“/bbStill/b. bPoppy /bwould have a million questions. She’d worry I’m rushing into moving bin /bbwith you /bball/b. bHumans /bdon’t usually move in together this fast; they don’t feel the pull or the bcertainty /bbof /bbthe /bbmate /b

bond.”

Ryder moves in closer. “We bcan /bmake it workb,” /bhe says. “We will bikeep /i/bbthe /bbwolves /bbout /bof sight for a couple of hours a week, make bit /blook bnormal/bb. /bbIt’s /bbnot /bba /bbbig /bbdeal/bb./bb” /b

Chapter 98

“I can’t expect you to do that every time she visits.”

“You’re not expecting it,” Parker says with a small smile. “We’re offering.”

+25 Points

They talk as if it’s simple. Like we’re already a family and this is just logistics. It warms something inside me.

“I’ll think about it,” I say, adding a tea bag to the cup I’ve set iout/i.

The kettle clicks off, and I pour the water, feeling their eyes on me. I’m grateful they’re not pushing. By the time I’ve finished half my cup, headlights light up the street and stop outside

the house.

Jaxon shoots up from the couch. “Auntie Pops!” he shouts, racing for the door before I can even set the cup down.

“Slow down, Jax,” I call after him, but he’s already there, yanking it open.

I pull up my cor, making sure my mate marks are covered before following him.

Poppy stands on the step, a wide grin on her face and her arms full of stacked pizza boxes.” Special delivery!” she announces.

Jaxon flings himself into her free side. She juggles the pizzas to hug him,ughter spilling out of her. “Whoa, buddy, careful! I nearly lost the garlic bread.”

My chest aches at the sight. The normalcy of it. Poppy in her jeans and hoodie, her hair scraped back in a bun. She has this way of looking great no matter what she wears, how she idoes /iher hair or if she wears makeup or not.

“That smells good,” I say when the scent of the pizza floats through the open doorway.

iShe /iisteps /iiinto /ithe entryway, and her gaze immediatelynds on the kitchen. On them.

Ryder isteps /iiforward /iquickly when he sees her, taking the pizzas from her arms and cing them ion /ithe table.

Paige tosses her ibag /iionto /ithe counter. “I see the cavalry is already here,” she winks, ncing at Ryder, Callen, Parker, and Remy.

I roll my eyes at her. “You’re impossible,” I mutter, ipulling /iher into a hug.

Poppy’s grin only widens when we pull apart. “Oh, don’t give me that face. You knew I was igoing /iito /imake ament the moment I walked in and saw youri…/i” her gaze flicks to the four men, inow /ipretending very hard not to be paying any attentioni, /i“…bodyguards.”

“They’re not bodyguards,” I say quickly, my voice a little too sharp.

Chapter 98

Her brows lift. “Mhm.”

+25 Points

Jaxon, oblivious to everything but the food, bounces in front of us. “Auntie Pops, did you bring pineapple?”

She moves her attention back to him, crouching to his level and pointing to the top box that’s smaller than the others. “Do I ever let you down? Pineapple, extra cheese, and garlic bread.”

He squeals, climbing onto a seat at the table. Ryder takes the top ibox/ii, /iopening it on the table in front of him.

“Thank you!” he shouts, his eyes lighting up.

“You’re wee, munchkin.” She ruffles his hair, then nces at the rest of us. “For the grown–ups, I got meat feasts. I hope you all like it, otherwise, you’ll have to share the pineapple with Jax.”

Jaxon puts a protective arm over his box and lets out the cutest little protective growl.

“Whoa, easy tiger,” Poppyughs.

“I’m not a tiger! I’m a…”

“Hungry little soldier,” Ryder quickly cuts him off. “Meat feast is fine, thank you, Poppy.”

She smiles, dropping into the chair next to Jax.

Remy slides tes across the table, his movements careful and controlled. I know him well enough to recognise he’s restraining himself, trying to keep his natural intensity toned down. The way his jaw clenches tells me it isn’t easy for him.

“Thanks,” Poppy says brightly, putting two slices on her te and then taking a huge bite without hesitation.

The guys ifollow /isuit, though it’s all a little too false. Now that I’ve spent so much time with them, I inotice /ijust how much they put on an act around humans. They’re careful not to eat itoo /ifast, careful ito /iact normal.

“Good?” she asks Jax.

He nods, giving her a tomato–smeared smile.

Remy leans back in his chair, chewing silently. He watches Poppy with that Beta sharpness, assessing without appearing to. His eyes flicker between her and me like he’s trying to work out the pieces of a puzzle.

i“/iSo, Poppy,” Callen says isuddenly/i, leaning forward with his usual easy charm. “What do you

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do for fun in the city?”

I narrow my eyes at him. His tone is casual, too casual, and my stomach twists.

+25 Points

Poppy swallows her bite before looking at him. “Fun?” Sheughs softly. “Between my coursework, shifts at the coffee shop, and making sure my tmates don’t burn the ce down, there’s not a lot of time left over. But I read, and I like to draw sometimes when the need strikes. Why, are you thinking of moving to the city?”

“Hell no,” Callenughs. “I’m just curious.”

Poppy tilts her head. “About my hobbies?”

“About youi,” /ihe shrugs.

My foot finds his under the table, and I nudge his shin. His smirk doesn’t falter, but his eyes flick to mine and catch the silent warning there. Back off.

Poppy looks between us, confusion clear on her face. “Is everything okay?”

“Callen’s just nosy,” I cut in quickly, forcing augh. “Ignore him.”

“I am not nosy,” he protests. “I’m making conversation, it’s polite.”

Poppy snorts. “Rx, Paige. I can handle a few questions.” She turns back to Callen. “So what about you? What do you do for fun besides… ring?”

Callen chuckles, a low rumble that makes Poppy blink. “Depends on who’s asking,” he says, then tears into his slice of pizza like he hasn’t just set my nerves on fire.

I re at him. I know he’s not just being friendly, he’s up to something. I can feel it through the bond; it’s something deeper than simple curiosity.

Poppy raises a brow at me. “He’s cheeky, this one. You sure you can handle him?” She

teases.

“She’s probably the only one who can,” Ryder huffs.

Her eyes flick to him, then ito /ime, then back again. A thousand questions spark in her eyes, but she stays unusually quiet, taking another bite of pizza.

Dinner continues much the same way. Jax chats happily about his camping trip with iRyder/i, Poppy teases me, and the guys carefully try to make conversation. They’re trying, but I feel it. The itension/i, the way they study her. Like they’re searching for something. I hope they don’t suspect she is working with the hunters, or worse… that the hunters are manipting her. Fear spikes through me, and four sets of eyes move to me in an instant. I shake my head

Chapter 98

b+25 /bPoints

b25 /b

subtly, wishing I’d mastered this mind–link thing already. I’m tempted bto /bbgive /bbit /bba try /bbnow/bb, /bbbut /bbI /bbcan’t /brisk Poppy noticing me acting stranger than I already am.

When Poppy gets up to grab drinks from the fridge, I hiss across the table, keeping bmy /bvoice low. “What are you doing?”

Callen leans closer, smirk fading into something more serious. “Just testing bthe /bbwaters/b.”

“For what? She’s my sister, not a suspect,” I snap.

Poppy returns, handing Jax a juice carton and setting a can of pop in front of me. “You ball /blook like you’re plotting something,” sheughs, dropping back into her chair. “What’s going on?b” /b

“Nothing,” I say quickly, forcing a smile. “They’re just being weird.”

Jaxon giggles. “Uncle Cal is always weird.”

Everyoneughs, easing the tension, but my skin crawls. I don’t like this. My sister is unknowingly sitting in a den of wolves, while those wolves try to decide if she’s their enemy.

Poppyunches into a story about one of her tmates leaving fries in the oven until the smoke rm went off. Then they swap stories about Callen doing simr things.

Then, something in the air shifts.

It’s subtle, but I feel it the way they do. Ryder goes still, his eyes narrowing toward the window. Remy’s nostrils re. Callen’s smirk vanishes, and Parker straightens in his seat.

“What…” I start.

Ryder is already on his feet. “Stay here.”

Remy pushes back his chair silently, moving toward the front door like a shadow.

Poppy blinks, startled. “What’s happening?”

Before I can answer, Parker’s hand mps firmly around my wrist. “Upstairs. Now,” he ihisses/i.

Callen is already herding Jax and Poppy, his tone light but urgent. “Adventure time, ikiddo/i. Upstairs, let’s go.”

Jax giggles, thinking it’s a game, but my heart ms against my iribs/i.

Ryder’s voice is urgent in the mind–link as he opens the door. He says ione /iisingle /iword bthat /bmakes my blood run cold. “Hunters.”

Chapter 98

Then everything explodes into chaos.

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