Carry 28_The Lost Pack

**Paige’s POV **

 After breakfast, Callen heads upstairs to shower and Jaxon starts begging to use the big bath before school this afternoon.

 “Please, mummy, just a quick one,” he pleads.

 “Okay, but let me shower and get dressed first,” I smile, leaning over to ruffle his hair.

 “Yes! Did you hear that, dad? She said yes,” he bounces excitedly on the stool.

 Ryder smiles at us over his shoulder from the sink where he’s running water to wash the dishes. “I did, bud.

 “Are you excited about going to school today?” I ask.

 “Yes,” he nods enthusiastically, “but not as excited about swimming in the bath.”

 “I can bathe him while you shower,” Ryder offers, and Jaxon bounces in his chair again, pleading with his eyes and sping his hands together.

 I can sense Ryder’s hesitation. He’s unsure if he’s overstepping, worried I don’t trust him enough yet.

 “Do you even know how?” I ask, raising a brow at Rye.

 “Believe it or not, I’ve been washing myself for most of my life,” Ryder smirks, drying his hands on a tea

 towel.

 “You’ll not be smirking like that if you get shampoo in his eyes, and he screams the house down. Didn’t you say you have sensitive ears?” I tease.

 “I’m sure we will survive, won’t we?” Ryder asks, lifting Jax from the stool.

 “Yes, but I will scream if you get it in my eyes. It stings so bad,” Jaxon says, cupping Ryder’s face and squeezing his cheeks together whilst giving him a very stern look.

 “Understood,” Ryder says, his tone serious, but it’s clear he’s fighting back a smile.

 I have to suppress a giggle as I watch my tiny son boss a full–grown alpha werewolf around without a single ounce of fear.

 “Have fun,” I wave as Ryder carries Jax to the bathroom.

 I hear the water running and Jaxon cheering as I finish thest of my coffee. I ce my empty cup by the sink and look at the dirty dishes that Ryder abandoned in favour of bathing his son. It’s only fair I wash them.

 I’ve only washed two cups when I hear the door open and close behind me.

 I don’t have to turn around to know it’s him.

 Remy.

 I don’t know why just existing around him feels like a test I’m destined to fail. Every conversation turns sour, every nce prickles under my skin. He’s been sarcastic, rude, and just so infuriating. So when I hear his footsteps approaching, I brace myself.

 “Hey,” he says quietly.

 I nce up from the sink. He’s standing awkwardly near the kitchen ind, hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie.

 “Didn’t expect to see you again this morning.” I say tly, trying not to sound like I care either way.

 “I just needed some air,” he says. “I was… walking with Parker.”

 “Oh,” I say, not sure what to do with that.

 There’s a beat of silence, and then he takes a step closer. “I just wanted to say something.”

 I tense. Here ites. Another jab. Another snidement I’ll have to pretend doesn’t sting.

 “I haven’t exactly been fair to you,” he says, his voice rough like it’s costing him something to admit it. “And I’m not… good at this, at talking.”

 Silent seconds tick by and my stomach twists. I don’t trust this. Not for a second.

 “Was that supposed to be an apology?” I ask before I can stop myself. “Are you trying to make peace with the fragile human girl so Callen will like you again?”

 His expression falters. “That’s not what I…”

 “No offense, Remy, but I’m not interested in ying mind games with a guy who looks at me like I’m an inconvenience one minute and then tries to y nice the next. If this is some twisted quilt trip about Callen, save it.”

 His eyes flick away, jaw tightening. “That’s not what this is.”

 “Then what is it?” I demand “Because if you’re going to tell me to go and leave my son behind again, it’s

 never going to happen. There is nothing that would ever make me leave him”

 He doesn’t speak, and that silence makes me angrier than anything he could’ve said.

 Iugh bitterly. “Is it humans you dislike, or just women in general? Or maybe just the ones Callen cares about? Because if I didn’t have his attention, you wouldn’t even notice me, would you?”

 His entire posture changes Shoulders stiffen Face closes off Like someone just mmed every door he’d started to crack open

 “Right,” he says quietly. “That’s what you think of me

 “…” I start, instantly regretting my words, but the damage is already done.

 He steps back, nodding like something inside him just broke. “Forget it.”

 “Remy…”

 “No, it’s fine,” he says, his tone clipped. “You don’t need to worry, I won’t bother you again.”

 He turns, and just like that, he’s gone out the door and back into the woods.

 I stand there, heart pounding, throat burning. I feel like I’ve just kicked a wounded dog and told myself it deserved it. Is that a poor analogy? God, I’m so bad at this.

 I don’t know what hurts more, his expression when I shut him down, or the sinking feeling that he meant.

 every word he tried to say, and I didn’t listen.

 I stay frozen in ce, staring at the door like it might swing open again and give me a chance to fix this.

 I exhale and lean against the countertop. My heart’s still racing, adrenaline rushing through me, but now there’s no target. There’s no reason to keep my armor up, but I’m not sure if I know how to take it off yet.

 What the hell just happened?

 He came in… quiet. Soft, even. I don’t know Remy much at all, but he’s shown me nothing but hostility since I arrived, and as soon as he tried to make an effort, I threw it right back in his face.

 I’m such a b***h. 

 I just tore into him like he’d earned it, like I was waiting for him to screw up. Except this time, he hadn’t.

 I drop my head into my hands, my stomach twisting with regret. I know what I saw in his face when I said those things, though. I know the difference between someone getting defensive and someone shutting downpletely.

 He wasn’t fighting me. He was trying, and I made damn sure he won’t try again.

 I rub my hands over my face, willing the memory of his expression to fade, but it doesn’t. It’s branded there now. That look… like I’d just confirmed every terrible thing he already believed about himself.

 I didn’t mean to do that. That’s not the kind of person I am.

 I just… panicked. That’s what it was. He caught me off guard, and I reacted the only way I know how, by throwing up every wall I’ve built for the past few years.

 Or maybe this is just another game to him? Pushing me until I react, and then he can y the victim and make me the bad guy. Make me question myself and drown in guilt, only to smirk when he sees how much I hate myself. That was a ssic trick Greg used often.

 I hold my head high. I’m not letting anyone manipte me that way again. I’m not going to fall for these mind games.

 But what if I’m wrong? What if that wasn’t maniption or sarcasm or some twisted power y? What if that was just… Remy? Bruised and cracked and finally trying to hand someone the pieces and I just shut

 him down.

 I swallow hard, throat tight.

 I’ve been so busy trying to protect myself that I didn’t stop to consider that maybe he’s been doing the same thing. That maybe we’re not that different after all.

 Now I don’t know if he’ll ever trust me again, but I have to try.

 I nce at the door once more, still half–expecting him toe back. He doesn’t.

 I run up the stairs, intent on finding pants and shoes and going after him.

 “Woah, where’s the fire?” Callen asks, stepping out of his room as I run past.

 “… I said something to Remy,” I blurt, the words tumbling out before I can decide how much to tell him.

 “What kind of something?” He asks cautiously as he follows me to my room.

 I wince. “He came inside and said he wanted to talk. He was different. Not cold, not sarcastic, just….

 honest. He said he hasn’t been fair to me, and I…”

 “You shut him down,” Callen finishes for me, his voice quiet.

 My throat tightens. “I thought he was messing with me.”

 Callen gives me a long look. He looks pained.

 “I panicked, okay?” I say, crossing my arms. “It felt like a trap. Like he was trying to mess with my head.” 

 “I get it,” he says, stepping closer. “But Remy doesn’t open up easily, if he tried and you…”

 kaway,

 He trails off, and I look away, guilt gnawing at me.

 “He looked at me like I’d just proven all his worst fears,” I admit.

 “Probably because you did,” Callen says, not unkindly, but not sugarcoating it either.

 I flinch. “I didn’t mean to.”

 “I know,” he sighs. “You’re scared. So is he. The way he will see it is you didn’t just shut the door on him,

 you locked it. I know this because it’s exactly what he thinks I’ve done to him, too.”

 I suck in a breath, blinking back tears, because that somehow makes it worse. I’m almost certain I know

 what Callen’s trying to confess without saying the words, but I won’t push. Not when it’s clearly costing him so much just to hint at it.

 “So what do I do now?” I ask.

 Callen’s jaw ticks. “Right now? You stay here.”

 “Callen…”

 a

 “No,” he says, holding up a hand. “You need to sit with this for a minute, Paige. You need to understand what it costs someone like Remy to be vulnerable. You don’t just get to apologise and wipe it away like nothing happened.”

 4 Chapter 29

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Carry 28