** Paige’s POV **
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The forest floor crunches beneath my shoes, each step lit by the faint glow ofnterns strung through the trees that I’m sure were not here before. Parker walks beside me, his fingersced with mine, guiding me carefully like I might trip any second. He’s been acting odd all
afternoon, avoiding answering my questions, distracting me with massages and face masks
until I didn’t have the energy to argue. Now he’s brought me out here with a cryptic, “Trust me,
” and a glint in his eyes that makes me both suspicious and curious.
“Are
you going to tell me what’s going on?” I ask, trying not to trip on a root I can’t see.
“Nope,” he says simply, lips twitching like he’s holding back augh.
I narrow my eyes. “You realise this could be how horror films start, right? Girl follows a
mysterious wolf man into the woods at night.”
Parker chuckles. “Good thing I’m not mysterious. You already know I’d never let anything
happen to you.”
I roll my eyes, but I know he’s right. Whatever this is, I trust him. I already trust all of them
more than I’ve ever trusted anyone in my life.
We step into a clearing, and my breath catches in my throat. Lanterns sway from the trees,
their golden glow spilling across the grass, and candles flicker in little clusters. In the centre
is a nket with small flowers scattered around it like confetti, food isid out in covered
tters, and there’s wine chilling in a bucket of ice. Behind it all is an enormous tent. Not a
flimsy thing, but a glowing cream teepee–type thing, big enough for us to stand in.
My hand flies <i>to </i>my mouth. “Oh.”
I can’t move. For a moment, I can’t even breathe. It’s beautiful, magical even. I haven’t been
camping since I was a teen, nervous and giddy as I snuck away with Ryder to pitch a tent
under the stars. That night ended with heartbreak I didn’t seeing, but this… this is
different.
“Mummy!”
Jaxon barrels out from behind a tree, cheeks flushed with excitement. He skids to a stop in front of me. “Do you like it? We made it for you!”
< Chapter 67
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Tears well in my eyes instantly. I crouch, pulling him into my arms, breathing him in. “You helped with this?”
He nods with a proud grin. “I picked flowers, and I didn’t tell you all day, even when I wanted
to!”
Augh escapes me. “You did so well, baby. It’s perfect. Thank you.”
When I stand again, Ryder is there, a few steps away, watching me like I’m the only thing in
the world. The sight of him steals the rest of my breath. He looks nervous, his shoulders
tense and his eyes uncertain. For a man whomands an entire pack of wolves with a
single word, it’s strange to see him this way.
“Ryder…” My voice shakes. “You did this?”
He clears his throat as he nods once. “For you. I wanted to give you what I should’ve given you back then.”
The tears spill before I can stop them. I cross the space between us and press my hands to his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beneath my hands.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. “I don’t even have words.”
His arms wrap around me, pulling me close. “You don’t need words,” he murmurs. “Just stay
here with me tonight. Let me make this right.”
I tilt my head back to look at him, my vision blurred with tears. “I’d love to.”
Jaxon tugs insistently at my sleeve. “Mummy, sit down on the nket! It’s all ready!”
Iugh, letting Jax and Ryder guide me to the nket. Callen and Remy appear then, grinning like they’ve been waiting to see my reaction. Parker joins us too, smug in that quiet way of his. They don’t crowd me, though, they hang back, letting Ryder take the lead.
The nket is soft beneath me, and the food isid out in neat dishes around us. Ryder pours me a ss of wine, his big hands careful, like even this part needs to be perfect.
“Do you like it, Mummy?” Jaxon asks again, plopping down beside me, his eyes wide with hope.
I kiss the top of his head. “I love it so much.”
His smile is bright enough to light the clearing.
“Ready to go, bud?” Callen asks, and Jaxon nods.
< Chapter 67
“Go where?” I ask.
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“Home with us,” Parker smiles and gives me a wink. “This night is just for the two of you.
Enjoy.”
My heart skips a beat. I’ve never spent a night away from him before. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t worry, Mummy. We are going to have pizza and stay upte ying X–box.”
“Oh, are you now?” Iugh, hugging him and kissing his cheek before he grabs Callen’s hand
and tugs him away with an excited giggle.
Callen looks back, blowing me a kiss. Then Parker and Remy each lean down, Parker kissing
my cheek and Remy kissing the top of my head before they leave too. Then it’s just me and
Ryder.
Dinner is easy. Weugh between bites of food while Rye tells me all about Jaxon’s antics
today and all the food he had to sample. For a while, I forget everything. There’s no Greg, no
hunters, no danger, just us.
After we finish eating, wey back on the nket to look up at the stars in the glow of
bubble.
Ryder rolls onto his side to face me, his eyes searching mine. “Do you remember?” he asks
softly.
“Of course I remember,” I whisper. How could I forget? That night is etched into me, both the sweetness and the hurt. “But this feels different.”
“It is different.” His hand finds mine, his palm warm against my skin. “I was a boy then. I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought we had time.” His voice is rough. “I was wrong, and I can’t change that, but I can give you this. I can do it right this time.”
He reaches behind me with his other hand and presents me with a single red rose, just like he had all those years ago..Red is for love, romance and desire.
Emotion sticks in my throat. I squeeze his hand, blinking back tears. “You already are, Ryder,
You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
He shakes his head, leaning closer until his forehead rests against mine. “I do. I don’t want
you to ever wonder again if you were enough. You’ve always been enough. I was the one who
wasn’t.”
:
< Chapter 67
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The tears finally spill over, rolling down my cheeks. I cup his face, forcing him to meet my eyes. “You’re here now. That’s what matters.”
He lets out a shaky breath, and then his mouth finds mine, soft and slow, and nothing like the rushed, messy kisses of our youth. It’s deeper, full of everything he can’t seem to say.
When we part, I press my forehead to his, my chest aching with love I can’t contain. “I don’t
deserve this,” I whisper.
His thumb brushes away my tears. “You deserve the world, Paige, and I’m going to spend the
rest of my life giving it to you.”
Thenterns sway in the cool breeze above us, and I shiver. The tent glows softly behind him, promising warmth and a night that belongs only to us.
Ryder’s lips linger on mine, slow and certain, and I swear I can feel his heartbeat in the kiss.
The man who once shattered me is now holding me as though I’m something precious. It undoes me in ways I didn’t think possible.
He pulls back just enough to search my face, his thumb brushing away thest of my tears. Come on,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough. “Let’s get you inside where it’s warm.”
“I remember what happened thest time you offered to warm me up in a tent,” I tease.
A faint, boyish smile tugs at his mouth. “I promise to do better this time.”
He helps me up, steadying me when my legs shake with anticipation, then he leads me
toward the tent. My breath catches as he lifts the p for me and I see the inside.
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