Werewolf

** Ryder’s POV **
The forest is quiet tonight. Too quiet.
It’s the kind of quiet that makes every instinct in me hum with warning.
Before we set out on our first patrol together, I’d gathered the new enforcers in the clearing outside the cabins. They stood in a semicircle, Midnight wolves, strong and disciplined, waiting as I extended the pack link.
It’s a strange feeling, letting outsiders in, even temporarily. The pack link feels different when it touches foreign wolves. It’s cooler somehow, but necessary. Their Alpha had agreed without hesitation, understanding the risk of patrolling together without being able to communicate in their wolf forms.
“For the duration of your stay, you’re under my command,” I told them, my voice carrying through the night air with the authority only an alpha has.
Sometimes I still can’t quite believe I’m an Alpha. The title is my birthright, but it still 

** Ryder’s POV **
The forest tilts, just a little. A strange shimmer catches my eye, like the moonlight is bending oddly around the trees. I blink hard, shake my head, and the world rights itself again.
The heat inside me spreads. It crawls up my spine, pressing into my skull, making my heartbeat pound too loud in my ears. My wolf snarls low, uneasy, but even that sound feels distant, muted, like he’s behind glass.
My chest tightens. I’ve never felt this kind of separation from him before.
Usually, he’s there, a steady, instinctive presence under my skin, his emotions mingling with mine. But now… there’s silence. He’s not gone exactly; he just feels distant. I push through the link, trying to reach him, but it’s like shouting into fog.
Something’s very wrong.
“Parker,” I send quietly, hoping the unease doesn’t bleed through the words, “let’s head back toward the cabins. Something’s off.”

** Remy’s POV **
The cabins smell clean and fresh. Parker and I had planned to open the windows and leave fresh bedding and supplies for the enforcers from the Midnight pack who are due to arrive later today, but Paige insisted on giving everything a once-over.
Not that either of us minded. Watching her move through the space like she belonged here made something deep in my chest ache.
She’s standing by the window now, adjusting the curtains so the afternoon light spills softly across the freshly made beds. Her hair catches in the glow, strands of gold and copper, and for a moment, I forget what I’m supposed to be doing.
“You think they’ll like it?” she asks, glancing back at me as she moves to fluff one of the pillows again.
“They’ll be lucky to have a place half this nice,” I say, smiling before I can stop myself. “You didn’t have to go all out, Paige. They’re enforcers, not guests at a hotel, they won’t expect this.”
“I know,” she says, fussing with the blanket until it lies perfectly smooth. “But if they’re going to help protect us, the least I can do is make sure they’re comfortable. People fight better when they feel welcome.”
Parker laughs softly from the doorway, holding a stack of clean towels. “You heard her, Rem. Don’t argue with Luna logic.”
I shake my head, but he’s right. There’s no point arguing when she looks like this, so focused, determined, and soft all at once.
She moves to the next cabin, humming quietly as she works, and I follow with Parker, helping where I can but mostly just watching her. Everything about her feels… different today. Calmer and warmer. I could spend the rest of my life watching like this. She’s hypnotising.
“She’s incredible,” I send through the mind-link to my brother, unable to stop myself.
“Yeah. She really is,” he quickly agrees.
I pause mid-step, wiping a hand over the back of my neck. “I can’t stop thinking about her, Parker. It’s like…”
“Like your world shifted?” he finishes for me.
“Exactly like that.”
He leans against the doorframe, eyes following Paige as she kneels to tuck in the edge of the blanket. “You’re not alone, brother. I feel it too. Everything’s different now.”
For a second, I can’t breathe. Because I know what he means. We’ve shared everything, our home, our work, even our thoughts, but this is the first time we’ve truly wanted the same in life.
“I thought what I felt for Callen was everything,” I admit. “I thought I’d already had my chance at love and that it just wasn’t meant for me. But this… what I feel for her… it’s different. It’s deeper. Callen was…”
“Safe,” Parker finishes.
I swallow. “Yeah. Safe. But Paige…” I look at her again, standing in the middle of the small cabin, sunlight spilling over her as she adjusts the small stack of books she placed on the nightstand. “Paige feels like coming home.”
For a long moment, neither of us says anything through the link. I just watch her move, graceful and beautiful, talking quietly to herself about whether the enforcers might prefer coffee or tea when they arrive.
Then, completely out of nowhere, an image forms in my mind… Paige with a swollen belly, her smile soft and glowing as she strokes a hand over the place our child grows. The thought hits me so hard I have to grip the edge of the dresser to steady myself.
I never wanted that before. The idea of bringing a child into this world, into its cruelty and chaos, always felt wrong to me. But now… I can see it. I want it. Because Paige makes the world seem like something worth fighting for. Worth believing in and investing in.
“You’re quiet,” Parker says gently.
“Just thinking,” I answer. “About how different everything feels now. About how she’s changing me in ways I didn’t even know I needed.”
There’s a warmth in Parker’s response. “Same here. She makes everything make sense, doesn’t she?”
I nod, even though he’s not looking at me. “Yeah.”
Paige turns then, catching me staring. Her lips curve into a small, knowing smile that always seems to undo me. “You okay?” she asks, tilting her head slightly.
I clear my throat, forcing my voice to be steady. “Yeah. Just… thinking how lucky we are to have you.”
She laughs softly, crossing the room to press a quick kiss to my cheek. “You mean how lucky I am to have you all. You’ve given me a home, Remy. I don’t think you realise how much that means.”
Her words sink into me, soft and deep. I watch her walk toward the door again, and something in me snaps. I want to grab her, pull her back, and kiss her, really kiss her. Which is messed up, because I’m not the kissing type.
Years of sticking to the rules Callen and I made have done a number on me. That first year damn near killed me. Every time we were together, I wanted it, the taste of him, the softness, the connection, but I shoved it down. Told myself it was wrong. That it made me weak to even think about it. I trained that part of me out, forced myself to stop needing it, to turn it off.
I guess I didn’t train as well as I thought. That, or it’s just another one of those walls Paige is breaking down without even trying.
I wouldn’t have it any other way though, because the truth is, I can’t imagine a world without her in it now. Not after this, not after she’s made it so much brighter.
By the time we finish the last of the cabins, it’s late afternoon. Paige insists on checking every last detail. Making sure there are fresh towels, enough food to last a couple of days, and a small stack of books on each bedside table to help them relax between patrols.
“Perfect,” she says, brushing her hands together with a smile that makes my chest tighten. “Now we just need to meet them.”
Parker glances toward the treeline. “They should be here soon. I told Callen to let us know as soon as they clear the border.”
I can feel Paige’s nerves, subtle but there, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie, and her gaze flicking toward the path that leads into the trees. I move closer, letting my hand brush hers briefly.
“They’re allies,” I remind her. “They will respect you.”
She exhales, the tension in her shoulders easing a little. “I know. I just want them to feel welcome. I don’t want anyone thinking this pack doesn’t have its act together.”
I smile faintly. “Paige, you are the act. They’ll see that.”
My wolf shifts restlessly beneath my skin, uneasy at the thought of strangers crossing our borders. Logic says this alliance is the safest move we’ve got. Instinct says trust like this always comes with a price.
Parker snorts softly through the bond, amused. “Smooth.”
I ignore him.
“They’re here,” Callen’s voice floats into my mind, and I see Paige startle as she gets the message too.
A small crease forms between her brows.
“What’s wrong?” I ask quickly, the words coming out before I can stop them.
Her eyes meet mine, and she sighs, shaking her head. “It’s just this mind-link thing. I can’t work it out.”
“Maybe you’re not supposed to,” I suggest. “It might not be a gift you have.”
“That seems unfair. If you guys can talk into my head, I should at least be able to respond.”
Parker wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “We have time to work it all out, Paige. You don’t need to learn everything straight away.”
Paige nods, and her eyes meet mine for a brief second before the faint sound of wolves approaching catches my attention.
“They’re close,” I say, nodding towards the trees.
Moments later, a small group led by Callen and Ryder emerges from the trees. I straighten instinctively, my wolf stirring as the first enforcer steps forward from the group. He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in only our usual jersey shorts that Callen probably insisted they all wear; his eyes are sharp and assessing. He takes in the cabins, the surroundings, and then us.
Paige steps forward before either Parker or I can move, her chin lifting with confidence. “Welcome,” she says, her voice warm. “I’m Paige. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
The man bows his head. “Luna Paige,” he greets respectfully. “I’m Rowan, head enforcer of the Midnight Pack. These are my men.”
There’s a brief round of introductions, all the men greeting the three of us in the respectful way wolves do. I watch Rowan and see the moment his gaze softens slightly. I know he’s seeing what I do in our Luna as she speaks like she’s been doing this all of her life.
She leads them through the cabins, explaining which rooms are theirs, pointing out the kitchen and communal space with enthusiasm. Parker handles the logistics, talking rotations and patrol routes with Rowan, which is usually my job, but I can’t seem to focus on anything except her.
She doesn’t even realise what she’s doing, how she makes people feel seen, how she turns something as simple as introductions into more of a pleasant event rather than a boring necessity. She makes everything so much more… human.
When the tour is over, Ryder and Callen excuse themselves, taking Paige with them, leaving Parker and me to finish the arrangements. I watch her walk back toward the house, and I ache to follow her.
Rowan glances after her too, then looks at me. “Your Luna’s impressive.”
I meet his gaze, something proud and possessive growing in my chest. “You don’t know the half of it.”
He smiles faintly. “I can only imagine.”
When we return to the house later, the scent of roast chicken fills the air. Paige is at the stove, humming again, stirring something that smells incredible. Jaxon sits at the table drawing, his little feet swinging, and he beams when he spots us.
“Dad said I get to show the new wolves where the pond is tomorrow,” he says proudly.
“That sounds like an important job,” I tell him, ruffling his hair.
“It is,” he nods. “I’m going to keep them safe.”
Paige glances over her shoulder, smiling softly at us.
Something inside me softens completely at the sight of them, the woman I love and the boy who’s quickly become family.
Maybe this is what the Moon Goddess meant for me all along. Not wishing I could rewrite the past. Not trying to be someone’s almost. But this… a home, a purpose, a love that feels both wild and safe, and I know now that I’d do anything to protect this. To protect her.

** Ryder’s POV **
The forest is quiet tonight. Too quiet.
It’s the kind of quiet that makes every instinct in me hum with warning.
Before we set out on our first patrol together, I’d gathered the new enforcers in the clearing outside the cabins. They stood in a semicircle, Midnight wolves, strong and disciplined, waiting as I extended the pack link.
It’s a strange feeling, letting outsiders in, even temporarily. The pack link feels different when it touches foreign wolves. It’s cooler somehow, but necessary. Their Alpha had agreed without hesitation, understanding the risk of patrolling together without being able to communicate in their wolf forms.
“For the duration of your stay, you’re under my command,” I told them, my voice carrying through the night air with the authority only an alpha has.
Sometimes I still can’t quite believe I’m an Alpha. The title is my birthright, but it still feels strange after growing up with humans, and not knowing what I was. I’ve seen Alphas like Josh, 

Chapter 127