The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 2

** Poppy’s POV **

For a moment, none of us move. Jake stands frozen beside the sink, a dish towel hanging loosely from his hand. Leo leans against the counter beside him, arms crossed, watching me with that steady, unreadable focus that always makes me feel like he sees more than he says. They definitely heard something. The silence stretches just long enough to make my pulse start racing.

I almost go into full panic mode, but then I remember that I’m a pro at this by now. I’ve been fooling people for months that I’m fine.

“Well,” I say finally, forcing a small, casual shrug as I rest my elbow against the banister, “this is awkward.”

Jake blinks first.

“Were you… talking to someone?” he asks carefully.

He doesn’t sound accusing or suspicious, just cautious. Which makes me feel a little guilty. My mind scrambles for an answer that doesn’t sound insane.

“Uh… yeah,” I say slowly.

Both of their eyebrows lift, and I gesture vaguely behind me.

“Phone call.”

Leo’s gaze flicks briefly to my empty hands. Right, I don’t have my phone.

“I mean,” I correct quickly, “voice message.”

Jake tilts his head slightly. “You record voice messages by arguing with them?”

I freeze… damn it.

“I wasn’t arguing,” I say defensively.

“You told someone to pick better moments,” Leo says calmly.

My stomach drops. If they heard that much, then I’m probably cooked.

“Wow,” I mutter. “Your hearing is extremely inconvenient.”

Jake lets out a quiet laugh. Leo doesn’t; his gaze stays steady on mine.

“You don’t have your phone,” he says.

It’s not a question, just a fact. My brain frantically searches for a believable explanation.

“You could tell them the truth.” The voice in my head chooses that exact moment to murmur.

Absolutely not. I mentally shove the voice aside and force a small smile.

“I left it upstairs.”

“Right.” Jake nods slowly.

Leo still hasn’t moved. “You sounded upset,” he says.

The words aren’t confrontational, but there’s something underneath them. Concern, maybe. Or curiosity. “It was nothing,” I say lightly. “Just… talking to myself.”

Jake’s brows lift, but Leo’s expression doesn’t change at all.

“He doesn’t believe you,” the voice whispers.

I ignore it.

“People do that, you know,” I add quickly. “It’s perfectly normal behaviour.”

Jake scratches the back of his neck. “I talk to myself sometimes,” he admits.

Leo finally glances at him, and he shrugs.

“What? It helps me think.”

The tension loosens slightly, and I exhale quietly.

“See?” I say, gesturing toward him. “Jake understands.”

Leo studies me for another long moment. Then, slowly, he pushes away from the counter.

“Alright,” he says.

Just like that, no interrogation, no pressure, and somehow that feels more unsettling than if he’d called me out.

Jake exhales, his shoulders relaxing. “Good,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because for a second I thought you were yelling at ghosts.”

My stomach flips. That’s a little too close to the truth for comfort.

“Don’t joke about that,” I mumble.

Jake raises his hands in surrender. “Okay. Sorry.”

Leo’s gaze flickers toward me again. Sharp and observant, making my pulse spike.

“He already suspects something. Just tell them.”

I clear my throat and start down the stairs.

“Anyway,” I say, forcing brightness into my voice, “I finished unpacking.”

“Good.” Jake smiles.

When I reach the bottom step, he steps forward, his arms coming up as if he wants to reach for me, but then thinks better of it, dropping his hands back to his sides. He takes a step back, giving me space, but his wolf is close to the surface now. I can see it in his eyes.

I slide back into my seat at the table. If I don’t rush upstairs again, they might actually believe I’m fine.

Leo pours the coffee and slides a mug toward me.

“Settling in alright?”

“Yes, thank you.” I nod. “The room is perfect.”

Jake straightens a little.

“If you need anything else, just tell us.” “Thank you, but I think you’ve thought of everything,” I say, wrapping my hands around the warm mug.

“You don’t need to do that,” Leo says.

I raise a brow. “Do what?”

“Keep thanking us.”

I frown slightly.

“That’s not why we did it.”

“Then why?” I ask.

Leo leans back against the counter.

“You’re ours to care for,” he says simply.

Jake nods beside him. “We just want you to feel like this place is yours too.”

My chest tightens. “You didn’t even know if I was coming back.”

“That didn’t stop us hoping,” Jake shrugs.

“Or preparing.” Leo’s mouth twitches.

Leo’s eyes flick toward me again; he heard it. Of course he did, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he reaches for a dish towel and starts drying the plates Jake washed earlier, and the normalcy of it settles my nerves slightly.

Jake leans back in his chair.

“So,” he says, “what’s the plan for today?”

Plan. The word feels strange. For months my life has been nothing but moving from place to place, trying not to think too far ahead. Now suddenly, I’m sitting in a kitchen with two wolves who apparently expect me to have plans here.

“Honestly?” I say, buying myself some time to think.

Jake nods.

“I was thinking I might go see Paige.”

Both men relax slightly at that.

“That’s probably a good idea,” Jake says.

“She’ll want to see you,” Leo nods. “I figured.”

The voice whispers again.

“She already knows more than you think.”

Jake stretches his arms over his head. “We can come with you,” he offers.

“It’s okay, I remember the way,” I say.

“No,” Leo shakes his head.

I frown at him. “It’s a five-minute walk.”

“That’s not the point,” his tone is calm but firm.

Jake nods in agreement. “You shouldn’t walk through pack territory alone yet. Besides, I should come check over Paige and the baby.”

Right. Pack territory. I forget sometimes that this isn’t just a village hidden away in the woods; it’s a territory. A place filled with wolves who know exactly who I am and who my sister is. They’ll ask questions, and they’ll certainly gossip if they don’t see me with my mates.

“Okay,” I say slowly. “Fair point.”

Jake grins slightly. “We can make a proper morning of it.”

“Define proper,” I narrow my eyes at him.

“Paige, baby cuddles, followed by a walk into town for coffee and ice cream.”

“That actually sounds perfect.”

Leo grabs his jacket from the back of the chair. “Finish your coffee.”

I raise a brow. “That sounded like an order.”

“It was.”

Jake grins into his mug. I roll my eyes, but a small, excited thrill runs through my body and settles low.

“Maybe she should put some real clothes on first,” Jake suggests.

Leo turns back to look at me, his eyes travelling down to my legs.

“Yes, clothes.” He nods.

I give him a mock salute and push my chair back. Then I make my way upstairs with a stupid grin on my face. Because somehow, despite the voice whispering in my head, the unfinished feeling lingering inside me, and the secrets I’m already keeping… I feel like I might actually belong here, and that thought is both comforting and terrifying.