The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 200

** Paige’s POV **

The walk to the cars feels tense. Everyone is quiet.

Focused. Determined.

Poppy marches ahead like a woman preparing for war, Jake shadowing her shoulder-to-shoulder, as if he thinks she might sprint off and commit homicide alone. Leo stays close behind, ready to intercept her if she bolts.

Ryder walks at my side, not touching but close enough to steady me. Remy and Callen have flanked us, and Parker stays just a step behind me, making a protective triangle around me.

We aren’t even in danger yet, and still they move as if the ground itself might open and swallow me whole if they don’t keep a shield around me.

I try to keep my breathing even. I’m not scared, not this time. I’m… bracing.

The closer we get to the cars, the more my skin hums. The glow under my flesh isn’t lighting up, but it’s awake.

Watching and waiting, as if it knows what’s coming.

Ryder notices immediately.

“Paige?” he murmurs.

“I’m fine.””You’re humming.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not fine.”

“It means your power is active.”

I exhale through my nose. “Of course it is. We’re about to confront a girl who almost got me, Jax, and you lot killed.”.

Callen gives a low whistle. “i love this new confident murder-vibe you’ve got going.”

“I’ve had a bad week,” I mutter.

Remy snorts. “She marks one more mate, and suddenly she’s terrifying.”

Parker shoots him a look. “She was terrifying before. You were just too blind to see it.”

Ryder growls softly. “Stay focused.”

We reach the cars and pile into two vehicles, Remys SUV up front with me, Poppy, Jake, and Callen. Leo drives the second with Ryder, Parker, and Ronnie. I hate travelling without two of my mates, but this is safest, not just for the pack, but for Jaxon. If one car gets hit, at least Jaxon won’t lose both his parents the way I did.

My mind drifts down a dark path at that thought. How long have the hunters been meddling in our lives? Could my parent’s car accident have been their doing? A way to leave me vulnerable enough not to notice the manipulation working its way into my life?

White-hot power rises in my chest, reacting to my rage and heartbreak. I push the thoughts away, letting the power fizzle out. The truth will come to light when the time is right. There’s no point me getting worked up over what-ifs right now, not when we don’t know what my power can do.

The ride into town is quiet except for the faint hum of the engine. I watch the forest thinning into open roads, houses appearing as we drive through the small town.

People walk the streets, stopping to talk to neighbours, smiling, playing with children. It looks… painfully normal.

Like the world has no idea what lurks in the shadows.

What’s hunting us. What’s awakening inside me.

Poppy’s knee bounces nonstop.

“Are you okay?” I ask softly.

She lets out a rough breath. “I don’t know, I want to scream, cry, punch someone, punch Annie, punch Greg, rip someone’s hair out…”

Jake slides his hand onto hers, grounding her.

“Take a breath,” he says softly.

“I am breathing,” she snaps before flopping back against the seat. “Barely.”

He gives her a sympathetic smile. “Use this time to emotionally prepare yourself. Sometimes the people we love get manipulated without understanding what they’repart of.”

Her jaw clenches. “And what if she did understand? What if she knew exactly what she was doing?”

“Then we’ll handle it,” Remy says simply.

Not I’ll handle this. Not let me do it. We. Us. Together.

We might be a mismatched group of some crazy species with some even crazier personalities, but we are a team.

When we reach Annie’s street, everything in my body tightens. Her house looks like any other student rental, small, terracotta, pots of dead plants on the steps. There’s a rusty old bike leaning against the fence, and a pink hoodie hanging from the gatepost like someone forgot it.

Nothing about it screams danger. Which is exactly why it’s dangerous.

Poppy gets out before the car has fully stopped. Jake yanks her back lightly by the wrist.

“Not yet,” he warns.

She huffs but stays close, adrenaline practically vibrating off her.

I step out with Callen at my side. The moment my feet hit the pavement, the hum under my skin strengthens. Not painful or overwhelming. Just… alert.

“Paige?” Ryder’s voice comes from behind me. “Power spike?

“Small one.”

“Noted.” Callen cracks his knuckles. “If she runs, I call dibs on catching her.”

“No one’s catching anyone,” Ryder snaps.

Callen shrugs. “I said if.”

Ryder turns to me. “Ready?”

“No,” I say honestly. “But let’s do it.”

He looks at me like I’m the sun rising… inevitable, unstoppable.

We approach the front door, whilst Callen, Leo and Parker head around the back of the property.

Poppy marches ahead and shoves her key in the lock so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t snap.

“What the..” She starts, trying to turn the key again. “She changed the damn lock!”

She growls in frustration before knocking on the door.

We wait.

Annie swallows audibly. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Callen huffs. “Wrong answer.”

I lift a hand. “Let me.”

I step toward Annie slowly.

Her eyes land on me and soften immediately. “Paige… I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”My chest aches because I can tell she doesn’t fully understand what she’s involved in. The texts I’d seen on Greg’s phone flash through my mind, replaying like a movie.

Looking at her now, so young and vulnerable, I can’t see her being the one who sent those messages. Yet, I’d been so sure yesterday.

“Annie,” I say softly, “how well do you know Greg?”

Her eyes lower, and she sucks in a breath as pain etches over her face.

“I thought he loved me,” she sobs. “I really..” Her voice cracks on the last word, and then she crumbles.

She doubles over like she’s going to vomit, and I take a step back.

“No…no…please..” she stammers, her hands flying to her chest as if she can physically hold the pain in. “I thought he loved me, i thought…he told me…he said…”

Her knees give out, and she drops to the floor.

Jake swears and lunges forward on instinct, but Poppy holds out a hand, stopping him.

“Let her,” she whispers, voice shaking with betrayal and heartbreak of her own.

Annie sobs harder.”I didn’t mean it to happen!” she cries, her voice raw and hoarse. “He said he was being watched! He said he was in trouble, that he needed help, that he couldn’t tell Paige because she’d judge him, he said everyone would judge him… he said he needed a friend…”

Callen’s jaw ticks, his nostrils flaring like he’s holding back a growl.

Ryder’s hands curl into fists.

Remy mutters something lethal under his breath.

But Annie keeps going, spiralling downward like she’s been waiting months to break.

I “I didn’t know!” she screams again. “I swear… I didn’t know who he really was! I didn’t know what he was!! I thought I was helping someone who was scared… someone who cared about me… someone who needed me…”

She presses the heels of her hands into her eyes.

“I didn’t know he was a monster,” she chokes out. “I didn’t know he was using me until it was too late. I didn’t know l was giving information to..”

She looks up with wide, terrified eyes.

“Paige,” she whispers, her voice trembling, “I didn’t know I was helping hunters.”

The room goes still. Absolutely, utterly still, like the whole world has sucked in a breath… and is waiting to see what I do next?

My skin hums. The glow under it stirs, and for the first time, Annie sees it.

Her voice breaks into a terrified whisper.

..what are you?”