Chapter 178

** Paige’s POV ** The walk back to Phoenix feels nothing like the one we made leaving it. Leaving was panic, chaos, running, then darkness for me. Going back feels heavier. Every step feels like wading through a swamp of last night’s fear, the fear of every member of our pack who fled in the dark with children clutched to their chests and wolves snarling. I feel all of it humming in my chest. The pack moves as a single unit, but the energy feels off. A full spectrum of emotions. People whisper. Wolves pace ahead in their shifted forms, ears pinned back. Mothers hold their kids closer than necessary. I feel every flicker of anxiety; it’s too much to ignore. I try to steady my breathing. The last thing I need is to worry them more by showing how scared I really am, or worse, by lighting up like a damn disco ball. Ryder walks at my side, Jaxon on his back, his arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Callen moves just ahead, his attention fixed on the forest. Remy is on my other side, close