Chapter 212

** Paige’s POV ** The moment my feet land on the gravel at the edge of the forest, I exhale for what feels like the first time in hours. The familiar scent of pine and smoke drifts through the air. This is home, my safe place. A place Greg never touched. Callen is at my side first, his eyes scanning me top to toe like I might suddenly collapse. Remy is right behind him, his shoulders tight and jaw clenched. They don’t say anything, but the moment they step closer to me, I feel it through the bond… a tug, a hum, a shift. Something in me is different, and they feel it. Callen narrows his eyes at me. “Are you okay, firefly?” He asks casually, testing out yet another pet name, which I pretend to hate… but his gaze is sharp. I nod. “Just tired.” A lie that all of them can feel, but none of them push, which tells me they think whatever they’re sensing is because of what happened with Greg. Good. I’m not ready for that conversation yet. Not here, and not until we’ve all had time to catch our