The Lost Pack

** Paige’s POV **

The four-hour drive takes us a little longer because of my inability to follow simple instructions from my sat nav. When we finally cross the border of our new town, I feel a sudden wash of calm.

As I slow down, the rustic wooden “Welcome to Cinderwood” sign makes me smile.

“This is it,” I say to Jax, who immediately turns his gaze to the window to take in our new home.

“Where is Auntie Pops?” he asks.

“I think she is at our new house waiting for us.”

At a slow pace, I drive through the picturesque town. Taking time to admire the old-style houses and clean streets. I point out a park and the small school to Jaxon, and he talks excitedly about finding new friends.

As we arrive at the small town house I’ve rented, I see Poppy and her friend Annie waiting on the front porch for us. I had arranged for her to collect the keys from the landlord.

“Auntie Pops!” Jaxon yells with enthusiasm as I open my car door.

“Hey, little J, I’ve missed you,” Poppy says, coming over to help him from the car and then pulling him into a hug.

“Stop. You’re squishing my jelly out,” Jaxon giggles as he attempts to wriggle from her arms.

“Come on, I can’t wait for you to see your new bedroom,” she says, giving me a one-armed hug before leading him inside.

I watch as they go inside and lean against my car to soak it all in. I breathe deeply. Dense woods behind our new home fill the air with the crisp, clean scent of pine. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I have a good feeling about this place. I’ve never been here before, but it feels like I’m coming home.

“Mummy, come see!” Jax calls from the doorway, waving at me to come inside.

I wave back at him and move to the back of the car, grabbing our bags before lugging them into the house. The place is clean and already has a homely feel to it. The walls are all painted with a fresh magnolia. They’re like a blank canvas for us to decorate as we please. We have a six-month probationary period imposed by the landlord before we can decorate, giving us plenty of time for planning.

I follow Jaxon upstairs, where he excitedly shows me his new bedroom. His is at the front of the house and is slightly smaller than my room that’s directly opposite his. Both rooms have a double-sized bed, and Jax climbs straight on top of his.

“Do you like your new room?” I ask as he bounces excitedly on his bed.

“I love it. It’s so much bigger than my old one and this bed is giant.”

“Should we put your clothes away whilst mummy and auntie Pops bring the rest of the stuff in?” Annie asks, and Jaxon nods.

“Thanks.” I give Annie a grateful smile and take the second bag into my room.

I dump the bag next to the wardrobe and stop to look out of my bedroom window. The view is beautiful. There’s a small garden and then trees for as far as the eye can see. I chose this room because I love the view and the window seat. It will be perfect for reading.

“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Poppy says, coming to sit beside me on the window seat.

“I love it. Thanks for this. I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had,” I say, nudging my shoulder against hers playfully.

“You’re going to be okay, Paige. You were far too good for grumpy Greg anyway, and J is going to thrive here. I just know it. Plus, the men around here are so hot. I swear there must be something in the water. Everyone I have seen in this town has been so buff. They must have a great gym,” she laughs.

“I’m done with men.” I shake my head.

“What, so you’re into women now? I saw some good-looking women too,” she waggles her eyebrows teasingly.

“No men or women, I’m done dating. It only ends in heartbreak. From now on, it’s just me and Jaxon,” I tell her with determination.

“You’ve barely given anyone a chance. You’ve had two boyfriends in your whole life. Mum always said we have to kiss a few frogs before finding our prince. You can’t give up yet,” she squeezes my hand.

“Ryder wasn’t a frog.”

“No, he was a damn ghost. Forget him, and Greg. Your prince will come when the time is right. Now stop moping, we have unpacking to do,” she says with a clap of her hands.

I sigh and get up to follow her, when movement out the window catches my eye. I lean in closer to the window, trying to figure out what I just saw moving between the trees. Whatever it was, it was large and fast. Maybe they have deer here, or perhaps it was someone’s big dog? I shrug it off and head downstairs to bring the rest of our belongings in.

By dinner time, we have finished unpacking, and been grocery shopping, stocking the fridge and cupboards with everything we will need for the next few days.

Poppy and Annie stay with us for dinner before heading back to their student accommodation at the university. I offer to drive them back, but Jaxon has already fallen asleep, so they have a friend come pick them up.

The university is only a twenty-minute drive away, and I’m so happy to be close to my sister again. I hated not being able to see her regularly because of the distance.

Following a busy day of moving and heartbreak, I decide to make some camomile tea and go upstairs to read in the window seat for a while before bed. I need to unwind and rest before another busy day tomorrow.

I’m not sure if I’m handling this breakup particularly well, or if it just hasn’t fully hit me yet, because whilst I’m sad, I’m not the weeping mess I expected to be. Maybe it’s this town? Or perhaps I didn’t love Greg as much as I thought I did.

At some point, I must doze off, because a sudden noise startles me awake and my e-reader clatters to the floor. The sound was almost like a wail, or a howl of pain. After quickly checking on Jaxon, who is sleeping peacefully, I shrug off the noise as some woodland creature and pick up my e-reader.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise suddenly, and I have the uneasy feeling of being watched. My eyes move to the window, but it’s difficult to see anything as it’s so dark outside. I close the curtains quickly, dismissing the feeling as nervousness about being in a new place.

I quickly check all the doors and windows, making sure they are locked before crawling into bed. Thanks to the book I’d been reading before bed, I spent the rest of the night dreaming of wolves chasing each other playfully through the forest.