“Go spend time with your sister,” he insists.
I give in, knowing I won’t win against the two of them.
Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the back porch with a fresh cup of coffee in my hands and my sister at my side.
I watch her as she takes in the view. It’s stunning out here, and I can tell by her expression that she thinks the same. It almost feels like a different world here, and I suppose, in a way, it is. It’s like our own little slice of the world.
The difference is in how it all fits together. Outside the woods, people construct everything on top of nature, burying it under layers of concrete and steel. Cities stretch upward, blocking out the sky, while the ground is carved up for roads and car parks. Here, it feels the opposite. The cabins don’t fight against the land; they rise out of it like they were always meant to be here. Even the paths wind around the trees instead of cutting them down.
There’s a balance here, a respect for nature in every detail. The air smells cleaner, the sounds are softer, and even the quiet feels alive. It makes me wonder if this is what the world could have been if people had remembered how to live with the earth instead of forcing it to bend around them.
I blink, wondering where that thought just came from. I’ve always loved nature, but I’ve never felt that passionate about it. Maybe living out here has given me a new perspective.
“Last night, the trees seemed scary, but now, in the light of day, they feel like a protective shield,” Poppy says, her voice soft.
I nod, following her gaze to the forest that borders the pack lands. The morning sunlight streams through the branches, making the leaves glow like stained glass. “That’s exactly what they are,” I tell her quietly. “A shield. They keep us hidden, keep us safe.”
She hums, pulling her knees up to her chest on the bench, cradling her coffee. For a while we just sit there, breathing in the morning air, the sound of birds blending with the faint laughter from inside the house.
Eventually, Poppy breaks the silence. “Can I ask you something? About… all this?”
“Of course.”
Her eyes flick to me, then back out to the trees. “The whole mates thing. How does it work? I
“It’s okay, I can…”
“Sounds like a good idea to me. I have so many questions,” Poppy cuts me off, and Parker chuckles, guiding me away from the sink.
“Go spend time with your sister,” he insists.
I give in, knowing I won’t win against the two of them.
Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the back porch with a fresh cup of coffee in my hands and my sister at my side.
I watch her as she takes in the view. It’s stunning out here, and I can tell by her expression that she thinks the same. It almost feels like a different world here, and I suppose, in a way, it is. It’s like our own little slice of the world.
The difference is in how it all fits together. Outside the woods, people construct everything on top of nature, burying it under layers of concrete and steel. Cities stretch upward, blocking out the sky, while the ground is carved up for roads and car parks. Here, it feels the opposite. The cabins don’t fight against the land; they rise out of it like they were always meant to be here. Even the paths wind around the trees instead of cutting them down.
There’s a balance here, a respect for nature in every detail. The air smells cleaner; the sounds are softer, and even the quiet feels alive. It makes me wonder if this is what the world could have been if people had remembered how to live with the earth instead of forcing it to bend around them.
I blink, wondering where that thought just came from. I’ve always loved nature, but I’ve never felt that passionate about it. Maybe living out here has given me a new perspective.
“Last night, the trees seemed scary, but now, in the light of day, they feel like a protective shield,” Poppy says, her voice soft.
I nod, following her gaze to the forest that borders the pack lands. The morning sunlight streams through the branches, making the leaves glow like stained glass. “That’s exactly what they are,” I tell her quietly. “A shield. They keep us hidden, keep us safe.”
She hums, pulling her knees up to her chest on the bench, cradling her coffee. For a while we just sit there, breathing in the morning air, the sound of birds blending with the faint laughter from inside the house.
Eventually, Poppy breaks the silence. “Can I ask you something? About… all this?”
“Of course.”
Her eyes flick to me, then back out to the trees. “The whole mates thing. How does it work? I mean, how does it feel for you? Do you feel you had a choice? Because it all seems crazy to me right now.”
“Yeah, it sounds insane when I try to explain it. But when you’re living it… it’s different. Mates aren’t just some random idea of romance. It’s… a connection. You feel it like gravity pulling you toward them. And once you seal the bond, it’s like your soul finally clicks into place.”
Poppy tilts her head, her brows pulling together. “So it’s always mutual? Both mates feel it?”
“Yes,” I say firmly. “Always. Though sometimes, some try to fight it.” I half laugh. “Ask Remy. about that, he’s an expert in running from fate.”
Her lips twitch. “So, you didn’t exactly get a choice?”
I shake my head. “Not in who, but I had a choice to stay, to open myself to it. That part is free will. It isn’t easy, Pops. Being with them all, figuring out how we fit together, it takes work. But they make me feel seen, and safe, and loved in ways I didn’t even know I needed.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, chewing her lip. “So how do you seal a mate bond?”
I blow out a breath, not sure how much truth I should give her. “Werewolves mark their mates. It’s an intimate moment, and the feeling of the bond completing is indescribable in the best way, plus it comes with some perks,” I smirk.
“Perks?” she asks, sitting up a little straighter.
“Yep,” I nod. “I’m faster, like super fast, and I can hear more if I focus. My instincts are enhanced too. I’m not sure what else yet as we are just figuring this out. A human mate is rare, so we are all learning as we go.”
“Seriously? So you’re like some superhero now? I can’t wait to see this.” She laughs, shaking her head. “If human mates are rare, then do we have some special blood that makes us compatible?”
Her question catches me off guard, because I hadn’t even thought of the chances of both of us being werewolf mates. “I’m not sure,” I shrug.
Her voice drops when she speaks again, fragile and uncertain. “What if… what if I have more than one mate here?”
“Twins usually share a mate, but Leo doesn’t have a twin. Why? Do you feel a pull toward someone else?”
She shrugs, staring at her coffee as though it might hold the answer. “Last night, when Leo was being checked over, there was this healer guy that kept staring at me. I felt drawn to him somehow. I don’t even know how to describe it. Like my whole body lit up from the inside,
$25 Potras and even though everything around us was terrifying, when I looked at him, I felt safe.”
“Did he say anything to you? Did you tell Callen?” I ask, already shifting in my seat to go question him.
“No,” she drags in a shaky breath. “I was scared, Paige. I still am. If they really are my mates, what does that even mean? My whole life could change just because of some bond I didn’t ask for. I can’t even wrap my head around it right now.”
I reach over and squeeze her hand. “You don’t have to wrap your head around it today, and it doesn’t take away your choices. If they’re your mates, it means they’ll feel it too. It means they’ll love you with everything they have. But it doesn’t mean you’re trapped, Pops. You still get to decide what kind of relationship you want, and how fast, and if you’re even ready. The bond doesn’t take your voice.”
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