Jake looks at me, then, really looks, and I see something gentle in his expression. “You care deeply,” he says, his tone thoughtful. “That’s good. She’ll need your guidance.”
Before I can respond, a low sound slips from Poppy’s throat, a faint, breathy noise like a sigh. I shoot to my feet, my heart hammering.
“Poppy?” I say, leaning closer.
Her fingers twitch. Then her eyes flutter open, slow and dazed, before her gaze focuses. Confusion washes over her features first, then the sharp pinch of fear when she realises where she is, and who she’s staring up at.
She tries to sit up, but Jake’s hand presses gently to her shoulder. “Easy,” he murmurs. “You passed out. Don’t push yourself.”
Her eyes dart around the room, wild and unfocused until they land on Leo. “What happened?”
Leo steps forward, his voice breaking. “You fainted. He…” He gestures toward Jake, the words catching in his throat. “He said you’re his mate too.”
The colour drains from her face. “No,” she breathes, shaking her head. “No, that’s not… that can’t be right. I already…”
Her voice fractures, tears filling her eyes. Jake stays still beside her, his expression unreadable but his presence a steady calm in the middle of her storm.
“I know this is hard to hear,” he says softly. “But it’s real. I suspected it last night, then I felt it the moment I touched you.”
Poppy shakes her head again, more desperately this time. “I can’t do this. I can’t have two.”
“Then don’t decide now,” Jake replies, his tone so calm it almost feels unnatural. “Rest, breathe. No one is forcing you into anything, you are safe here. The bond will settle once you do.”
Leo’s breath hitches; his voice is barely more than a whisper. “What if it doesn’t?”
Jake looks at him, not as an opponent, but as someone who understands the same pain. Then we will all have to find a way to live with it. Because fighting it won’t make it go away?
Poppy covers her face with her hands, and my heart breaks for her. I sit by the bed again, placing a hand over hers. “Hey,” I whisper. “You’re okay. You’re safe. Just breathe.”
Her fingers curl around mine, trembling. “It feels wrong,” she whispers. “Like I’m being torn in two.”
Jake moves closer, laying his hand gently over her chest, and I swear I see his hand glowing faintly. “That’s the bond trying to find balance,” he says quietly. “You’re not being torn apart. You’re being rewritten.”
The words send a chill down my spine. I don’t know whether that’s meant to comfort her or warn her.
“I felt it too, before I knew they were all my mates. I felt like I was being pulled in every direction. Don’t fight it, Pops. It’s easier if you let it guide you,” I say, squeezing her hand.
Remy pushes off the wall, his voice firm but low. “She needs time. Everyone does. Let’s give her some space.”
Leo hesitates, eyes locked on Poppy, then finally nods and steps back. Parker follows him toward the door, murmuring something I can’t catch. Jake stays by her side, unwilling to move.
**Paige’s POV **
When the door closes behind them, silence falls again. It feels softer this time, less dangerous, but still heavy. Poppy looks up at me, her voice barely audible. “Paige… what’s happening to me?”
I hesitate. I don’t know what to tell her that will make this any less scary for her. It’s one thing to hear about the effect of the bond, but to feel it is not something you could prepare for. I remember those first few days; my head was all over the place.
“I don’t know exactly, but I do know this feeling will pass. It just takes some time. I think I cried for a few days, and I thought I was losing my mind before I stopped fighting against it.”
Poppy stares at me, wide-eyed and pale, like the words aren’t quite sinking in. “You make it sound like giving up,” she whispers.
“It’s not,” I say softly. “It’s letting yourself breathe. The bond doesn’t go away just because you want it to, but it is not as intense when you stop trying to tear yourself free from it.”
She presses the heel of her palm against her chest, wincing. “It feels so wrong, but so right at the same time.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I didn’t understand it either, not at first. I thought I couldn’t possibly want more than one person, that there wasn’t enough of me to go around, but it’s not like that. It’s like… your heart grows instead of divides. It’s confusing and overwhelming, but it isn’t wrong.”
Jake has stayed quiet through most of this, standing near the bed, his gaze fixed on Poppy with a quiet awe that makes my heart ache. He looks like a man who’s found something he never thought he’d have, and the thought of how complicated this will get doesn’t seem to faze him.
When he finally speaks, his voice is low and steady. “You’re fighting instinct,” he says gently.” Your soul recognises us before your mind does. It’s part of what keeps us balanced, the pull, the connection.”
Poppy shakes her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “But that’s not fair. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it. I already have a life plan.”
Her voice cracks on the last word, and I reach for her hand, squeezing it. “Neither did I,” I remind her. “None of us do. The bond chooses, and it’s terrifying. But I promise, it won’t always feel like this, and you don’t have to give everything up.”
For a long moment, the only sounds are the steady rhythm of her breathing and the faint creak of the cabin around us. Jake looks thoughtful, troubled even.
“Your sister’s right,” he says after a beat. “The first days are the hardest. Your body and soul are adjusting to something ancient. It changes your energy, your emotions, even your heartbeat.” He glances over his shoulder at her. “You’re strong enough to handle it, but you need to rest and let it settle.”
Poppy swallows hard. “And Leo? What happens now?”
Jake’s jaw tightens slightly. “That’s for the two of you to decide, but fate doesn’t make mistakes. There’s a reason the bond exists, even if we don’t understand it yet.”
Poppy closes her eyes, a single tear slipping free. “I just wanted normal,” she whispers. “A quiet life. I didn’t want any of this.”
My heart twists painfully. “I know,” I say, brushing her hair back from her face. “But maybe normal isn’t what we were meant for.”
Her lips tremble as she exhales. “You sound like Mum.”
I laugh quietly. “She did always say life has a habit of finding you, even when you’re trying to hide from it.”
For a while, we just sit there, her hand still in mine, Jake standing nearby like a silent guardian. I know the weight of everything pressing down on her: fear, confusion, guilt, longing. I remember that heaviness all too well.
Eventually, Poppy shifts slightly, her eyes fluttering open again to look at me. “Does it stop feeling this heavy?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “It becomes something else. Something powerful. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it when you stop fighting it.”
Her gaze drifts toward Jake, and I can see the way her breath stutters just from meeting his eyes. She looks away almost instantly, as though afraid to acknowledge what she feels. It’s hard to feel such a strong pull toward a stranger. It’s almost like being in love with someone before you even know anything about them.
Jake must sense it too, because he steps back a pace, giving her space. “I’ll give you both some time,” he murmurs, and before I can reply, he turns and quietly leaves the cabin.
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