<h4>Chapter 108: Confusing Feelings</h4>


    <strong>Easter~</strong>


    The night was silent, but my mind wasn’t.


    I curled up on the bed Jacob had given me, staring at the ceiling, my heart racing for no reason I could exin.


    Or maybe I could.


    Jacob.


    I had only just met him today, and yet, here I was—restless, unsettled, clinging to the thought of him like he was the only solid thing in my life.


    It made no sense.


    Maybe it was all because of the pregnancy.


    I had just escaped from a hellish marriage. My body still remembered the sting and soreness from the bruises left by Ruben’s fists. My heart was still raw from years of betrayal— from learning the hard way that trust was nothing but a pretty lie.


    So why—why—did I feel like I needed Jacob?


    I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the feeling away.


    It wasn’t like this with Natalie. When I held onto her earlier, when I begged her to take me and Rose with them, it was desperation. A plea for salvation.


    But with Jacob, it was different.


    There was a pull, a force I didn’t understand, something stronger than logic, stronger than fear. Every time he so much as looked at me, my heart stuttered in my chest. His presence filled every corner of the room, like he was something more than I could imagine—something ancient, something undeniable.


    And I hated it.


    Hated how ridiculous I was being.


    I didn’t trust men.


    I didn’t trust anyone.


    And yet, the idea of Jacob leaving—of him disappearing from my life just as suddenly as he’d entered it—made my stomach twist with panic.


    I rolled onto my side, pulling the nket tighter around me, trying to shake off the feeling. But my thoughts kept circling back to what Eagle had said earlier.


    Natalie was leaving tomorrow.


    Jacob would go with her.


    And where does that leave me?


    I couldn’t stay here. I had nowhere to go. Every bridge behind me had been burnt. And even if I did have a choice, the idea of Jacob walking away, of never seeing him again, felt—


    No. I wouldn’t think about that.


    I exhaled shakily and sat up. Sleep was impossible. Anxiety had its ws in me, deep and unrelenting. I felt trapped in my own skin, overwhelmed by the storm in my mind.


    Before I knew what I was doing, I was out of bed.


    I moved quietly, checking on Rose. She was fast asleep, curled up under the nkets, her tiny fingers wrapped around the stuffed bunny Jacob had conjured out of thin air earlier. My heart clenched at the sight of her peaceful face, at how unaware she was of my turmoil.


    I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then turned and slipped out of the room.


    My bare feet padded soundlessly down the hallway, my heartbeat growing louder with every step. I didn’t know where Jacob’s room was, but I felt it—like something inside me was pulling me toward him.


    And when I reached the door, I didn’t hesitate.


    I sat down right there in front of it.


    Maybe it was stupid. Maybe it was pathetic.


    But I couldn’t bear the thought of him slipping away in the middle of the night.


    I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring at the wooden door in front of me. What the hell was I doing? Why was I acting like this?


    I didn’t need Jacob. I could survive without him.


    Right?


    My stomach growled suddenly, breaking the silence.


    I winced.


    I hated this. Hated the way pregnancy cravings made me weak, needy. When I was pregnant with Rose, Ruben had made sure I never asked for anything. The one time I had, he’d beaten me so badly that I had spent days curled up on the floor, too afraid to move.


    So I had learned.


    I had learned to swallow my cravings, to pretend I wasn’t hungry, to never let myself need anything.


    But right now, I wanted something.


    Chicken. And something sweet.


    It was stupid, really. But the craving hit me hard, wrapping around my ribs like a vice.


    I sighed and buried my face in my knees.


    I wasn’t going to ask. I wasn’t going to be weak again.


    So I sat there in silence, fighting against my own hunger, and trying to ignore the ache in my chest.


    And then, the door creaked open.


    I sucked in a breath as Jacob’s towering figure filled the doorway. He was shirtless, his muscr frame illuminated by the soft glow of the hallway light. His dark hair was messy, like he had just woken up, and his sharp brown eyes locked onto mine with an unsurprised expression.


    He didn’t speak at first. He just stared down at me, his face caught somewhere between irritation and amusement.


    Finally, he sighed.


    "Why the hell have you been sitting in front of my room for the past hour?"


    I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling ridiculous.


    "I—" My voice came out weaker than I wanted it to. I cleared my throat, straightening my back. "I couldn’t sleep."


    Jacob arched a brow. "And sitting on the floor outside my door is somehow the solution to that?"


    I scowled, heat rushing to my cheeks. "I don’t know, okay? I just—" I hesitated, looking away. "I don’t want to be like this either."


    His expression shifted slightly, something flickering in his sharp brown eyes, studying me as if he could see straight through me. Then, he sighed, "Are you hungry?"


    The question startled me. Yes, I was hungry, but that wasn’t why I was sitting outside his door like some abandoned puppy. Before I could even find the words to respond, Jacob sighed again—this time with something that sounded suspiciously like exasperation—before he bent down and scooped me into his arms.


    I barely had time to gasp before I was lifted off the floor, cradled effortlessly against his warm, bare chest. My breath hitched.


    "What—what are you doing?" I stammered, my heart pounding.


    Jacob nced down at me. "Taking you to get some food into your system."


    I blinked up at him,pletely dumbfounded. He carried me as if I weighed nothing, his arms steady, his scent a mix of earth and something faintly wild—like the wind before a storm. My face burned with embarrassment, but a traitorous part of me curled closer to him, reveling in his warmth.


    He carried me effortlessly down the hall and into a spacious dining room, where he set me gently on a chair. His hands lingered for half a second longer than necessary before he straightened, his deep brown eyes never leaving mine.


    "What do you want to eat?" he asked.


    I hesitated, swallowing hard. The craving was still there, wing at me, but the thought of saying it out loud made me nervous. Years of conditioning had taught me to never ask for anything. I clenched my hands in myp, my gaze dropping to the polished wood of the table.


    "I’m fine," I whispered.


    Jacob’s lips pressed into a thin line. "Easter."


    There was something in the way he said my name—firm, steady—that made me nce up. His expression softened, but his voice remained steady. "You can tell me anything."


    I studied him for a long moment, searching for any trace of mockery, any sign that he was testing me. But there was none. Only patience.


    I took a breath. "Chicken." My voice came out small, hesitant. "With ketchup." My cheeks warmed. "And vani ice cream."


    Jacob didn’tugh. He didn’t sneer or scoff.


    Instead, he simply snapped his fingers.


    In an instant, the scent of freshly cooked chicken filled the air. My eyes widened as a te of golden, crispy chicken appeared in front of me, perfectly arranged with a generous side of ketchup. Beside it, a bowl of creamy vani ice cream sat, a single spoon resting on its edge.


    I gawked at the food, then at Jacob. "How did you—"


    "It’s safe," he interrupted, as if reading my mind. He pulled out a chair and sat across from me, watching me with quiet amusement. "Eat."


    I hesitated, my stomach warring with my mind. This was magic. Real magic. I knew Jacob wasn’t human, but this was something else entirely.


    Still, the hunger won.


    I reached for the chicken cautiously, half-expecting it to disappear the moment I touched it. When it didn’t, I took a tentative bite—and nearly moaned. It was delicious. Perfectly seasoned, hot, crispy—exactly what I had been craving.


    Jacob didn’t say anything as I ate. He just sat there, watching me, his expression impassive.


    After a while, I slowed down, licking ketchup from my fingertips before sneaking a nce at him.


    "Are you going to leave tomorrow?" I asked quietly, not looking at him. "With Natalie?"


    There was a long silence. Then, Jacob sighed. "Do you want to go with me?"


    I froze, my head snapping up. His eyes held mine, steady and calm, but I could see the weight behind them.


    "I—" I faltered, unsure how to answer.


    Jacob smirked, tilting his head. "Of course you want to go with me."


    I scowled, but my pulse betrayed me, hammering wildly in my chest.


    Jacob leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his gaze steady. "I’m not irresponsible, Easter," he said, his voice quieter now, more measured. "I wasn’t nning on sneaking out in the middle of the night," he muttered.


    Heat crawled up my neck. That was exactly what I’d thought. I bit my lip, unsure if I should admit it. "You were nning to leave, though. Tomorrow."


    Jacob exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his already-messy hair. "Yeah. But I haven’t decided yet."


    My chest tightened. He hasn’t decided.


    Which meant he could still leave.


    Which meant I was still standing on shaky ground.


    I lowered my gaze, staring at the empty chicken carton in front of me. My fingers curled around the fork, gripping it like an anchor. <i>I just...</i> I wanted to say <i>don’t go. </i>I wanted to say<i> I feel safer when you’re here</i>. I wanted to say <i>I don’t understand why I feel like this, and it’s messing with my head.</i>


    But I said none of that.


    Instead—my stomach growled. Loudly.


    Heat flooded my face as Jacob’s lips twitched, his amusement barely contained.


    "You’re still hungry," he said, his tone somewhere between teasing and knowing.


    "No," I lied immediately.


    Jacob’s dark eyes sharpened, like he could see straight through me. In one smooth motion, he reached forward, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face.


    "You’re a terrible liar," he murmured.


    I sucked in a breath.


    His voice. His touch. His scent—clean and wild, like earth after rain—wrapped around me, making it impossible to think straight. My pulse thrummed in my ears, and suddenly, the space between us felt impossibly small.


    I looked away, forcing my voice to remain steady. "It’s nothing. I’m fine." I just didn’t want him to think I was being a glutton or greedy.


    Jacob didn’t move. "What are you craving this time?"


    I shook my head. "It doesn’t matter."


    "Easter," he said, softer now, but firm. "Tell me."


    I pressed my lips together. I wanted to say I don’t need anything else. I wanted to say I’m used to swallowing my cravings, my needs.


    But the words slipped out before I could stop them.


    "More chicken," I whispered. "And this time, chocte ice cream."


    Jacob let a small smile graze his lips.


    Then, just like before, he snapped his fingers.


    The scent of warm, crispy chicken filled the air, and beside it—a bowl of chocte ice cream, perfectly melting around the edges.


    I stared at the food, my stomach twisted, not with hunger this time, but with something else—wonder, hope.


    Jacob leaned back, watching me with that expression I couldn’t decipher.


    "Easter," he said again.


    I turned, expecting a teasing remark.


    Instead, he met my gaze, his voice steady.


    "If I ept someone as my responsibility, I protect them. To the end."


    My throat tightened. No one had ever said that to me before. No one had ever looked at me like I was worth protecting.


    Jacob continued, his gaze never wavering. "I’m not about to bring you and Rose here just to abandon you. If I leave tomorrow, you’reing with me."


    I swallowed hard. "You mean it?"


    Jacob exhaled, shaking his head slightly. "I don’t say things I don’t mean."


    For a long moment, I just stared at him. Then, finally, I nodded.


    Jacob sat back, satisfied. "Good. But next time you want to ask me something, don’t just sit outside my door like a lost kitten. Knock. I’ll open."


    Heat crawled up my neck. "I wasn’t—"


    He arched a brow.


    I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "Fine."


    He chuckled, the sound deep and warm.


    We sat infortable silence after that, and I slowly finished my food. Jacob stayed with me the entire time, never rushing me, never looking away.


    When I was done, he stood and extended a hand. "Come on. Time to get you back to bed."


    I hesitated, but then I took it. His grip was strong, steady. Warm.


    He walked me back to my room, stopping just outside the door. Rose was still asleep inside, her tiny form curled under the nkets.


    Jacob nced at me. "Get some rest."


    I nodded. But as I turned to go inside, I hesitated.


    I didn’t understand what I felt for Jacob. But I knew one thing.


    I didn’t want to leave his side. Not yet.