Tiffany’s POV
That did it. They all shut the hell up and watched me with fear washing over their faces. I moved from the bottom of the stairs and headed towards them. I knew someone was up there, and I wasn’t going to have them be able to get their hands on me. I stopped about five feet from them. I wasn’t foolish enough to climb those stairs, and apparently neither was Gretchen.
What could they do to me now? I was d to see Seth sink down on the couch, as if his legs could no longer support him. Holden looked at me with clear disappointment in his eyes. Well, it’s not the first time he looked at me like that, but it will be thest. After today, I will no longer have a brother. He hasn’t acted like one for years, so it’s no big loss.
No one moves. Not Leo, who’s standing there like the ground has been ripped out from under him. Not Remy, who looks ready to throw himself between them. Not even Parker, though I can feel his tension from across the room, assessing and ready.
Then, my body finally remembers how to move.
“Poppy!” My voice cracks as I push forward, shoving past Remy to reach her, Jake doesn’t let go, he just holds her tighter, one arm supporting her back, the other cupping the side of her face like she’s something precious. His expression is fierce, protective, andpletely calm.
“What did you do to her?” I demand, panic spiking so fast my hands shake.
Jake lifts his gaze to mine. “She’s not hurt. The bond overwhelmed her. Her body shut down for a moment. She’ll wake soon.”
Jake finally moves toward the bed,ying Poppy down with such care. He brushes her hair away from her face before straightening and facing us again. “She needs rest. The dual bond hit her harder than most could handle.”
Dual bond.
The words feel unreal and familiar at the same time.
Remy runs a hand through his hair, looking between the two men. “This shouldn’t even be possible,” he mutters, mostly to himself. “Another human with multiple mates that aren’t twins? The odds of this happening once are almost unheard of, but to happen twice is unbelievable.”
“Actually, I know a story about this. The details are hazy, as my parents told it to me when I was a child, but Ronnie may know more,” Jake says as he looks over Poppy.
“Stories,” I echo numbly. “As in myths? Legends?”
He gives a slow nod. “From what I remember, my mum called them moon children. They create strong werewolf lines without having a wolf themselves. When they join a pack, the pack usually gets an increased rate of mate matches.” His eyes flick toward Poppy’s sleeping form. “If it’s true, then whatever’sing… it’s big.”
I move to stand beside the bed, brushing my fingers against Poppy’s hand. She’s still warm, still breathing, but seeing her like this twists something deep inside me. Even though she’s younger than me, she’s always been the strong one, the one who could handle anything. Seeing her knocked unconscious by something none of us understand is terrifying.
Leo takes a step forward, but Jake’s eyes snap to him, shing with his wolf in warning. “Stay back,” he says quietly.
Leo growls under his breath. “You don’t get to tell me to stay away from my mate.”
“She’s our mate,” Jake counters, his tone calm, but the dominance in it is obvious.
I don’t know why I assumed he’d be less dominant because he’s a healer. I just always imagined them as soft souls, but then I remember Nina, and how she spoke to me. Her soul is far from soft.
Remy moves quickly, positioning himself between them before the tension can explode. Enough. Both of you. She doesn’t need this right now.”
Leo drags a shaking hand through his hair, breathing hard, then turns away, his fists clenched. “This can’t be happening,” he mutters, his voice raw. “It’s not possible. She’s mine. I felt it.”
“You did,” Jake says softly. “And so did I. She is overwhelmed, and you touching her right now will only make it worse. Give her some time.”
The silence that follows is deafening.
My heart feels like it’s splitting in two for Poppy and whatever this means. Because I’ve seen what true bonds look like. I’ve felt them. They’re beautiful and powerful, but they can also feel like they’re destroying you when you’re pulled in opposite directions.
Remy nces at me. “We should give them space. Let her rest, let him calm down.”
I nod, but I can’t bring myself to leave. Not yet. I need to see her eyes open. I need to know she’s okay.
Jake moves beside her again, pressing two fingers gently against her pulse. “She’s strong. She’ll wake soon,” he murmurs, pride leaking through his tone.
Behind me, Leo’s quiet voice cuts through the silence, full of heartbreak. “Then what?”
Jake looks up, meeting his gaze with that steady, unshakable calm. “Then we see if she wants this, if she wants us.”
I want to tell them that she already has a life, that she has chosen a path and is determined to stick to it, but I know it’s not my ce. Poppy has to have this discussion with them when she is ready.
Leo growls in frustration again, and Jake approaches him cautiously. “Leo, I am not your enemy. We are on the same side, and if she epts this, epts us, then we are about to be a lot closer than either of us ever imagined. You are still recovering from a near–fatal injury, and I’m still your healer, so please let me check you over.”
Leo’s eyes search his for a moment before he exhales, and his shoulders sag a little, then he nods. Jake checks his pulse and straps a blood pressure cuff to his arm.
“She’s going to be okay, Paige,” Parker says softly, his hand resting on my shoulder.
I nod, watching my sister breathe. She looks so peaceful like this, her expression soft. You’d never guess she was overwhelmed or stressed just from looking at her.
“Almost back to full health,” Jake says as he removes the cuff from Leo’s arm. “You were lucky she was there. I’m almost certain you wouldn’t have made it if she hadn’t got that bullet out in time. I’m interested in seeing what kind of bullet it was that stopped you from healing. You have no signs of wolfsbane poisoning.”
Remy clears his throat before speaking. “We have a cleanup crew going inter today to clean the scene. I’ll have the bullet brought to you.”
“Perfect.” Jake nods. “If they have something new that stops us from healing, we need to figure out what it is as soon as possible.”
The room feels heavy after that. Leo paces a few feet away, his energy like a live wire, while Jake stays at Poppy’s side, steady and still. They’re opposites in every way, like fire and water, but both look like they’d burn the world down if it meant protecting her.
I sink into the chair by the bed, watching Poppy’s chest rise and fall. I count the seconds between each breath, reassuring myself in the rhythm of it. I can’t shake the image of her. falling, one moment standing, the next copsing into his arms like her body had just given up.
“Are you sure she’s not in danger?” I whisper.
Jake nods without looking up. “Her system’s just overloaded. Think of this as a reboot of sorts.”
His voice is soft and certain. It should beforting, but the way he exins it makes my stomach twist.
Parker and Remy are quiet; their eyes have that faraway look that tells me they’re locked in aprivate conversation. Maybe keeping Ryder and Callen informed
I nce at Leo, his expression hits me like a punch. He’s trying so hard to hold it together, but his fear is impossible to miss. His jaw clenches every time Jake brushes a hand against Poppy’s arm, he’s scared she will choose Jake and not him. I doubt my sister will do that, she’s an all–or–nothing kind of girl.
Finally, I can’t stand the silence anymore. “She’s not just your mate,” I say quietly, breaking the air between them. “She’s my sister, and she’s scared of this new world enough as it is. When she wakes up, she’s going to need both of you to be patient, not territorial”
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 theynd 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 itst 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, cing 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,ying his hand gently over her chest, and I swear I see his hand glowing faintly. “That’s the bond trying to find bnce,” he says quietly. “You’re not being torn apart. You’re being rewritten.”<fn7836> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on find?novel</fn7836>
The words send a chill down my spine. I don’t know whether that’s meant tofort 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.
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