Chapter 282: Book 2 ~ Chapter 47

Poppy’s POV

Ronnie doesn’t waste time after that. Blood samples are taken quickly from us all. Jake handles most of it with steady hands and a focused expression, as if he’s clinging to something he understands. Something that makes sense to him… science.

I can barely feel the needle. Or maybe I do, and it just doesn’t register. As if it belongs to someone else, I watch it slide into my arm, like I’ve detached myself from my own body. The room feels distant, as if everything’s happening around me, and I’m not quite part of it anymore.

Ronnie watches the whole time, quiet and thoughtful, like he’s already making plans. When it’s done, he exhales slowly.

“For now,” he says, glancing briefly toward the door, toward where Paige had been, “distance is your safest option.”

My chest tightens.

“She’s my sister,” I say automatically. “I can’t avoid her forever.”

“I know,” he replies, softer this time. “But right now, being near her is making this worse.”

I don’t argue because I’ve already felt it.

“I’ll take the samples to the lab. You two should take Poppy back to the cabin,” Ronnie adds, his gaze shifting to Leo and Jake. “Keep the space between them until we understand this better.”

Leo nods once, his jaw tight. Jake hesitates, just for a second, torn between wanting to be with me and wanting to do his job here, but then he nods stiffly.

The walk back is quiet. Leo doesn’t let go of me, his hand stays wrapped around mine, firm and grounding, like he’s anchoring me in place. Jake walks on my other side, close enough that I can feel him there, even when he doesn’t touch me.

None of us speak, probably because there’s too much sitting between us. By the time we reach the cabin, the silence is unbearable.

Leo pushes the door open and guides me inside before following close behind. The cabin is dim, the curtains still closed since we left last night. The air smells faintly of wood smoke and something familiar and safe. It doesn’t help. Jake shuts it softly, the click echoing louder than it should.

I pull my hand free, needing space.

“Poppy…” Leo starts.

“No,” I cut in, turning to face them both. “Don’t. Not yet.”

They both stop. Jake more easily than Leo.

I pace once across the room, dragging a hand through my hair before turning back.

“That baby…” My voice catches and I force it steady. “You’re sure I saved it?”

Jake doesn’t hesitate this time. “Yes.”

“And the tree died because of it.”

“Yes.”

I let out a sharp breath, shaking my head.

“So that’s it?” I ask. “That’s how this works now? I just… what… something lives and something else pays for it?”

“You didn’t choose that,” Jake says gently.

“That’s worse,” I fire back. “At least if I chose it, it would make sense.”

Jake steps forward.

“That’s not the only thing we need to talk about,” he says quietly.

My stomach churns. I already know where this is going.

“Jake…” I start.

“Why not?” he asks.

The question is soft, but it lands like a punch.

I blink at him. “What?”

“Why don’t you want to mate with me?”

Leo goes still behind me.

Jake doesn’t look away.

“I thought…” he continues, his voice steady but quieter now, more vulnerable than I’ve ever heard. “I thought we were heading there. Before all of this.”

My chest twists painfully.

“Jake, it’s not…”

“Because if it is me,” he cuts in, “then I need to know.”

God. The space suddenly feels too small, the air too warm.

“No,” I say immediately, shaking my head as I step toward him without thinking. “No, it’s not you. It’s not even close to being you.”

His expression doesn’t fully ease. So I try harder.

“You’re…” I stop, searching for the right words. “You’re everything I didn’t even realise I needed.”

That gets his attention.

“You’re steady when everything else isn’t,” I continue. “You think things through. You don’t panic, you don’t push.”

My throat tightens slightly.

“And you make me feel safe,” I admit.

Jake doesn’t move, but his shoulders drop, just a fraction.

“I do want you,” I say, quieter now. “I want to mate with you. I came back here to mate with both of you.”

Leo shifts slightly behind me at that.

“But I need it to happen naturally, because we choose it,” I add. “Not because something is forcing it. Not because I’m scared of what happens if I don’t.”

Jake’s gaze searches mine.

“And what if Ronnie’s right?” he asks gently. “What if this is the only way to stabilise it?”

My stomach twists.

“That’s what scares me,” I admit.

I step back slightly, needing the space to breathe.

“What if I’m not like Paige?” I continue. “What if this doesn’t fix it?”

My pulse starts to climb again.

“What if it makes it worse?”

Jake doesn’t answer straight away. Instead, his eyes flick to Leo over my shoulder. Leo steps closer, his hand finding my waist again. The voice is too quiet, which only worries me more.

“It won’t,” Jake finally says.

I shake my head. “You don’t know that.”

“No,” he admits. “But we won’t let it get that far.”

I let out a shaky breath.

“That’s the problem,” I whisper. “I don’t know what it is yet. I don’t know what it takes, or how it decides…”

My voice falters, and I squeeze my eyes shut, giving myself a moment to compose myself.

“And I don’t want to risk dragging you down with me,” I add, my gaze locking onto Jake’s. “Either of you.”

Something shifts in his expression, the hurt melting away as his eyes fill with understanding.

“And if it comes down to it?” he asks quietly.

The question sits heavy between us; I swallow hard.

“If I become a danger…” I start, my voice unsteady now. “If I can’t control it…”

Leo tenses.

“Poppy…”

“If I can’t control it,” I repeat, stronger this time, lifting my chin, “then we do it.”

Jake holds my gaze, and Leo goes very still.

“But not because it tells me to,” I add quickly. “Not because something’s pushing me into it, but because I decide it’s the only way to keep everyone else safe.”

“Okay,” Jake nods slowly.

Leo exhales, rubbing the back of his neck before stepping back just slightly, leaning against the back of the couch.

“Okay,” he agrees, quieter now.

The tension doesn’t break, but settles into something new. Something fragile and dangerous, and underneath it all, the pull is still there, stronger than ever.