The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 258

Book 2~ Chapter 23

** Poppy’s POV **

+25 Points

After spending the morning with Paige and the kids, we leave to give them some space to adapt to their

new family dynamics.

We stroll into town, taking our time to just be around each other without the pressure of being in a confined space. I love the cabin, I do, but there are no external distractions there. It all just feels a little too intimate, and I know that resisting the pull of the bond is wearing my mates down.

Out here, around other people, I feel like we can all breathe a little easier.

We stop for ice cream, and Leo insists on picking up a new Lego set for Jax, saying he needs a big brother gift, which almost melts me. Jake picks up a beautiful pink blanket for Liora, and I choose some cute outfits for her and a big box of donuts for Paige, Jaxon, and the guys. The afternoon feels like exactly what

the three of us needed.

By the time we get back to the cabin, it’s time for dinner. Jake reheats the food he made yesterday, and I can’t deny that I’m impressed. The lasagne is restaurant quality, even the day after.

We’ve barely finished eating when Jake’s eyes suddenly go distant, and he straightens in his chair.

“I’ve got to go,” he says, already standing and moving toward the door.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, just another birth at the clinic,” he replies, grabbing his bag. “I won’t be long.”

“I can come with you,” I offer, pushing up from the chair.

Jake pauses, then shakes his head.

“No. I’ve got an assistant I’m trying to train, and the mother already has two mates in the room. It’ll be crowded enough.”

I hesitate.

He looks at me for a second, then his mouth twitches slightly..

“You should stay here with Leo.”

The way he says it isn’t casual, and I don’t miss something flickering between the two of them, something unspoken,

Jake meets Leo’s gaze briefly, then looks back at me.

“Spend some time together,” he adds. “We’re going to be busy the next few days,”

Before I can question it, he’s already heading out the door, and the cabin falls quiet the second it closes behind him.

< Book 2 – Chapter 23

Leo doesn’t move, neither do I. For a moment, the silence stretches just enough to feel noticeable.

Then he reaches for the deck of cards on the table.

“Cards?” he asks.

I blink. “Seriously?”

A faint smirk tugs at his mouth. “Unless you’re scared of losing.”

“Please,” I snort. “You deal whilst I clear the dishes.”

+25 Points

It starts light, with a few sarcastic comments and a little teasing on both sides. I start to suspect he’s letting me win, so I decide to test him with a very obvious attempt at cheating that ends with Leo catching

my wrist mid-move.

“Really?” he says, raising a brow.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, giving him my most innocent smile.

“You just tried to steal a card.”

“I call it strategy.”

His thumb brushes lightly over my wrist in a small circle.

“Try again,” he dares.

My breath catches for half a second, just enough for him to notice. Of course he notices.

The playfulness fades into something more tense, and suddenly I’m hyperaware that it’s just us as he continues to stroke my wrist, right over my pulse point. Each gentle touch sends a small jolt of excitement through me. I’m not sure if this is the mate bond at work, or if it’s just been so long since I had me some adult fun. But whatever it is, he doesn’t miss my reaction to him.

“You’ve been avoiding this,” Leo says quietly.

I look up.

“Have I?”

“Yes,”

There’s no accusation in his voice, just truth. I exhale slowly, leaning back in my chair.

“I didn’t want to rush into anything.”

“You wouldn’t be,” he replies.

His gaze holds mine.

“We’ve waited long enough.”

The voice stirs softly.

2/6

+25 Points>

< Book 2 ~ Chapter 23

“He shouldn’t leave the pack unclaimed.”

My heart stutters. A streak of possessives running through me. What if he doesn’t come back? What if he meets another woman there? One the same species as him, who understands him and won’t leave him hanging in limbo for almost a year.

I push the thoughts to the back of my mind. When did I suddenly become so insecure? I focus back on Leo, on his last statement before the voice sent me into a jealous spiral.

“I know,” I admit, the words coming easier than I expect. “I just…” I trail off.

Because how do I explain something I barely understand myself?

Leo doesn’t push; he never does. He just waits.

“I don’t want to keep running from this,” I say finally.

His eyes soften slightly. “Then don’t.”

“If he leaves without completing the mate bond, he’ll be weaker.” The voice whispers again.

A chill slides down my spine. I want to ask what that means, but Leo is watching me too carefully for me to get into a conversation with the voice that’s living rent-free in my brain.

I meet his gaze again. His eyes are bright and glossy, his pupils larger, and something in them breaks through the last of my defences.

“I want this,” I say quietly.

The words settle between us. Real and unavoidable.

“With you.”

Leo doesn’t move at first. But I feel it. The shift. The way his control tightens just slightly.

“Are you sure?” he asks, giving me the chance to change my mind.

“Yes,”

Leo leans forward slightly, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I’m going to need you to say it, Poppy. I need you to be very clear about what it is that you want, because I

can’t mess this up again,” he says, his voice low.

He leans back in his seat; releasing my wrist to put a little distance between us. His lips part slightly and his chest barely moves as his breaths go shallow. I hate how vulnerable he looks right now… and the part of me that knows I’m the reason why.

I swallow, my mouth going dry as I try to find the words and the courage to say them out loud. I nod and

pick up my glass, sipping the water to buy myself a few more seconds.

“I want to mate with you, Leo,” I manage, my voice coming out shakier than I’d hoped. “I’m ready, so as

soon as you are, that’s if you still want to. I understand if…”

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< Book 2 – Chapter 23

“Now,” he cuts me off. “I’m ready now.”

+25 Points

My heart almost beats out of my throat as I register his words. It hits me like a physical thing, like the

ground has shifted beneath my feet and there’s no going back from this point.

Then I hesitate, just for a second.

“Jake…” I say softly, the name catching slightly in my throat. “Should we wait for him?”

The question feels heavier than I expected, but I have to be sure, because this isn’t just about the two of

Leo stills.

“We talked about this,” he says quietly.

His gaze holds mine, calm but certain.

“We’re not doing that to you again.”

A flicker of memory hits… too much, too fast, too overwhelming.

I swallow.

“He doesn’t want you to feel pressured,” Leo continues. “And neither do I.”

There’s no jealousy in his voice, no hesitation, just trust. In me. In us.

My chest tightens slightly at that, because this isn’t just about giving in to the pull anymore. It’s a choice,

and they’re letting me make it.

I nod slowly. “Okay.”

Leo is already moving before I fully process it, pushing his chair back slowly, like he’s giving me time to stop him. I don’t. I can’t, because the pull between us isn’t subtle anymore, It’s a live wire stretched tight, humming with something powerful and inevitable.

I stand too, my chair scraping softly against the floor, the sound far too loud in the quiet cabin. For a second, neither of us move. We just look at each other, and everything else fades, Even the voice in my head goes quiet, as if it’s holding its breath right along with me,

Leo takes a step forward, slow and deliberate. Like he’s approaching something fragile, or something dangerous. My heart pounds harder with every inch he closes between us,

“You can still change your mind,” he says, his voice rougher now, lower.

I shake my head immediately. “No.”

The word comes out stronger this time, certain.

Something flickers in his eyes at that. Something that feels a lot like relief. His hand lifts, hesitating for just a second before brushing against my cheek. The contact is soft and careful. But it sends a sharp, electric

spark racing through me, stealing my breath completely.

4/6

< Book 2 – Chapter 23

+25 Points

My eyes flutter shut for half a second, leaning into his touch before I even realise I’m doing it. That small movement seems to undo the last thread of control he’s holding onto. His other hand settles at my waist, pulling me just a fraction closer.

It’s not enough; it will never be enough. The air between us feels too thin, too charged. My fingers reach for the front of his shirt, gripping instinctively as I tilt my head up toward him.

“Poppy…” he murmurs, like a warning… or a prayer.

I don’t give him time to decide which. His breath ghosts over my lips, close enough to steal, but not quite touching. Like he’s waiting, like he needs me to choose it. I close the distance.

The kiss isn’t rushed or desperate. It’s something far more dangerous than that. It’s slow and intentional. Like we’re both trying to memorise it and ruin each other at the same time.

His hand tightens slightly at my waist, pulling me closer until there’s no space left between us, and the heat of him seeps into every inch of my skin. The bond flares. Bright, sharp, and alive. It rushes through me like a wave, pulling something deep inside me to the surface.

My breath catches against his lips, and I feel it, feel him, just as affected, just as gone.

“Do you feel that?” I whisper against his mouth.

“Yes,” he breathes, his forehead resting briefly against mine.

This is not just attraction or want. It’s something deeper. Something that feels like it’s been waiting just beneath the surface for this exact moment. My hands slide up, fingers brushing against the back of his neck, holding him there, because I’m afraid he might disappear if I let go.

“I’m not running this time,” I whisper.

His eyes open, locking onto mine.

“Good,” he says quietly. “Because neither am I.”

The words settle into my chest, grounding me even as everything else spirals into something hotter, heavier, impossible to ignore. His thumb brushes over my jaw again, slower this time.

Then his gaze drops to my lips, and whatever control we had left doesn’t just snap, it shatters.

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