The Lost Pack (Paige) novel Chapter 278

< Book 2 – Chapter 43

** Poppy’s POV **

The room feels too heavy after my outburst. Like my mates and even the walls themselves are waiting to see what I’ll do next. My stomach is still in knots, heat and shame twisting together so tightly I can’t tell where one ends and the other begins.

Jake is staring at me like he’s trying to hold ten thoughts in his head at once, and Leo’s hand is still locked around my wrist. Not hurting, but not letting go either.

“You don’t deal with it alone anymore,” Leo says, his voice low and steady.

I let out a humourless breath. “I wasn’t planning to.”

The lie sits there between us, obvious and ugly. I’ve never been one to rely on others, not since I lost my parents. I had to learn very quickly to deal with my own problems, not because I had no one to lean on, but because Paige was going through enough without me adding to her load.

“We need to understand your limits before this happens again,” Jake says, all calm logic now, like that somehow makes this less terrifying.

“I don’t even know what this is,” I snap, harsher than I mean to.

“No,” he agrees. “But we know enough to stop pretending it’s nothing.”

“I’m not pretending anything.”

Jake’s brow lifts slightly, and I glare at him.

“Don’t.”

Leo releases my wrist only to step closer, his hand sliding to the small of my back instead. A warning and an anchor all at once.

“No more hiding it,” he says quietly.

Something in me bristles. “I’m not hiding…”

“You are.”

He holds my gaze, and there’s no anger there, just certainty.

“You don’t get to carry this by yourself anymore,” he says. “Not when you have me.”

The voice hums, thoughtful.

“He anchors you.”

I hate that it’s right. Or maybe I hate that some part of me reacts to it.

Jake exhales slowly. “We start small.”

I blink. “That means absolutely nothing comforting when it comes from you.”

His mouth twitches, almost making it into a smile.

“Close your eyes.”

I stare at him. “That sounds like a terrible idea.”

“I’ve got you,” Leo says at the same time.

I turn my head and look at him, and I know he means it. Not just in the general, supportive, emotional way either. He means physically. Like if I start to fall apart, he’ll put himself between me and whatever this is without a second thought.

The voice stirs again, quieter this time.

“Do you notice how much steadier you are when he touches you?”

I grit my teeth.

“Poppy” Jake prompts.

I let out a slow breath. “If this goes badly, I’m blaming both of you.”

“That seems fair,” Jake says.

Leo’s thumb brushes once against my back. “I’ll take it.”

Against my better judgement, I close my eyes.

At first, all I can feel is myself. The thud of my pulse, the tension in my shoulders, and the faint ache still pressing behind my temples. Not quite a headache, but close.

Then Leo. Warm and solid. Close enough that I can feel the heat of him at my back, the steady pressure of his hand grounding me in place. I settle a little. The voice is quiet, as if satisfied.

Then there’s Jake. I don’t feel him the same way. Not through touch or the bond, but I sense his presence and his focus. Something tugs at my chest and my breath catches.

The bond thrums low inside me, and I go still. There it is. That strange internal pull I’ve been trying not to examine too closely. It’s like a liquid current running beneath everything, quiet until you pay too much attention to it.

“Do you feel anything?” Jake asks.

“Yes,” I say before I can stop myself.

Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that.

“What?” Leo asks, softer.

I hesitate. Because I don’t know how to explain it without sounding insane.

“It’s like…” I swallow. “Like everything is louder when I stop fighting it.”

“There it is,” the voice murmurs.

My eyes fly open.

“Stop,” I whisper.

Jake’s expression sharpens. “What happened?”

“It spoke again, didn’t it?” Leo says, not taking his eyes off me.

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