Jake’s POV
I sat at my desk, my fingers tapping rhythmically against the wood as I stared down at the reports scattered in front of me. The retreat of Marcus’s guards was puzzling, and my mind raced with possibilities. If Marcus was really pulling back, there had to be a reason-one that didn’t sit right with me. A soft knock broke my concentration, and I looked up as Seth stepped into the office.
“Alpha,” he greeted with a nod, his face tense. “It appears that Marcus has ordered his guards to retreat. They’ve all vacated the hidden positions around our borders.”
I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “Interesting,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes. “It’s two ways, Seth. Either someone from our side tipped them off about our plans, or they saw the odds and realized they’d be outnumbered before they even crossed the border.”
Seth’s mouth formed a tight line as he nodded. “Both are possibilities, but I’ll personally investigate. We need to be sure no one here is leaking information.”
“Good,” I replied, my gaze distant as I considered the ramifications. If there was a spy, they’d pay for it.
As we stood in silence, the door swung open, and I tensed involuntarily as Reyna strode in. She carried herself with the same boldness that always seemed to rile me up. Her eyes met mine, and I kept my expression stoic, hiding any reaction as I asked, “What do you want?”
A smirk tugged at her lips. “Does my presence irritate you, Jake?”
I shook my head slowly, ignoring the heat in her gaze that always seemed to challenge me. “Just get to the point, Reyna. Say what you came to say, or leave. I’m not in the mood.”
Her smirk faded a bit, but she didn’t back down. “I wanted to know about the timing for John’s mate selection,” she replied, lifting her chin as if daring me to react. “If he’s choosing a Luna, I need to know. I have to prepare.”
Seth looked between us, sensing the tension, and cleared his throat. “I’ll give you both a moment,” he muttered, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him, leaving us alone.
I pushed myself out of the chair and walked around my desk, standing close enough that Reyna had to tilt her head up slightly to keep eye contact. I took in her expression-the defiance, the barely hidden anxiety, the hint of something deeper she wouldn’t dare show.
“You’re so eager to be Luna, aren’t you?” I taunted, my voice low and cold. “Always so greedy, Reyna. You always want more.”
Her eyes narrowed, and I saw a flash of anger as her jaw clenched. Without a word, she raised her hand, clearly intending to slap me. I caught her wrist mid-air, holding it tightly as I stared down at her, our eyes locked in silent battle.
The room was silent, charged with an intensity I hadn’t allowed myself to acknowledge before. For a moment, I wasn’t sure what I’d do next. All I knew was that Reyna’s defiance, her strength-it stirred something in me, something raw and uncontrollable.
Without thinking, I pulled her closer, my hand still gripping her wrist as I lowered my head, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. For a second, she stiffened, her surprise evident, but then she melted against me, her free hand reaching up to rest on my chest as she responded.
The kiss was intense, unplanned, driven by years of tension and emotions I’d buried deep. As we parted, she looked up at me, her breathing ragged, her eyes wide with a mix of confusion and something else-something I couldn’t name.
I released her wrist slowly, feeling the weight of what had just happened settle in my chest. “You think you know what you want,” I said quietly, almost to myself. “But do you really?”
Reyna’s expression hardened, and she took a step back, distancing herself as she straightened her shoulders. “I know exactly what I want, Jake,” she replied, her voice steady but laced with an edge. “You don’t have to understand it.”
Her words hit me harder than I’d expected, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I shrugged, pretending indifference as I glanced back at my desk. “Then I suggest you be careful what you wish for,” I said, returning to my usual cold tone. “Because once you’re Luna, there’s no going back.”
She looked at me for a long moment, as if trying to read something in my expression. But I gave her nothing, not a flicker of what I was feeling, of the thoughts that were spiraling inside me. Finally, she nodded, her mouth set in a firm line, and without another word, she turned and walked out of the office.
The moment the door clicked shut, I exhaled, a heaviness pressing down on my chest. Reyna was a complication, a distraction. Yet, for reasons I couldn’t explain, I couldn’t shake the memory of that kiss-or the way it made me feel.
____
Reyna’s POV
As I walked down the corridor, my heart pounded, the kiss replaying in my mind. Jake had kissed me-a kiss filled with fire, tension, and something deeper that I couldn’t quite define. I clenched my fists, trying to shake the feeling, but it lingered, filling me with a confusing mix of anger and excitement.
By the time I reached my room, I’d replayed the moment a hundred times. What was Jake thinking? For as long as I’d known him, he’d always kept himself guarded, and he certainly never treated me with anything more than cold detachment. And yet, in that brief moment, there was something vulnerable there-something raw.
I closed my door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath to steady myself. I had to keep my mind on what mattered. With the pack’s future on the line, the last thing I needed was a distraction, especially one as dangerous as Jake. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t push the memory away.
Just then, there was a knock at my door, and I jumped slightly, feeling my cheeks warm. I quickly composed myself and opened it, relieved to see Stephanie standing there.
“Hey, everything alright?” she asked, her face a mix of concern and curiosity.
I nodded quickly, gesturing for her to come in. “Yeah, just… a lot on my mind.”
She stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her, her gaze studying me. “You sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or… something else.”
I sighed, trying to brush it off. “It’s nothing, really. Just the usual pack politics. You know how it is.”
She gave me a skeptical look but didn’t push further. “Alright, if you say so. But I’m here if you need to talk.”
I nodded, grateful for her presence. Stephanie had always been a grounding force in my life, and right now, I needed that stability more than ever. As she settled into the chair by the window, I sat across from her, allowing myself a moment of calm.
“So, what’s the latest with the pack?” she asked, trying to keep the conversation light, though I could sense her underlying concern.
“Apparently, Marcus’s guards were seen retreating from the borders,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Jake thinks they either found out about our defenses or… someone might’ve tipped them off.”
Stephanie’s brows furrowed. “A spy? But who would do that?”
I shrugged, though the thought gnawed at me. “It’s hard to say. Whoever it is, they’re keeping their tracks well hidden.”
We sat in silence for a moment, both of us lost in our thoughts. Finally, Stephanie broke the quiet, her voice barely above a whisper. “You know, Reyna, whatever happens, we have to look out for each other. This pack… it’s been our home, but sometimes I feel like it’s slipping away.”
Her words struck a chord in me. I knew exactly what she meant. I had always fought for my place here, but as the threats loomed closer and the lines blurred, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the pack wasn’t the same as it used to be.
“We’ll figure it out,” I said, trying to sound confident. “We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”
She gave me a small smile, but her eyes remained troubled. “Yeah, we have.”
As Stephanie left, I found myself standing alone, staring at the door. Her words echoed in my mind, mingling with the memory of Jake’s kiss. This was more than just pack politics, and I knew it. The choices I made now would define my future here, and I had to decide where my loyalties truly lay.
Did I want to be Luna just for the title, or was there something more I was fighting for? And Jake-what did he truly feel beneath that guarded exterior? These were questions I couldn’t answer yet, but I knew one thing: I couldn’t let my emotions get the best of me.
Straightening up, I made a silent vow to myself. No matter what lay ahead, I would remain focused, stay vigilant, and protect those I cared about.