John’s POV
The hum of the engine filled the silence between Jake and me as I drove through the dimly lit streets. The city blurred past, a mixture of neon lights and shadows, but my focus was elsewhere. Something in my chest felt… off. Like a weight pressing down, not painful, but present. An awareness I couldn’t shake.
Jake sat beside me, lost in his own thoughts, his fingers drumming against his knee. I knew what he was thinking about, Reyna. The need to get back to her, to see her safe with his own eyes. I understood that kind of devotion. Or at least, I thought I did.
But something had shifted in me.
I gripped the wheel tighter, staring at the road ahead. Reyna. The woman I had fought for, bled for, almost died for. The woman I had sworn to protect.
Yet, something was missing.
The bond, the pull I used to feel toward her, was dull, faded. Not gone, but distant-like a song played from another room, recognizable but no longer mine to claim.
I inhaled sharply, forcing my mind to focus. It wasn’t just about Reyna.
It was about Stephanie.
A name that shouldn’t cause a reaction-but it did. A name that sent an unexplainable pull through my chest, my veins, my very being.
I had fought beside her, stood beside her, but now? Now it was different. I was aware of her in a way that was unsettling, a way that I didn’t have words for.
The tires crunched over gravel as we pulled into the driveway. Jake was out of the car before I could even put it in park, his urgency a sharp contrast to my hesitation.
I exhaled slowly, watching him disappear into the house. My hands tightened around the wheel, as if I could physically ground myself to stop the thoughts swirling in my head.
This wasn’t normal.
This wasn’t logical.
I wasn’t the type to get caught up in feelings, especially not feelings I couldn’t explain.
I stepped out of the car, the night air cool against my skin. The house stood still, peaceful. A stark contrast to the chaos we had just left behind.
I made my way inside, my movements slow, deliberate. I wasn’t ready for whatever this was.
But it found me anyway.
Stephanie.
She stood at the top of the staircase, her golden hair spilling over her shoulder, her eyes scanning me with curiosity.
I felt it then.
The pull.
Stronger.
Undeniable.
It was like gravity had shifted, like something ancient and unspoken had been activated inside me.
My chest tightened. My pulse quickened.
This wasn’t normal.
“John?”
Her voice sent something sharp through me. My name on her lips felt different, like a whisper meant only for me.
I swallowed hard, trying to gather myself.
“Hey,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended.
Her brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”
No.
Not even close.
“Yeah,” I lied. “Just tired.”
She nodded slowly, as if she didn’t quite believe me.
Jake walked past us, oblivious to whatever was happening, his mind still on Reyna.
But I was stuck. Frozen in place.
Stephanie’s gaze lingered a second longer before she turned and disappeared down the hallway.
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.
Jake’s voice broke through my thoughts. “What the hell is going on with you?”
I turned, finding him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
“You tell me,” I muttered.
His gaze sharpened. “You’ve been acting weird since we left Marcus’ place.”
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t know, man. Something’s… off.”
Jake frowned. “Off how?”
I hesitated. “With Reyna.”
That got his attention. He straightened, his eyes narrowing.
“What about Reyna?”
I let out a slow breath. “I don’t feel the same.”
Silence stretched between us.
“Like… you don’t love her?” Jake asked carefully.
I shook my head. “It’s not that simple. I still care about her. I always will. But whatever connection I thought I had, it’s different now. Faded.”
Jake studied me for a moment. “And this has nothing to do with Stephanie?”
I stiffened.
His lips twitched. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
I glared at him. “It’s not funny.”
He shrugged. “I never said it was. Just… ironic.”
I sighed, leaning against the wall. “I don’t know what’s happening, Jake. It’s like something in me is shifting. And whenever she’s around, it gets worse. Or better. I don’t even know anymore.”
Jake’s smirk faded into something more thoughtful. “You ever think… maybe she’s your mate?”
The words hit me like a freight train.
I scoffed. “That’s not possible.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
Because Reyna was supposed to be mine? Because I had spent years believing that?
Because admitting this meant letting go of something I wasn’t sure I was ready to lose?
Jake sighed. “Look, man. I don’t know much about all that mate bond stuff, but I do know one thing, when it hits, it’s undeniable. And from where I’m standing, you’re already screwed.”
I shook my head. “This isn’t-”
“You can lie to yourself, but your body won’t. And neither will fate.”
Fate.
I hated that word.
It was too final.
Too real.
I ran a hand down my face. “I need time to think.”
Jake chuckled. “Yeah, well, good luck with that. Something tells me fate doesn’t give a damn about your schedule.”
I shot him a look, but he just grinned and walked away.
Leaving me alone with thoughts I didn’t want to have.
And a feeling I couldn’t ignore.