The cold night air bit at my skin as I sat close to the dwindling fire, trying to draw any remaining warmth from it.

The stress that had lingered from the earlier confrontation between Mascot and Jacob still hung heavily in the air. I glanced at the group around me, each of us lost in our own thoughts, the silence thick and uncomfortable.

Mascot sat to my left, his eyes staring into the flames, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere—maybe still on our unfinished conversation. On my right, Jacob kept his distance, his body tense, radiating frustration from our earlier argument. He avoided looking at me, but I could feel the burden of his emotions even without eye contact.

I looked further across the fire, where Clara sat quietly, her knees pulled up to her chest. Ethan was next to her, though he wasn’t saying much either. His protective instincts over Clara were noticeable in the way he leaned slightly toward her, keeping a close watch, though he kept up his gruff demeanor. Clara, ever the quiet one, fidgeted with her hands, her eyes occasionally flicking up to glance at Ethan before quickly looking away.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. We were supposed to be resting, regrouping for whatever was next, but there was no peace here. Even Seth, who had been on the lookout earlier, sat quietly on the far edge of the camp, his eyes scanning the trees as if he were trying to spot dangers that weren’t there yet. Everyone was on edge, the weight of the days past heavy on us all.

“Ethan,” I said, breaking the silence, “how long do you think it’ll take for Eden’s forces to reach us?” He looked up, surprised I’d spoken to him, before glancing toward the shadows of the trees.

“Not long,” he replied gruffly, his gaze narrowing. “We’ve been lucky so far, but luck runs out eventually. The witches small protection spell seems to be working after all. But, we should prepare to move soon.” Clara nodded in agreement, though she didn’t say anything.

The electricity between her and Ethan was palpable, but it was different from the tension between me, Mascot, and Jacob. It was something new, something budding but inexplicable. I couldn’t help but notice how close they were sitting, how her shoulder brushed against his every now and then.

“I agree,” Mascot finally spoke up, his voice low but resolute. “We can’t stay here forever. The longer we wait, the harder it’ll be to stay hidden.” I could feel Jacob stiffen beside me, but he didn’t say anything. His silent frustration seemed to pulse in the space between us, and I knew I’d have to address it sooner rather than later.

But how could I, when I was still torn between him and Mascot? Between my past with Jacob and whatever strange pull Mascot had over me?

“I’ll take the first watch,” Seth volunteered, standing up and dusting off his pants even though he just returned from his earlier scouting. He moved to the perimeter of our little camp, scanning the area with a sharp gaze.

“No point in all of us sitting here, stewing in our own thoughts. Get some rest.” I nodded, grateful for the distraction. Everyone else shifted uncomfortably, as if unsure what to do with themselves in the tense silence that had fallen over us. Clara hesitated for a moment before standing up.

“I think I’ll head to bed,” she said quietly, glancing briefly at Ethan. He gave her a nod, though his expression remained unreadable. She disappeared into one of the makeshift tents we had set up, leaving the rest of us around the fire.

With Clara gone, the atmosphere felt even more strained. I watched as Mascot, still deep in thought, rose to his feet. He didn’t say a word, just gave me a quick look before heading off into the darkness to check on something, or maybe just to be alone.

The moment he left, the air felt even heavier, charged with something unspoken between Jacob and me. I tried to focus on the fire, but the crackling flames offered little comfort. My thoughts were scattered, torn between everything going on in the world and the chaos in my heart.

Jacob hadn’t said anything since our conversation earlier, but I knew he was waiting—waiting for me to address the unspoken strain that had been building between us for days. I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze on me.

Slowly, I turned to look at him, but his eyes were fixed on the ground, his jaw tight. The firelight danced across his face, casting shadows that made him look more distant, more unreachable than ever.

“Jacob,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. He didn’t respond at first, but after a moment, his eyes lifted to meet mine. The hurt I saw there made my heart ache. “We need to talk,” I continued, the words heavy on my tongue. “About…everything.” He let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping slightly.

“Yeah,” he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. “I guess we do.” The silence between us stretched on as we both struggled to find the right words.

It wasn’t just about the tension with Mascot anymore. It was about everything—the years we had spent together, the loyalty, the friendship, and now, this strange, unfamiliar feeling that had grown between us in the midst of all our problems.

“I don’t want to lose you,” I said finally, my voice trembling slightly. “But I don’t know how to make sense of all of this. I don’t know how to choose between you and Mascot.”

Jacob flinched at my words, and for a moment, I regretted speaking so bluntly. But then he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking more vulnerable than I’d ever seen him.

“I don’t want to make you choose,” he said quietly. “But it’s killing me, Tasha. Watching you with him, knowing you care about him…it hurts.”

“I care about you too, Jacob,” I said quickly, reaching out to touch his arm. “I always have. You’ve been there for me when no one else was. You’re my fated mate. But… Mascot, he—”

“I know,” Jacob interrupted, his voice soft but strained. “He saved you too. Severally. And I get it. You have feelings for him, but I just… I can’t pretend it doesn’t bother me.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Ethan stepped forward from the shadows, catching both of our attention. His face was set in a serious expression, and I could tell he’d been listening.

“We need to stay focused,” he said, his tone firm. “I get that things are…complicated between you three, but now isn’t the time to get lost in emotions.” Jacob shot Ethan an annoyed glance, but didn’t argue. He knew Ethan was right. We couldn’t afford to let our personal issues get in the way of the bigger fight—defeating Eden.

Ethan’s gaze flickered toward where Clara had disappeared into the tent, and for a brief moment, I saw something in his eyes—something soft, almost tender. He was good at hiding his emotions, but it was becoming harder to ignore the growing connection between him and Clara.

“I’ll take second watch,” Ethan muttered before turning and walking off into the woods, leaving Jacob and me alone again. The silence returned, but this time, it felt different. Less suffocating, more charged with anticipation. Jacob shifted beside me, and I could feel the warmth of his body as he leaned a little closer.

“Tasha,” he whispered, his voice low and rough, “I need to know…if there’s still a chance for us.” His words sent a shiver down my spine, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn’t know how to answer him.

The connection between us had always been there, but now, it felt like something more—something neither of us had fully acknowledged until this moment. Jacob’s hand brushed mine, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. I met his gaze, and the intensity in his eyes made my breath catch.

“I—” I started to speak, but the words got stuck in my throat. My mind raced, torn between the feelings I had for him and the complications that came with Mascot. But before I could say anything, Jacob leaned in, his face inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin.

My heart hammered in my chest as I realized what was about to happen. And for a moment, everything else—Mascot, the war with Eden, the dangers surrounding us—faded away.

There was only Jacob, and the intensity of the moment between us. I closed my eyes, letting the world fall away as Jacob’s lips hovered just inches from mine.