Two Mates, One Heart

Chapter 4 Facing the Past

**JAKE'S POV**

I knew the moment Mia reached out through the mate bond.

I was in my room at the pack house, reviewing security reports that I couldn't focus on, when suddenly I felt her. After three years of silence, there she was—her presence in my mind like a light turning on in a dark room.

It only lasted a second before she shut it down again. But that one second was enough to make my hands shake and my heart race.

She was here. Really here. Not just in Silverpaw territory, but close enough that I could feel her through the bond.

I stood up, pacing my room like a caged animal. Should I go to her? Should I give her space? Should I—

A knock on my door interrupted my spiraling thoughts.

"It's me," Ryan's voice called. "Can I come in?"

I opened the door. Ryan looked as wrecked as I felt—his dark hair was messy like he'd been running his hands through it, and his blue eyes were wild.

"You felt it too," he said. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah."

We stood there for a moment, two males bonded to the same female, feeling the same confusing mix of emotions.

"What do we do?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know. What CAN we do?"

Ryan walked past me into my room and collapsed into my desk chair. Over the past month since I'd been back, we'd developed an odd friendship. It was weird being friends with the guy who shared your mate, but also... who else could understand what we were going through?

"We could go to her house," Ryan suggested. "Just show up and talk to her."

"That's a terrible idea. We'd scare her off."

"Then what? We wait for her to come to us? That could take forever!"

"Ryan, we messed up three years ago. Both of us. Me by leaving, you by... I don't know, existing?" I ran a hand through my hair. "We can't just expect her to forgive us overnight."

"I don't expect that. But I've waited three years to see her. To talk to her. To apologize." Ryan's voice cracked slightly. "I'm not waiting anymore, Jake. Tomorrow, I'm finding her and telling her everything I should have said when she left."

Part of me wanted to do the same thing. The other part was terrified.

"What if she rejects us?" I asked quietly. "What if she tells us she doesn't want the mate bond anymore?"

"Then at least we'll know. At least we'll have tried." Ryan stood up and headed for the door, then paused. "You know what our biggest problem is?"

"What?"

"We keep making decisions FOR Mia instead of WITH her. I did it when I told her I'd wait without asking what she wanted. You did it when you left without talking to her first. Maybe it's time we let her have a say in her own life."

After he left, I sat on my bed, staring at nothing.

Ryan was right. We'd both been selfish in different ways. And if Mia was really back, really here... maybe it was time to stop being cowards and start being the mates she deserved.

---

**MIA'S POV**

I got to the pack house at dawn, hoping to avoid running into Jake or Ryan. Luna Sarah had given me a key and told me my office was on the second floor.

Head Tracker. I still couldn't believe it.

The pack house was quiet this early. I snuck up the stairs like a thief, found my office—a small room with a desk, filing cabinets, and a wall covered in territorial maps—and locked myself inside.

For an hour, I busied myself organizing files and studying patrol routes. Anything to avoid thinking about the fact that Jake's room was probably somewhere in this same building.

A knock on my door made me jump.

"Mia? It's Luna Sarah. Can I come in?"

I opened the door to find Sarah holding two cups of coffee. She handed me one with a knowing smile.

"Hiding?" she asked.

"Strategically avoiding," I corrected.

She laughed and sat in the chair across from my desk. "The boys know you're here. They felt you through the bond last night."

My cheeks burned. "That was an accident."

"Mia, you're going to have to talk to them eventually. They work in this building. Jake's office is just down the hall."

My stomach dropped. "Down the hall?"

"And Ryan runs the training grounds right outside." Sarah sipped her coffee calmly. "There's no avoiding them, honey. This is a small pack."

She was right, of course. I couldn't hide forever.

"I don't know what to say to them," I admitted. "Especially Jake. He left me, Sarah. He read my messages where I told him I loved him and he just... left."

"I know. And what he did was wrong. But Mia, he was fifteen and scared. You were both so young." Sarah leaned forward. "I'm not saying you have to forgive him. But maybe you could hear his side? Hear both their sides?"

"What if I don't like what they have to say?"

"Then you tell them that and you move on. But at least you'll have closure."

Closure. That's what I'd been missing for three years—closure.

"Okay," I said finally. "I'll talk to them. But on my terms, when I'm ready."

"Fair enough." Sarah stood up. "Now, want to come meet the tracking team? They're excited to meet their new boss."

The tracking team consisted of five wolves—two men, three women, all older than me. I'd been worried they'd resent having such a young Head Tracker, but they were welcoming and professional.

"We've heard great things about your training," said Marcus, one of the trackers. "Aunt Marie sent us your records. Impressive stuff."

"Thank you. I'm looking forward to working with all of you."

We spent the morning going over current tracking projects—missing pets, lost hikers, monitoring the borders for rogue activity. It felt good to be working again, to have a purpose beyond wallowing in my complicated feelings.

I was so focused that I didn't notice someone enter the training grounds until I heard a familiar voice.

"The new recruits need to work on their formation. They're leaving gaps on the eastern flank."

Ryan's voice. Deep and calm and so achingly familiar that my heart squeezed.

I looked up from the tracking map I'd been studying. There he was, about fifty feet away, talking to a group of young warriors. He was bigger than I remembered—more muscular, more filled out. His black hair was longer, pulled back in a small ponytail. Tattoos I'd never seen before covered his forearms.

He was beautiful.

As if sensing my gaze, Ryan's head turned. Our eyes locked across the training grounds.

For a moment, the world stopped. Three years collapsed into nothing. We were fifteen again, standing in that clearing, feeling the mate bond snap into place for the first time.

Ryan's expression went from shocked to hopeful to terrified in the span of seconds. He took a step toward me.

I panicked.

"I have to go," I told my tracking team quickly. "Excuse me."

I practically ran back to the pack house, my heart hammering. I'd almost made it to my office when I heard footsteps running behind me.

"Mia, wait!"

Ryan's voice. Closer now.

I stopped but didn't turn around. I couldn't look at him yet. Not when I was this close to falling apart.

"Please," Ryan said, slightly out of breath. "Just... give me five minutes. That's all I'm asking."

Slowly, I turned to face him.

He stood in the hallway, hands shoved in his pockets like he didn't trust himself not to reach for me. His blue eyes were intense, desperate.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi."

"You came back."

"I came back."

We stood there in awkward silence. Three years of distance between us and no idea how to bridge it.

"I'm sorry," Ryan finally said. "For everything. For that night at the Moon Festival when I made everything complicated. For not fighting harder to make you stay. For—"

"Ryan, stop." I held up a hand. "You don't have to apologize. None of that was your fault."

"Then why do I feel like it was?" His voice cracked. "You left because of me. Because having two mates was too much. If I hadn't been here—"

"If you hadn't been here, I'd still be only half-complete." The words came out before I could stop them. "The Moon Goddess gave me two mates for a reason, Ryan. I don't understand it, but I know it's not a mistake. You're not a mistake."

His eyes widened with hope. "Then... you don't hate me?"

"I never hated you. I was confused and hurt and overwhelmed. But I never hated you."

Ryan took a step closer. The mate bond between us thrummed to life, warm and insistent. I could smell him—rain and cinnamon, exactly like I remembered.

"I waited," he said quietly. "Three years. I never looked at anyone else. Never wanted anyone else. Because you're my mate, Mia. And I'm not giving up on that."

Tears pricked my eyes. "Ryan..."

"I know you're not ready. I know we have a lot to talk about and figure out. But I need you to know—I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. And when you're ready to try this, really try this, I'll be waiting."

Before I could respond, another voice interrupted from down the hall.

"Ryan? Is that— Mia?"

I looked past Ryan to see Jake standing in a doorway. And just like with Ryan, the years collapsed.

Jake had changed even more than Ryan had. He was huge now—at least 6'1" with broad shoulders and muscles that strained against his black t-shirt. His brown hair was longer, messier. A scar ran through his right eyebrow. His green eyes—those eyes I'd dreamed about for three years—stared at me with an expression I couldn't read.

"Jake," I whispered.

He walked toward us slowly, like he was approaching a wild animal that might bolt. When he got close enough, I could see he was shaking slightly.

"You're here," he said, his voice rough. "You're really here."

"I'm here."

Jake and Ryan stood on either side of me in the hallway. The three of us together for the first time in three years. The mate bond pulsed between us—three people connected by invisible threads that pulled and tugged and refused to let go.

"We need to talk," Jake said. Not a question. A statement.

"All three of us," Ryan added. "No more running. No more hiding."

They were right. It was time.

"Okay," I agreed, my voice steadier than I felt. "We'll talk. But not here. Too many people."

"The clearing," Jake suggested. "Where we used to meet as kids. It's private."

The clearing. Where Jake and I had played as children. Where we'd shared our first kiss when we were fourteen (a quick, awkward peck that made us both blush for weeks). Where everything had been simple and perfect before the Moon Festival complicated everything.

"Tomorrow night," I said. "After dinner. We'll all meet there."

Both boys nodded.

As I walked away, I could feel their eyes on me. Feel the mate bond stretching between us like a rubber band, trying to pull us back together.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I'd face both my mates and finally figure out if we could fix what had been broken.

Or if some things were too shattered to repair.

---

**LILY'S POV**

I was hiding in the bushes outside the pack house like a total creeper, watching the whole thing through the windows.

Okay, fine. I was spying. But could you blame me? My sister finally came face-to-face with both her mates after three years! This was better than any drama on TV!

"What are you doing?"

I jumped about three feet in the air. Chris, my wonderful, sweet, totally-not-sneaky mate, stood behind me with an amused expression.

"Shh!" I pulled him down into the bushes. "I'm watching Mia!"

"By hiding in a bush?"

"How else am I supposed to know what's happening?"

Chris peered through the leaves. Inside the pack house, we could see Mia, Jake, and Ryan standing in an intense triangle of awkwardness.

"Wow," Chris breathed. "The tension is crazy even from here."

"Right?! This is so intense!" I grabbed his arm excitedly. "Do you think they're going to work it out? Do you think they're going to try the three-mate bond thing?"

"I think," Chris said, gently pulling me out of the bush, "that it's none of our business and we should let them figure it out privately."

"But Chris—"

"Lily." He gave me that look. The one that said he loved me but also thought I was being ridiculous. "Your sister just got back. She probably needs space and support, not you spying on her."

He was right. Ugh, why was he always right?

"Fine," I grumbled. "But I'm totally asking her about it later!"

---

**MIA'S POV**

I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Jake's face. That scar above his eyebrow—how did he get it? What had he been through in those three years?

And Ryan. Sweet, patient Ryan who'd waited for me. Who'd kept his promise even though I'd given him no reason to.

The next day dragged by. I tried to focus on work, on learning the patrol routes and tracking protocols. But my mind kept wandering to the upcoming meeting.

What would I even say? "Sorry I ran away but also you ran away first so we're even"? That seemed childish.

Luna Sarah found me in my office that afternoon, staring blankly at a map.

"Nervous about tonight?" she asked.

"Is it that obvious?"

She smiled and sat down. "Mia, I want to tell you something. Something I probably should have told you three years ago."

I looked up, curious.

"The three-mate bond—the Triple Bond—is incredibly rare. The last one was over two hundred years ago. Do you know what all Triple Bonds have in common?"

I shook my head.

"They appear when a pack is in danger. When there's a threat that normal mates can't handle alone. The Moon Goddess creates Triple Bonds to protect her wolves." Sarah's expression turned serious. "Your bond with Jake and Ryan isn't just about love, Mia. It's about power. When all three of you complete the mate bond, you'll be incredibly strong. Strong enough to protect this entire pack from supernatural threats."

My mind reeled. "So... I'm supposed to be some kind of super-wolf?"

"Not just you. All three of you together." Sarah squeezed my hand. "I'm telling you this because I want you to understand—what you have with Jake and Ryan is special. Important. The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes."

After she left, I sat there processing. A Triple Bond. Created to protect the pack. That's why I had two mates?

Part of me felt overwhelmed by the responsibility. But another part felt... hopeful. Like maybe this wasn't a curse after all. Maybe it was a gift I just didn't understand yet.

As the sun started to set, I changed into jeans and a comfortable sweater. I put on my jade bracelet—my good luck charm. And I walked into the forest toward the clearing where Jake, Ryan, and I would finally talk.

The clearing looked exactly the same. A circle of soft grass surrounded by tall trees. A fallen log where Jake and I used to sit and talk for hours.

Jake and Ryan were already there, standing on opposite sides of the clearing like they didn't know what to do with themselves.

When I walked in, they both turned to look at me.

"Hi," I said awkwardly.

"Hi," they echoed.

For a long moment, none of us spoke. Then Jake cleared his throat.

"I'll go first," he said. "Because I owe you the biggest apology."

He stepped closer, and I could see his hands were shaking.

"Mia, leaving you was the worst mistake of my life. Every single day of the past three years, I've regretted it. I read your messages—the ones where you told me you loved me, where you asked me to give us a chance. And I ran away like a coward instead of fighting for what we had."

His voice cracked and I could see tears in his eyes.

"I was scared," Jake continued. "Scared of sharing you. Scared of not being enough. Scared of being different from other wolves. But that's no excuse. I should have stayed. I should have talked to you. I should have been brave enough to at least try."

"Why didn't you?" I asked quietly. "Why didn't you answer my messages?"

Jake looked down at his feet. "Because I was ashamed. Because I knew I'd hurt you and I didn't know how to fix it. And the longer I waited, the harder it got to reach out. I convinced myself you'd moved on, that you were better off without me. But Mia... I never moved on. I never stopped loving you."

Tears ran down my cheeks. All the pain I'd carried for three years was bubbling up.

"You broke my heart," I whispered.

"I know. And I'm so, so sorry."

Ryan stepped forward next. "My turn?"

I nodded, wiping my eyes.

"Mia, I'm sorry too. Not for being your mate—I'll never apologize for that. But for not fighting harder when you left. I let you go without a real explanation of how I felt. I just said 'I'll wait' like that was enough. But you deserved more than that."

Ryan's blue eyes were intense as he looked at me.

"I should have told you that from the moment I saw you, even before the mate bond snapped into place, I thought you were the most incredible person I'd ever met. I should have told you that sharing you with Jake didn't make me love you less—it made me grateful that I got to be part of something so special. I should have told you that yes, I waited for you, but not out of obligation. I waited because you're worth waiting for."

I was full-on crying now, and I didn't even care.

"I'm sorry too," I said through my tears. "I ran away instead of trying to work things out. I blamed Ryan for existing when none of it was his fault. I shut you both out because I was hurt and confused and didn't know how to handle having two mates."

"You were fifteen," Jake said gently. "We all were. We were kids dealing with something way bigger than us."

"But we're not kids anymore," Ryan added.

He was right. We weren't the scared fifteen-year-olds from the Moon Festival. We'd grown, changed, become stronger.

"So what do we do now?" I asked.

Jake and Ryan looked at each other, then back at me.

"We try," Jake said simply. "We try to make this work. All three of us together."

"It won't be easy," Ryan warned. "There's a lot of hurt to work through. A lot of trust to rebuild."

"I know," I said. "But I'm willing to try if you both are."

"I am," Jake said immediately.

"So am I," Ryan agreed.

The three of us stood in the clearing as the last light faded from the sky. Three people connected by bonds we didn't choose but couldn't deny.

"Can I hug you?" Jake asked quietly. "I've dreamed about hugging you for three years."

I nodded, unable to speak.

Jake crossed the distance between us in two long strides and pulled me into his arms. He was so much bigger than I remembered, but he still smelled the same—marshmallows and pine. The mate bond flared to life between us, warm and right and perfect.

I felt Ryan hesitate, then he wrapped his arms around both of us from behind. Rain and cinnamon mixed with Jake's scent, and suddenly I was surrounded by both my mates.

For the first time in three years, I felt complete.

We stood like that for a long time, just holding each other. No talking, no planning, no figuring out the future. Just being together.

Finally, Jake pulled back slightly to look at me. "I love you, Mia. I never stopped."

"I love you too," Ryan said softly.

I looked from one to the other—my two mates, so different but both perfect in their own ways.

"I love you both," I admitted. "It scared me before, loving two people. But I do. Equally. Completely."

"Good," Jake said with a small smile. "Because we're not letting you go again."