Chapter Twenty Five

CRACKS IN THE MIRROR

GABRIELLA'S POV

I didn’t know how I made it to the guest room.

I don’t even remember the walk. All I could feel was the sound of Jax’s voice echoing over and over in my head.

"You let him touch you."

I press my shaky hand to my mouth to keep the sob from escaping. My eyes were beginning to sting from my tears,  my chest hurt from how much I was trying to hold it in, and my legs felt like they might give out any second. Still, I forced myself forward, taking my shaky legs slowly from foot in front of the other, until I reached the guest wing.

I opened the door and looked inside, my wet eyes scanning the room that felt so…dry. There was no Jax’s smell, no Jax’s clothes. Not even his presence. I slipped into the room, feeling my heart grow heavy.

I leaned my back against the door and slid down to the floor, grabbing my knees and hugging it to my chest as my hands trembled around them. My eyes burned so bad, but I refused to let the tears fall now. I’d already cried enough. In front of him. In front of Jack and Jax.

And still, it wasn’t enough.

How had everything gone so wrong? Where have I done so wrong?

I buried my face into my knees and sucked in a shaky breath. The room felt so cold and unfamiliar. It wasn't like Jax’s room, which smelled like pinewood and musk, or felt like home when he held me close.

Why did that kiss have to happen?

Why did Jack do it?

Why did Jax…gods, why did Jax look at me like I was the villain?

I suck in a shaky breath.

I didn’t even do anything wrong. Jack kissed me. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t want it. I pushed him away. I tried. Damn it! I really tried.

But the photo didn’t show that. It didn’t show how I had to struggle to get out of Jack's grasp. Or how I had hit him before he had let me go.

I cleaned my eyes with the back of my hands, but the tears wouldn’t stop. They kept falling, as if my body needed to grieve this in full. The worst part? I didn’t even know who took the photo.

Who was watching us? Who had been waiting for this perfect moment to destroy me? What was their motive?

A knock echoed at the door, vibrating at my back. I didn't move. But then, another knock came in, this time it was more firm and a little aggressive.

“Gabriella?” His voice sounded through my ears. Jack. It was Jack.

I froze. My body went cold. Then a surge of anger ran through me.

“I just want to talk,” he said through the door. “Please.”

My voice came out low and sharp. “Go away.”

“I’m not leaving until we talk.”

I stayed silent, not moving from my position.

A moment passes. Then he speaks again, and this time there’s steel behind his voice.

"Please," he said, his voice muffled through the wood. "I didn’t mean for this to happen. I just want to talk."

I stood up and opened the door halfway, glaring at him. "Talk? You want to talk now? After you ruined everything?"

A beat passed and there was silence for a long moment before his voice came again.

“You’re still mine too, Gabriella. You think ignoring me will change that?”

I angrily stood up, flinging the door open. “You kissed me without my consent, Jack, and now Jax thinks I’m a cheat.”

Jack stares at me, his gaze unflinching. “I kissed my mate. Amd what do you even mean Jax thjnks you're a cheat?”

“I rejected you!” I breathed out, “Maybe I haven't officially, but I, Gabriella, rejec–”

“Don't fucking piss me off, Gabriella!” He growled.

“You didn’t reject fate.” He steps closer. “You think this ends just because you chose him? You’re both mine and his. That’s how this works. Or you're mine completely. The moon goddess gave you to be for a reason!”

“No. That’s how you want it to work. You could go find someone to bond with and everything is going to be fine!” I yell, gripping the handle of the door too tight.

“You let Jax see the photo, didn’t you?” I ask shakily, feeling my eyes begin to water.

His brows furrowed as if he was confused.  “No. What photo?”

I narrowed my eyes. “The one someone took of us kissing. Someone was watching us, Jack. Someone sent it to the guards. Jax saw it. He stormed into our room and then flashed the photo in my face!”

“No! I didn’t even know there was a photo.” Jack hissed, his eyes fixing into mine as if he was hurt that I'd say something like that. “Why do you even think I would do something like that? Do you think I'd stoop too low? Hell, if I wanted to kiss you in front of him, I would!”

My blood ran cold as I lowered my eyes to the ground. “Then who the hell did?”

He shook his head. “You think someone is… spying on us?”

I stepped back, suddenly dizzy. “Spying?” I said shakily.

Jack was quiet for a long moment. “Do you think Flynn’s still alive?”

I was about to say something when his phone rang and he muttered a shit before running off to answer his phone.

As he turned away leaving me alone, the silence wrapped around me like a blanket and my mind buzzed with questions.

I couldn’t sleep.

I stayed curled up on the guest bed, wrapped in a blanket that offered no comfort. I replayed Jax’s voice in my head again and again.

“Go, Gabriella. Before I say something I regret.”

And then… something inside me snapped.

No.

I wouldn’t let this end here. I wouldn’t let someone else tear us apart.

I got up, pulled on a hoodie, and slipped out of the room. The mansion was quiet. Shadows from the gnome's statue filled the hall. I walked down the hall toward the security room. If there were cameras in this house, there must be one near my door, I I stayed curled up on the guest bed, wrapped in a blanket that offered no comfort. I replayed Jax’s voice in my head again and again.

“Go, Gabriella. Before I say something I regret.”

And then… something snapped.

No.

I wouldn’t let this end here. I wouldn’t let someone else tear us apart.

I got up, pulled on a hoodie, and slipped out of the room. The mansion was quiet. Shadows danced along the walls from the flickering sconces. I walked down the hall toward the security room. If there were cameras near my door, I needed to know who had been lurking around. I needed to know who had been lurking around.

To my surprise, the door to the security room was unlocked.

I stepped inside, slowly closing the door behind me so it didn't make any sound.

Screens glowed on the walls, each displaying a different feed from somewhere around the estate. I scanned them, feeling my heart racing.

Then I saw it.

Camera 4.

It showed right outside my door.

I hit the rewind button on the feed, going back several hours. I watched the moment Jack came in, the moment he kissed me, the moment I shoved him away and screamed at him. It was all there. All of it.

But something else was there too.

I saw a shadow shift.

Someone was in the hallway, and they were barely visible in the camera’s corner.

I paused the feed and zoomed in. The figure stood near a plant, hidden mostly in darkness, holding a phone which was angled directly at the door. They had filmed it.

I backed up further, trying to see where they came from. But they had been smart staying outside of the cameras' blind spots, only showing up when they wanted to.

I exhaled shakily. There was a mole in the pack. I had no idea what their motive was, but Jax was going to see this.

I downloaded the clip onto a USB drive and tucked it into my pocket. I needed Jax to see this. He needed to know.

I turned to leave.

And screamed when I saw Beta Benson standing in the doorway.

His arms were crossed and his face unreadable. “Couldn’t sleep?”

I backed up a step. “I needed to see the feeds. Something is wrong.”

“Wrong, hm?” He took a step towards me.