Page 52 of Cage Me

This witch is getting a little too comfortable with us now that she knows we need her more than she needs us.

Spencer recovers quicker than I do and places her hand on my back. “She means well.”

“And that’s the only reason my wolf hasn’t bitten her head off.”

While I meant what I said about my inner animal being in control of his rage, that doesn’t mean he isn’t murderous within my mind right now.

Without Spencer, there wouldn’t be anyone safe from our destruction until we had our vengeance, but thanks to the mate bond, she has become our focus. Knowing that our mate wants to do this the safest way possible, utilizing the help of Natalia to lessen the risks, is the only reason he didn’t flee earlier.

Biting her helped to calm him as well. Her sweet vanilla tinged with a spicy cinnamon aroma now has a layer of my smokey amber scent weaved through it. I would have preferred to have her consent in the marking, but seeing as she doesn’t seem to mind, I try not to either.

“Let’s get you two sorted and out of my shop,” Natalia muses as she breezes through the curtains that block off the back of her shop.

Spencer and I stay in the front, but we’re not left waiting long. The witch is back in under a minute and sets a black ring with an orange stone in the middle on the counter. “Seems fitting, don’t you think?”

I honestly don’t care about the ring, but since Spencer is so eager for me to have it, I nod. “It will work.”

Natalia holds out her hand. “I need more blood.”

This time I growl. “Haven’t you had enough?”

“Enough to unlock your wolf, keep you alive, and continue working on something powerful enough to kill Kel, yes,” she says. “But I need every drop I already have. You want this ring, which I wasn’t counting on, then I need more blood.”

I give her my wrist when Spencer doesn’t object. Though, she does surprise me when she apologizes.

“I know this is a lot,” she says, standing next to me as Natalia cuts into my wrist.

“It’s fine.” I offer a smile, hating that she’s feeling any guilt and knowing it’s because of me.

She shakes her head. “It’s not fine. Not at all.”

Her words are sharper, and I want to console my mate, but not here. Not with an audience.

Natalia finishes and heals the cut before taking my blood and the ring with her toward the back room again. “Give me five minutes.”

I glance at the curtain, then at Spencer before lowering my voice. “Are you sure you trust her? I know she helped with my wolf, but going after Kel with magic we didn’t create ourselves could be dangerous.”

She doesn’t hesitate in her answer. “I trust Natalia. I didn’t realize how much until recently, but she hasn’t let me down yet and I don’t believe she will with this.”

One of the things I’ve grown to admire most about Spencer besides her love for her family is how sensible she seems. Once she decides something, she believes in that with her whole heart. There isn’t an in-between with her. People are either all-in in her life or they’re an outsider. It’s a trait I respect and hope to learn from.

“I do have something else for you to do while I’m working on this spell, Spencer,” Natalia calls from the back room.

My mate raises a brow at me as she yells back. “What’s that?”

The witch doesn’t reply, and Spencer shakes her head. “I’m going to see what she’s talking about.”

As she pushes the curtain aside, Natalia appears, eyes bright as she tosses the ring at me. “All done. The sunstone is linked to your blood and will keep you from being naked when you don’t want to be.”

“And what am I supposed to be working on?” Spencer asks, her foot tapping on the floor of the shop.

Natalia steps back, flicking the braid her dark strands are held in behind her. “I’ve been testing some things with your blood, and I believe you’ve been holding back. Not purposely, but I have a theory.”

Spencer’s teeth ground together, but she takes a deep breath before responding. “Another one? What have you done with my blood?”

“Nothing sinister, I assure you,” the witch says, “but I’ve come to realize that your camouflage ability extends beyond changing your wolf. That was part of my previous theory as well.”

“What does that mean?” I ask when Spencer seems torn between tearing Natalia’s face off and hearing her out.

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