Page 73 of Cage Me

Opening the small container, she dips her fingers into the creamy substance and walks around my wolf, placing the balm over the wounds covering him. Each spot burns from whatever concoction she’s using, but then there’s relief.

Not entirely, but enough that by the time she’s done, I feel as though I can shift back without worry of further injury to my wolf or human half.

I step back from Spencer, not wanting to hurt her during my transformation. The change takes longer than normal, but in under half a minute, I appear on two feet, fully clothed.

With a silent thanks to the ring Natalia gave me, I go to Spencer, wrapping my arms around her. She trembles in my arms, gripping me so tightly that I expect there to be holes in my t-shirt when we part.

“I thought…” she starts to say but doesn’t finish.

“That certainly wasn’t good, but you did incredible,” I say. “Kel underestimated you.”

She pulls back, a frown between her eyes. “How do you know that was her?”

I’ve yet to tell Spencer that I heard the witch in my head even before, and I don’t suspect it’s going to go over well, but after that attack, I know I can’t keep this from her.

“She spoke inside my mind and?—”

“She what?” Spencer’s roar makes my ears hurt. “How?”

I reach for her hands, hoping my touch will calm her, but she only shakes harder. “I don’t know. I thought Natalia stripped any hold Kel has on me, but she was there in my head somehow.”

“Could she control you?” Her tone is cold as her eyes darken.

I shake my head. “Not even my emotions. And I don’t sense her now. It doesn’t seem to be a two-way communication.”

“Too fucking bad, because I’d love to tell her a few things right now.” Spencer growls. “Though, she’ll be dead soon enough and we won’t have to worry about her screwing with your mind.”

I fucking hope so.

She gives me another onceover and pokes around my collarbone. “You need more medicine. The wounds were so severe that the bruises carried through when you shifted.” She grabs my hand and leads me toward some trees.

“Where are we going?” I ask. Though, it doesn’t really matter. I’d follow her to the ends of this Earth.

“You need to rest, but we need to be out of sight.” She glances around. “Kel isn’t the only psycho out here that we need to worry about.”

After passing through that town, I wouldn’t assume so.

“Maybe there’s a cloaking spell in the witch’s pocket,” I suggest, but Spencer doesn’t slow.

“We still want to be out of sight. I don’t want to risk something not working against whatever creation that was back there.”

I wasn’t the only one who noticed those wolves weren’t regular shifters. They might have been at one point, but whatever Kel likely did to them was dosed with dark magic I don’t miss from all the times she used to try to sway me.

I used to wonder why she never forced my hand. Considering she was capable of sending those wolves to attack us, I have no doubt that she could have manipulated my thoughts into believing I cared for her.

My stomach viciously churns at the thought of what my life might have been if she had manipulated me. I guess that’s one thing I can be grateful for. The witch at least had some lines she wouldn’t cross. Or maybe her ego is really that big that she can’t fathom someone not wanting her on their own and that still has her unwilling to leave me alone. Unfortunately for us, it’s likely the latter.

We find a spot between a close grouping of trees, and I lay down on the overgrown grass. Moisture from the earth soaks my back, but the coolness soothes the aches there.

Spencer is kneeling beside me and wastes no time taking care of me. I watch as she rubs more of the salve on my wounds, lifting my shirt and checking over my ribs. Every touch sends tremors along my skin, and before I realize what I’m doing, my fingers are roaming over her body.

“I’m supposed to be helping you, and you’re distracting me.” Her words are sharp, but she can’t hide her grin from me.

“You’ve done such a good job, I feel the need to repay the favor.” I grab her hips and tug until she straddles me.

Her brow raises and she sets the balm down, rubbing whatever is left on her hands onto her jeans. “Is that so?”

“Hmm, yes.”

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