Page 76 of Cage Me

“As long as you know this isn’t who I am.” His hands cup my face. “I would never hurt you.”

Damn him. He’s too fucking good for me, and it seems I’m the only one that knows it.

“I know and that’s exactly why I’m here and ready to fight for the life I know we will have.”

Our foreheads press together, and our bond thrums with an intensity that tastes of a sweet smokiness.

Nothing will take this man from me. Not a pack of rabid wolves or a psychotic witch. I’m going to make damn sure of that.

“We should go,” he says quietly.

I know he’s right, but I take an extra minute to hold him close. I’m not ready to let go just yet.

When I finally pull back, the tight lines around his face break my heart a little, but I know he needs to stay focused on the end game. Nothing else matters outside of ending Kel. Ending her control over him and whatever terror she intends to cause.

“I’ll use another portal spell,” I tell him, digging out the witch’s pocket. This thing has really come in handy. I’m going to figure out how I get one for myself since it didn’t seem as if Natalia has any intentions of letting me keep hers.

A rift forms in the air in front of us and without hesitation, we step through, hand in hand. On the other side, the sky is still blue from the afternoon sun and this town isn’t as run down as the last, but it’s still eerily quiet.

I glance behind us to make sure the portal is closed and then turn to Drake. Except my fierce mate doesn’t seem as if he’s doing so well.

His shoulders are hunched over, and his eyes are squeezed closed as he holds his stomach with both arms.

“What’s wrong?” I ask and look around, but there isn’t anything here. Hell, there aren’t even any supernaturals. That could be a good thing, but considering there should be, I don’t think it is.

“My head, it’s pounding and if I open my eyes, everything around me is moving.” Drake’s voice is pained, but I have no clue what I’m supposed to do for him. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try and figure it out, though.

I wrap an arm around him. “Let’s go sit down.”

The building nearest to us is a café. The windows are busted out, and so is the door, but it’s at least somewhere to sit.

Just as I usher him inside, he stumbles and starts falling forward. Even with my increased strength, his dead weight feels impossible to hold up on my own. I lean him toward the wall and help as much as I can to get him on the ground without hurting himself.

“She’s close,” Drake murmurs, his eyes still shut and face pinched.

“How close?” I take a deep inhale, but I don’t scent anything sinister.

His head shakes. “No!”

“Is she talking to you?” I snarl. “Get the fuck out of his head,” I add, even though I doubt she can hear me or that my words would make a difference.

“Run, Spencer.” Drake lets out a strangled breath. “Just run.”

“Not fucking happening.” Using the witch’s pocket, I reach inside and call for a cloaking spell. Maybe this will block Kel out. At the very least, it should at least hide us, so I can call Natalia and ask her what the hell I’m supposed to do.

I open the cloaking spell and pour the vial out around us. My eyes stay on Drake, but the pain he’s radiating with doesn’t lessen.

His head slowly raises, and he opens his eyes. They’re all black this time, and his voice doesn’t sound like his own.

“You can’t hide from me, Spencer.”

“Fuck you,” I snarl. It’s time to end this bitch once and for all.

Chapter 29

DRAKE

Howls ricochet within my mind as my wolf fights against the dark energy of Kel. Her nails feel as if they’re digging right through my skull, and I can’t hear above the roars.

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