Page 18 of Cage Me

SPENCER

Someone please kill me now. I think I’m going to lose my mind before the day is over, and I have no clue what to do with my rampant thoughts.

Every step I take away from Drake tugs at my heart, as if there’s a tear in my chest that opens up just a little bit more every time I try to put distance between us. I’d heard the strength of a mate bond is powerful, but fuck, this is almost inconceivable.

On top of my warring emotions that I keep losing control of, my mother had to go and yell at me for being an idiot.

“Don’t be a stubborn fool, Spencer. That man will burn the world to have you. If you can’t see that, then you’re not the woman I thought I raised.”

While also informing me that a mate bond between wolves isn’t out to control me. The energy of the connection is only amplifying what I truly feel, even if I’m not ready to admit it yet.

She had me with that one.

It was as if a light flicked on and I could understand what was happening around me for the first time in all too long. But then I walked outside and felt the rage rolling off Drake… No, I was nearly suffocated by it.

That had me right back at square one, believing that keeping him around isn’t what is best for any of us.

Still, there’s that damn tugging sensation that has my heart aching for him, and I want to strangle myself just to end the torture.

I stop in the hallway of the house and lean against the wall. Closing my eyes, I try to calm my breathing, but the moment I do, all I see are Drake’s nearly black eyes. As they look back at me, I know I’m not afraid of the darkness that lies within him, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s evil like my sperm donor. But I also know that rage brings trouble, and my family has already had too much of that.

I’m not sure the connection between us that grows with every brief touch is enough to ignore why keeping him in my life could be bad.

I have little confidence that I’m going to figure this out today, so I push away from the wall and head toward the living room where I’ve left my bag. As I dig through the metal box of magical objects, there’s a hum in the air that vibrates around me, urging me to return outside, but I don’t budge from my spot until I have what I’m looking for.

Once the cloaking spell is in hand, I close the box and place it back in my bag, bringing that with me. Just because the alpha is gone from our pack right now doesn’t mean nobody else will come poking around. I want to be ready to leave if they do.

When I get back outside, I take a deep inhale to prepare myself for being closer to Drake, but the action only serves to consume me with his musky scent and I shudder where I stand. Nearly a minute later, I walk further from the back door to find him standing over the grave, staring down at Samuel’s body.

I peek inside once I’m close enough and grin when I find my father face down in the dirt. “Was that an accident or on purpose?” I ask Drake, pointing to the hole.

He shrugs. “Whatever you want it to be.”

His tone has lost some of its earlier, I don’t know. Luster? Persistence?

The thought of having hurt his feelings by walking away from him again makes my throat tighten and burn. I don’t want him to hate me, and I don’t want to feel the same about him. Maybe however this ends, it can be amicable. Though, that’s only going to happen if I do as he’s asked and get to know him.

“I’m sorry about before,” I tell him, not really looking up. Clearly, apologies aren’t my thing.

“Which before?” he asks, a bit more curiosity filling his voice. “When you walked away from me? When you rejected me? When you tried to disappear without a second thought to?—”

“Can’t you just consider it a blanket apology?” I interject, really wanting to add something about taking it back otherwise but manage to keep my snark to myself—mostly.

He turns toward me, and his palms cover my shoulder as his fingers squeeze tightly, seeming to be burning through the cotton of my grey tee.

I swallow and expect him to say something, but he just stares at me for what feels like an eternity.

Well, this isn’t awkward at all. Where’s my brother when I need him to burst in?

“Spencer,” Drake finally says.

“Hmm.” That’s about all the reply I can muster with his hands still on me.

“You feel the bond,” he states confidently. “How it grows stronger the longer and more we touch.”

My head nods as I allow myself this moment to get lost in the depths of his eyes that don’t actually look black now that I’m closer. They’re more of a charcoal with hints of silver that appear so briefly that I could be imagining them.

“I think you’re unlocking my wolf,” he adds, his voice barely a whisper, but the words snap me out of whatever stupor I gave in to.

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