Cage Me: A Wolf Shifter Romantasy (Immortal Vices and Virtues: Shadow Shifter Bonds Book 1)

Chapter 25

It hadn’t been my intention to be gone for so long, but it was the first time in centuries that I was able to run with my wolf on my own. The first time in too long that we were free to be ourselves without my wolf being unsurprisingly distracted by our mate.

The joy that brought me was almost as euphoric as bonding with Spencer. We raced past the city while most everyone still slept until there were only trees around us. The quiet of the night had entranced me, and I have no clue how far we ran, but far enough that the pull to go back to Spencer became too much to ignore even for my wolf.

Hours later, I return, and my mate isn’t where I left her. Kasha lets me know where Spencer is, and I gladly give her more time with her mother. I’m envious. I don’t even know if mine is still alive, and I tell myself that I don’t care, but I would have rather had a parent who gave a damn than one who abandoned me.

I wait outside for Spencer, not wanting to interrupt her time with her family before we go. When the back door opens, I expect to see my mate, but it’s Peter who steps out onto the porch.

He waves and has a ball in his hand. “Want to play catch? Mom and Pence are having a grown-up talk.”

I chuckle. “Is that what they told you?”

He shakes his head. “I heard Mom crying, and whenever she does that, I get sent to my room because I’m not old enough for grown-up talk yet. But I’ve been in my room all night and thought I could come out here instead.”

Smart kid.

“Well, then let’s play,” I say, holding my hands up.

He tosses the ball at me and runs toward the other side of the yard. “So, my sister likes you. I kinda thought she hated you. I felt bad for you because Pence can be scary when she wants to be, but I guess I don’t need to anymore.”

I throw the ball back to him, trying not to laugh because I’m pretty sure he’s just making conversation and I don’t want him to feel bad, but he really has no filter.

“Sometimes girls are complicated,” I reply with a grin. “But yes, Spencer doesn’t hate me anymore and I’m very glad, because I like her a lot.” I pause, then add with a raised brow, “Is that okay with you?”

He rolls the ball between his hands and stares me down with a stoic look on his face, then he shrugs. “Yeah, I guess. Just don’t take her away from us again. That would make Momma sad. Me, too.”

Guilt presses in on me, weighing down so heavily that even forcing a smile for the boy takes real effort. If anything happens to Spencer when we go looking for Kel, I don’t know how I could ever face her family again. Hell, I’m not sure I could even survive losing her after being alone for so long.

Yet, I know my misery would be the price I had to pay for failing to protect my mate.

Peter throws the ball back to me, and we play catch for a while longer until Spencer finally comes outside to find me.

The smile she sends my way nearly puts me on my ass and distracts me to the point that I don’t notice when the ball comes back my way, allowing it to hit me right in the chest.

“I’m sorry!” Peter squeals, hiding his face and dropping to the ground.

Poor fucking kid.

My trance is broken, and I run over to him, gently touching his shoulder. “It’s okay, buddy. I’m not hurt and it was my fault. I got distracted.”

He’s shaking beneath my palm, but then all of a sudden, he throws himself at me, choking me with his arms as they tighten around my neck.

Holding him, I stand and turn toward Spencer, unsure what I’m supposed to do. She watches with shiny eyes as she leans against the porch railing, then gives me a thumbs up before turning back toward the house.

I guess I’m on my own.

“I’m really fine, Peter,” I tell him, but his hold only increases.

I’ve never really been around kids, not even when I was younger. I mostly took care of myself and did what I could for food, but I do know there’s nothing wrong with a little bribe to make someone feel better.

“What if we go inside and make hot chocolate?” I ask him.

He loosens his hold ever so slightly. “With sprinkles?”

“Isn’t that the only way?”

He pulls back, his eyes wide with delight. “I knew I liked you.”

I mess with his hair before putting him back down. “I like you too, kid.”

Peter runs for the house, and by the time I enter behind him, he’s already standing on one of the kitchen chairs, searching the cabinets as if he owns the place.

Spencer is sitting at the table, still grinning. “I knew you didn’t need me.”

“Yeah, if I can win you over?—”

The glare on her face shuts me right up but doesn’t stop me from laughing as I help Peter get everything sorted for hot chocolate.

I’m impressed. He’s only been here for two days and already knows where everything is. We heat milk on the stove first before pouring the cocoa powder into the mugs. He sets out five without asking anyone else, and something tells me nobody will reject his offering.

The milk gets hot enough, and I take care of pouring but let Peter do the stirring and pour the toppings. First, the marshmallows, followed by the sprinkles.

“Here you go, Pence,” he says, serving his sister first. “Where’s Momma?”

“Right here.”

Cara enters the kitchen, lines around her eyes that weren’t there the day before, and when I glance at Spencer, she shakes her head. I guess we’ll talk about it later.

“Morning, Momma,” Peter says with a smile that lights up the whole room.

Cara accepts his offering, seeming to force her own grin. “Thank you, sweet boy.”

She sits next to Spencer, and I glance around. “Is Kasha still home?”

My mate nods. “Last I saw anyway.”

“I’ll just leave her cup here,” Peter says, putting a mug at an empty chair.

We take our own drinks to the table and sit together…like a family. My stomach churns, and I keep my eyes on the marshmallows that are melting in front of me. I know this is a good thing, to have found my mate and to have people to care about. Yet, I’ve spent so long on my own that I don’t know what to do with this odd sense of peace and belonging.

Spencer’s foot nudges mine from under the table. Reluctantly, I look up at her, and she’s staring intently. Warmth from our bond flares within my chest, but I can’t shake the uncomfortableness within me.

This is a real family. The three of them together, listening to Peter rattle on about nothing and everything all at once. And here I sit, the intruder who is putting Spencer at risk by not having been willing to let her go.

I should leave now. Go to Natalia, get the spell, and deal with Kel on my own. She’s my problem, not theirs. Yet, the thought of leaving my mate behind makes the ache within my stomach intensify.

Not knowing what to do brings me back to the early days after I was first cursed. I had no clue how I was going to get free, and the helplessness of the situation had me wishing for death on an hourly basis. Yet, this time, I just want to run away. I want to take this family and hide them away just like Spencer had intended to do before her father died.

But as she continues to stare into my soul, I know she’s not that same person anymore. She doesn’t want to live in fear any longer, and she shouldn’t have to.

I need to find a way to have faith that everything is going to be okay just like she has. She accepted me into her life, trusting that I wasn’t going to be the worst thing to ever happen to her like Samuel had been to Cara.

Now, I must believe the same.

“So, Bubby,” Spencer starts, and I push down any doubts I have because my mate needs my support right now, not my added stress. “Drake and I need to go do a few things, and it’s going to take a day or two. You and Momma are going to stay here with Kasha. Is that okay?”

His little round face scrunches and he sits his mug down. “What are you doing?”

“We need to go find someone,” she replies coolly.

“Why?”

She offers him a soft smile. “Because we need to have a little chat with her?”

“Are you going to chat or are you going to fight?” His eyes narrow. “Why does it have to be you?”

She reaches across the table for him and holds his hand. “Sometimes things are too important to let other people handle. This is one of those times. But you’ll have fun here, and you’re safe with Kasha.”

Peter glances over at me, then back at his sister. “You’re safe with Drake.”

He says the words as if nothing else could be truer, and the weight of responsibility not only to my mate but to her family sits heavily on my shoulders.

“I am, but he’s also safe with me.” She winks, making him laugh.

“You are pretty strong, Pence.” His lips twist. “I wonder who would win in an arm wrestle?”

“As long as it’s not done on my table, my money is on your sister,” Kasha says as she finally joins us, her long hair damp and face free of any makeup.

Peter’s eyes light up. “Can they use the table outside?”

She shrugs. “Sure, but you’ll have to help me rebuild it if they break it.”

His fist shoots up into the air. “Deal!”

I tilt my head at Spencer. “Are we doing this?”

“Not today, but as soon as we’re back, you can count on it.” She stands and holds her arms out. “Come give your sister a hug.”

His shoulders droop as he trudges around the table. “Do you have to go right now?”

“Unfortunately so. There are people waiting on us, and it wouldn’t be nice if we disappointed them,” she says, holding him tight.

“Yeah, I guess,” he murmurs before pulling back, then surprises me when he comes to give me a hug. “You’ll come back too, right?”

“Of course, I will.” I’ve never had anyone to make promises like that to, but by saying the words and looking into his wide, hopeful eyes, something twists in my chest. The foreign feeling wipes out my earlier worries. This isn’t just about protecting Spencer. It’s about keeping their family together and not missing out on the chance to be part of that.

I hug the boy, then catch Cara’s stare on me. “I haven’t had a vision since we came here, but I know you’ll take care of my daughter.”

“With my own life,” I promise.

“Try not to let it come to that, yeah?”

I hope to hell not. We all have a lot to fight for now. This isn’t just about my vengeance any longer. It’s about protecting the people in my life and getting the chance to live for the first time in a millennium.