Caged In

Chapter 8

Getting up and ready its a quick breakfast before heading out. Turning the key in the ignition, the engine roars to life. Glancing at the dash it reads 43° 6:02 am, the music is set to the local country station. The excitement has my body jumping. I took longer than needed on an outfit and hair, even trimming my beard down. I feel like a giddy schoolgirl. Electing on a dark grey long sleeve and jeans, with the temperature dropping into the 50s drastically in a week. She was wearing cowboy boots so I decided to drag out my work boots, I'll need them later in the week when I'm working around the pack anyways.

Arriving I glimpse in the rearview mirror for a once over raking my fingers through my hair. I need to stop this I might not even see her at all today. She may be too busy. She may just ignore me. I have to try and stay positive, show I want to be here after our first encounter, I don't need her to have more of a reason to not trust my motives.

There are a few people waiting by the gates. She isn't one of them. I choose to wait in my truck I still have twelve minutes to be here. My thumb taps the wheel to the music in the background before flipping through the stations, it's better than putting my hand through my hair over and over; the anxiety and nerves are starting to set in deep.

Never did I think it would be like this.

I can't help but wonder if anyone else felt this way when they first met their mates. Was it this difficult? Everyone seemed to settle in and click together like puzzle pieces. Sophia's more of a corner piece you need to start while I'm the odd one you can't find where it goes until last.

I see her walking out of the corner of my eye towards the entrance with some guy. They are smiling and laughing together, my chest rumbles loud at their close proximity. She looks my way and our eyes meet, stopping her in her tracks to keep our eyes locked.

Inhale, exhale.

Getting out she looks back to him with a stern look while he just smiles broadly at me, waving me towards them. I don't know if I like him. Who is he to her? My fur is trying to rise up and I have to breath out harshly to try to keep my nature at bay. My wolf demands me to let him out and show this guy who we are. They are humans, I can't risk the exposure.

Heavy steps forward. She is whispering something to him and he is telling her to hush. It's damn near impossible to not punch him when I approach trying hard to not demonstrate my anger out. Putting on a face of indifference.

He has his hand outstretched to shake, taking it with a crushingly firm grip. A little too strong. His wince brings pleasure to me. "Wayne, nice to meet you." He says as he takes back his hand to flex it, levitating the pain I caused. "Cage," I respond back stiffly, stuffing my hand in my pocket. This is who I have to spend my time with here it wouldn't look good to give him a lesson on what's Mine. She just takes it all in with the same stern look.

"Cage?" She asks. My name on her lips sends a delicious shiver to run down my spine. I look straight at her greying stormy eyes, completely ignoring him. "Yes, my name is Cage."

She raises her eyebrow before turning away and walking to the gate to unlock it with her key.

"Where is Brenda?" Wayne asks, a mocking tone in the way he says her name.

"Late" Sophia responds curtly.

"You going to act this way the rest of the day?" He asks her and her only reply is a dagger-filled look over her shoulder before sliding the metal open for people to enter. "Ohh, frosty now are we." Wayne chuckles, following behind her as she storms in.

I walk alongside Wayne, giving him side-eyed glances. "Soph is mad at me because you're here, she will get over it eventually." He tells me and I'm surprised. What does he mean? He must notice my confused expression because he laughs before continuing to explain, "Friday when you were at the window we were standing around for break when I noticed you there. She decided to 'shoo' you away. Funny to watch really." He takes out his phone to look at it before stuffing it back in his pocket. "Apologies. Anyways, since I'm the head volunteer for the place, because of her I might add, it's my job to try and get more people signing up." His grin is wide. "I made her chase you down with the paperwork. She was not happy with me. By the way, you have that schedule?" He asks. I take it out of my back pocket with the rest of the paperwork, Wayne takes it all from me folding it back up and putting it in his back pocket.