Page 296 of His Hungry Wolf

“Morning,” Cage said as if he had been awake for hours.

“Mornin’.”

“How did you sleep?” Quin asked. “Was the bed comfortable? We debated about how soft it should be. Cage said you wouldn’t care.”

“He doesn’t know how uncomfortable the bed back at the old place is,” Cage told me.

“Yeah. Anything would be an upgrade from that,” I agreed trying not to take my brother’s criticism personally. “But it was all we could afford, you know.”

“Hey, for a place that was being paid for by a fourteen-year-old, it’s amazing. I still can’t believe you were able to do it,” Cage told me. “But, it’s not just you anymore. We’re all in this together. And now we have a new home.”

“Yeah,” I said half-heartedly.

I knew Cage was trying to make me feel like this was my place too and I appreciated it. But, it wasn’t. I didn’t think it could ever be. Not only could I not be my full self living under the protective spell, but this house was too big of a leap from the place I could afford. You could fit the mobile home in it multiple times. It was too different from everything I’ve ever known. How could I not feel like a guest?

“Is Kendall still sleeping?” Quin asked.

“I guess. He took the guest bedroom.”

“Oh. Cage was wondering if he should start making breakfast. Do you know whether he’s a late sleeper?”

“I wish I knew that type of information,” I said hoping that I would know it soon.

“Okay. I’ll give it a few minutes and then get started. It’ll take a while in either case. Maybe he’ll be up by then.”

“While you do that, I’m going to take a shower,” Quin said kissing Cage before he left.

When Quin was gone, I looked at Cage. I tried to think of the last time the two of us were alone together. The only times I saw him nowadays was when he came to campus for our wolf runs, or when I drove Quin up for the weekend. I loved Quin, but I kind of missed spending time alone with my brother.

“How’s work going?”

“Good! I’m loving working with the kids. I keep trying to figure out when I can invite you to a game but you either have practice or classes.”

Cage refilled his coffee cup and offered me some.

“Please. And things have been good with Mama?”

After he handed me a cup, he joined me at the island.

“Yeah. I mean, you’ve seen her. She’s even been talking about going back to work.”

“She told me. It’s amazing. Where was this woman when I was a kid?”

“She was doing her best.”

“Don’t defend her. You weren’t there. You don’t know what it was like,” I said.

I wasn’t upset, but there was no way I wanted to listen to him make excuses for her while only seeing her good side.

“Sorry.”

“You ever wonder about our father, Cage?”

“Of course. You know I do.”

“Quin tell you what he decided?”

“What he decided?”