Caged

Chapter 32

**I know, I know, it's short! I needed to get something out there to help me over the slump. Enjoy!**

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**| Sang's POV |**

We ended up in Luke's special room with Silas, Luke, and Gabriel. Kota and Silas pulled more bean bags out of their storage space and we stretched out around the open space.

Ready for this, Pookie? Sean asked through our newly formed connection. My eyes met his. For once, he was serious, if not a little cautious. The normal playfulness was gone. My body stiffened. You'll do fine.

After sending him a nod, I met Kota's eyes. "How do you want to do this?" I asked.

"You're going to relax," Kota said. "Meditate. While you do that, I'm going to have Gabriel's wolf go first in trying to reach yours. Then Luke's."

"Why Gabriel first?" I asked.

Gabriel frowned and looked away, a slight blush to his cheeks.

"Gabriel does some scout and enforcer work when he's needed but he isn't trained like the rest in our pack," Kota explained. "His talents lie elsewhere."

"Is that your way of saying he's the lowest rank?" I asked.

"I'm fucking artistic," Gabriel grumbled. "I'd rather be painting instead pulling bugs out of my hair." He glared at the others in the room, ready for a challenge."

I waited until he met my eyes and then I smiled. "I like the artwork in the hallway," I said, thinking about the one of a sunset off a cliff. There was another of a beach with huge waves crashing onto the shore. My favorite were the ones with wolves in them. The wolves in those pictures were of everyone in the Blackbourne pack.

His blush deepened. "I bet the doc just told you tell me that through your link." He looked away. I leaned forward until I could reach him. Resting my hand on his knee, I gave it a squeeze until he looked back at me.

"I say that because I wish I could paint. I'd rather be doing something I like rather than something I hate."

What I said had to be the right thing by the deepening of his blush and the way his expression softened into a smile.

"You paint?" he asked, leaning closer.

"Maybe stick figures."

When Silas and Luke snickered, I sent a warning look their way that had them shutting up.

"What do you like to do?" Gabriel ask.

"Read?" I shrugged. "I haven't had much time to give it much thought."

Gabriel mulled that over for a moment before asking, "What would you like to try if you could?"

Now it was my turn to smile softly as I thought about one of my very few precious memories. "When I did go to school, I liked music class. There was this old man that taught one of my classes and he let us try all the instruments. We never got further than that, but I liked hearing what kind of sounds they made."

"Which instruments caught your attention?" Gabriel asked and he looked genuinely interested in my thoughts. My chest warmed at his attentiveness.

"Piano and violin. The guitar too. I think I want to play them all. If I could, I'd learn about as many instruments as I could, but I'd definitely start with the piano and violin."

"Victor and Alpha Blackbourne." Gabriel nodded. When he noticed my confused expression, he expanded. "Victor plays the piano and Alpha Blackbourne can at least play the violin and piano. I'm sure he knows the other instruments. He's a machine afterall."

"And guitar?" I asked, not sure I could ask the Alpha to teach me to play an instrument.

"Nathan and Luke."

I turned to Luke with a raised eyebrow. "You can play?"

He nodded. "A little. We had to do some work as a band a couple years ago. Nathan is better at it than I am."

"That's amazing," I said.

She's fucking awesome.

I know.

I stilled.

"Sang?" Kota asked.

I glanced at everyone in the room.

"Sang?" he asked again.

"I heard something."

"Like what?" Sean asked.

"Voices."

"Luke and Gabriel," Kota snapped out, giving them a look that said to try again.

You can hear me.

Please say you can hear me.

"I hear two of them," I said.

You hear us both? Fuck yeah! Gabriel grinned big.

Luke had a goofy smile. We can have some real fun now.

What do you mean? I sent to him.

His smile widened and he shared a look with Gabriel. Gabriel nodded.

This will be fucking good.

Hearing their voice and seeing them so happy was contagious and I returned the smile, my lips and cheeks still adjusting and learning how to smile.

"Well, that was easy," Sean said with a smile. "How about some food?"

"Didn't we just eat?" I asked.

"If possible, shifters eat every couple of hours," Sean said. "You'll be eating just as much as us in no time."

Silas rubbed his stomach. "I can go for some more food."

"Of course you can," Gabriel said and added in an eyeroll.

"I have candy in here." Luke was about to stand up when Sean stopped him with a look.

"Sang needs real food, not sugar. Not right now. We need to fix her appetite before we start giving her unhealthy foods," he explained.

"Fine," Luke said and helped me to my feet even though he knew I didn't need the help.

"Who would have thought that all Sang needed was good conversation to make connections," Sean said as he led the way back to the kitchen. "You'll be in everyone's head in no time."

"She already is," Silas said and I looked up at him with a questioning look.

He just smirked and shrugged before motioning me to a chair.

Kota went into the kitchen with Nathan, and between the two of them, they set up a sandwich line and began putting them together.

"Since that was so quick, we can go outside and do some training exercise," Kota said. "If we are to attack next week, we need to know what Sang is capable of doing exactly and how she works with others."

"Not well," I admitted.

"You worked well with me," Silas said.

"After the first couple of fights, I did." A brief memory of dodging a shifter only to leave Silas vulnerable flashed through my mind.

"That's why I want to practice," Kota said. You'll work Sean, Silas, Luke, and Gabriel since you're connected with them. That way you can learn how to utilize the bond while in a fight."

I nodded, knowing not to argue. It sounded like a solid plans and plans were good to have. Besides, I didn't want them to have an excuse to leave me out of it when they attacked. I wanted to be at the front, leading the charge, and getting revenge for everything they had put me through.

My wolf shifted inside of me at the anticipation.

I'd definitely be ready, no matter what it took.