Raised By Wolves ✔

Two

I stumbled through the door of the hideout, exhausted from the dead sprint I just endured. I looked around the small room Sage and I put together when we were twelve. It wasn't a huge space, but enough for the two of us.

Over in the far right corner was a small double bed and a bedside table with a small stack of my old books on it. The bed had been made which meant Anna must have been out here to clean up the place. Over in the far left corner was a small bookshelf and two beanbags. Along the left wall was a TV with our game console, video games and some movies. In the near right corner was a small closet with some spare clothes. There was a door next to it that leads off to a small bathroom. And then there's a small coffee table in the centre of the room with some more books and random crap on it.

It still amazed me that we managed to build most of this without any help. Except for James and Anna with the bathroom. I walked over to the bed and flop myself down on my stomach. I kicked my shoes off and just lay there, fighting sleep. I wanted to wait until Sage gets here. He obviously wanted to talk to me about something. Or ask me about my nightmare. Either one is fine as long as I can get some sleep afterwards.

I'm just drifting off to sleep when I hear the sound of bones popping and rearranging into place. The familiar sound of flesh ripping and the spray of blood that follows is enough to make me feel nauseous. I've been surrounded by that noise for eight years now. You'd think I'd be used to it. I left the door open for Sage so he didn't have to open it. Sometime after he shifts, he can be in a lot of pain, so I do what I can to make things easier for him. For everyone in the pack.

"I see you made it here before me." Sage pants as he opens the closet door.

"Obviously," I state. "We all know I can run faster than you, shifted or not."

"No need to be such a dick, Cassie." Sage frowned, face full of worry as he studied my face. "You weren't kidding when you said you hadn't been sleeping well."

"Is it that obvious?" I sigh.

"Yeah, it is." Sage laughs, climbing onto the other side of the bed facing me.

God, I missed him. His ebony black hair and his pale blue eyes seem almost unfamiliar. I've been so worried about him. I wasn't sure if he or James was ever coming back. I think I'm turning into mateless Finnegan. Just so worried and stressed out all the time.

"You wanna talk about your dream Cassie?" Sage asked, using the nickname I picked up my very first day with the pack. "Or do I have to drag it out of you?"

"It's the same one from when we were kids." I sigh. "The one with the four boys with angel names like me."

"You don't still think the five of you are connected, do you?" Sage questioned. "I mean random strangers gave you your name. You didn't start having the dreams until after you moved in with us."

"I don't know Sage." I sigh. "How often do you have dreams about people with angel names who kinda look like you? "

"I don't know. Not very often I suppose." He sighed. "Remind me what they look like again," Sage said. "And the order you guys go in."

"Well there's Micheal, he's the eldest." I started. "He's got dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Then there's Gabriel, he's the second eldest. he's got the same hair colour as Michael and blue eyes. Then there's Nathaniel, he's the third eldest. He's got raven hair and pale green eyes. Then it's me. Then it's Raziel, he's the youngest. He's got blonde hair and blue eyes like Michael and Gabriel."

"I don't think that means anything Cas." Sage smiled. "There are lots of people with the same hair colour as you."

"Maybe," I whispered. "I just feel like the five of us are connected."

"Who knows, maybe you are. Maybe you aren't." Sage sighed. "Maybe they don't even exist. Who knows."

I rolled over onto my back and sigh, staring up at the roof. Three months of wishing for a decent night's sleep and suddenly I don't want to sleep. I want to stay awake, avoid sleep for as long as possible. I rolled over onto my side, facing Sage, our faces inches apart.

"I missed you," I whispered. "Like a lot."

"I missed you too." Sage smiled back. "You should get some sleep, Cassie."

"I know," I say, my eyes drooping.

Sage laughs, rolling me over so that my back is pressed against his chest. Something about Sage is different. He's never usually so caring. Or close. I mean we hug and stuff but just as friends. We've slept in the same bed before but he's never held me. Yet I like it.

"Remember when you and Anna found me?" I ask.

"Yeah, of course," Sage answered. "Why?"

"I never told you how grateful I really was," I said as a sob escaped my throat and hot tears slid down my cheeks.

Words can't express how grateful I am for all that Sage and his family have done for me. Taking me in off of the streets, giving me a home, a loving family. I will be eternally grateful for everything Anna and James have done for me. Which is why I hate feeling as if I have to find my family. My real family.

"Hey, don't cry." Sage cooed as he rolled me over again, hugging me tightly against him, my face buried in the crook of his neck. "You never have to tell us how grateful you are. We already know. Besides, we're the grateful ones."

"What do you mean?" I choked out.

"Without you, this family wouldn't have been a family anymore," Sage explained. "We were so close to losing this place before we found you."

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. Sage placed his hand under my chin and lifted my face up to look at him.

"You wanna know why we didn't lose this place?" Sage asked.

"Why?"

"Because you gave us something worth fighting for." Sage smiled.

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Hey guys!

So as we can all see I've completed the third chapter of this book and I just wanna say how proud I am of myself for actually updating this book as often as I have. Don't get me wrong I love writing All That Remains, it's just that I get an awful case of writer's block whenever I go to write another chapter. But moving on.

I'm also super grateful to all of you who have read and voted for my chapters. Even though at this point the story only has 17 reads I'm still super happy that it's being read. And again, moving on

If you couldn't tell by now this story is a boyxboy story and if you don't like things like that then I suggest you stop reading this book because I don't feel like dealing with little keyboard warriors telling me being gay is wrong and whatnot. But, yet again, moving on.

One last thing. Sage and Cassiel's ship name is Sassiel and I'm obsessed.

Anyways thanks for wasting your time on me!

~Daxton🌈