Caged

Chapter 19

I walked in and just gaped.

I turned and and looked out into the hallway and then back at the library, feeling like I stepped into a whole new world. I didn't even have to step through a wardrobe either. The books filled all the walls except the massive floor to ceiling window on one wall that stretched from one wall to another. There was a seating area, an alcove to hide away and read in, sliding ladders to reach books up top, near the ceiling, and the scent of cedar filled the air, letting me know what kind of wood they used to build the shelves.

I moved to the center of the room and spun as I stared at everything. A huge chandelier hung just above me to provide soft lighting, but there were also strategically placed lamps around the room. The entire room took up the whole end of the house.

"This is..." I whispered, unable to finish saying anything.

Kota stayed by the door as he watched my expression, his lips turned up in a small smile.

"Sang, what's your favorite book?" he asked.

I met his eyes briefly before looking at a glass case housing books that looked ancient and ready to fall apart.

"Grimm's Fairy Tales," I said.

He seemed surprised by my answer. "Why?"

"They're real," I said. "They don't lie to you. They don't flower things up. They give you the grueling truth."

Kota didn't say anything as he came into the room, leaving the door open, giving me an opportunity to leave if I wanted. I liked that he did that for me. He was giving me options, never forcing my hands. I had to admit, though, it confused me. He was in a position of power but he didn't flaunt it or abuse it. I could see why this pack was so close together.

"Here," he said pulling out a thick book, well-used. He held it out for me to grab but never moved closer. I had to make the conscious choice to go to him and get the book. "If you like Grimm, then you'll like this entire shelf. It has all the fairy tales and folklore from different cultures."

When I grabbed the book, loving how it felt in my hand, Kota stepped to the side, giving me space. I didn't bother looking at the other books. I would get there eventually, and the Blackbourne pack was making me think I even had time too. I never had time.

All my focus was on the book in my hands, the weight of it, the smell. I could practically pick up the taste of worn leather. My fingers traced the gold etchings in the leather cover, feeling the engravings.

I flipped it open, feeling the roughness of the thick paper.

"I hadn't been able to read since I was a little girl," I whispered, not even aware I was talking to Kota, of all the wolves, about my past. "The last time I had a book I was ten. I had kept it hidden in my room but then when my stepmother began keeping me in a cage, she tore my room apart, the book included."

I let out a harsh laugh.

"She burned it in front of me. Said as a beast, I didn't need books."

"What book was it?" Kota asked.

"A Little Princess," I said.

"My sister likes that book."

"You have a little sister?"

Kota nodded and moved to a different section, pulling out a book. "Jessica is my little sister. Erica is my mom."

"Where are they?"

"A different pack," is his simple reply as he holds out a book.

I smile as I reach out to grab A Little Princess. The hardcover was a light pink with swirling designs in yellow and dark blue. I flipped open the book, reading the first couple of lines, unable to stop smiling.

Once on a dark winter's day, when the yellow fog hung so thick and heavy in the streets of London that the lamps were lighted and the shop windows blazed with gas as they do at night, an odd-looking little girl sat in a cab with her father...

Memories of stretching out on a carpet floor as I flipped through the story came to mind.

"Thank you," I said to Kota.

His smile softened. "We care about you, Sang. We want to help you. We want to make you happy. You just need to let us."

I nodded.

"I'm getting there," I said, holding the two books close to me chest.

"I know. Now come on, I want to show you my favorite reading spot."

He went over to the alcove. It was in the corner, built in so when I sat down, the window was right next to me and I could stare out into the surrounding woods. Kota waited until I got comfortable on the long cushioned bench before he disappeared. I stretched my legs out, the space big enough to fit the two of us.

I was just beginning to read the princess book when Kota came back with a thicker one. I smiled. Lord of the Rings. Of course. He grinned at my expression before settling in on the other side, stretching his legs out so they pressed up against my own. I sat on the inside, closest to the window with him on the outside.

Kota watched me carefully, but when I didn't say anything about the setup, he opened his book and began reading. I watched him for a moment, at the way his brows furrowed as he read, his lips moving slightly, his eyes scanning the page with complete focus. After watching him for a few moments, I switched my attention to the book on my lap.

And just like that, I got to read a book again, with someone to keep me company in the silence.