Caging the Wolf (Snowdonia Wolves) by Sofia Grey Read Free Book Online Page A

baubles and tinsel, and all the toys and trinkets I remembered from childhood. At least some things hadn’t changed.
    One spinning ornament caught my eye. A tiny wooden wolf, carved in intricate detail. We had a full set of these, had hung them up for years, and I’d never given them a second glance. Now though, I looked at it properly. That crazy talking-dog in the pound had been a wolf, I was sure.
    “Mum, where did these wolves come from?”
    She looked up from her phone. “They were a present from some of your dad’s distant cousins. They were carved in Wales.” I knew before she said it. “In Snowdonia.”
    “Levi has friends there. I don’t think I’ve ever been.”
    “We took you when you were little. One of your father’s family research trips.”
    “He doesn’t bother with that any more, does he?”
    Mum stood, and walked to the windows, to adjust the curtains. “No, love. He told me some secrets are best left hidden. I think he found something he didn’t like.”
    “What, like a murderer or something?” My imagination ran riot.
    Her reply was halted when footsteps sounded in the hallway, and Dad came into the living room, followed by Levi.
    Dad smiled, but it looked forced. Behind him, Levi shuffled his feet and stared at the carpet. Anxiety clawed inside my chest at yet another outbreak of craziness. Did my father already know him? How could that be?
    “It’s getting late. Levi can stay tonight, and I’ll drop him at the station in the morning.” Dad’s voice was gruff.
    I took a deep breath, and pushed to my feet. “What’s going on? You don’t act like this with any of my other friends.”
    “Jessie,” he began, but Levi interrupted, his gaze seeking me, and locking on to my eyes.
    “She deserves to know, Mr. Morgan.”
    Dad shook his head. “I disagree.”
    There was something terribly wrong with this picture. Common sense told me to trust my father, but my gut screamed to go to Levi. I covered the few steps between us, and reached out to take his hand. His fingers instantly tangled with mine, and the butterflies in my stomach calmed at the touch. “Dad. I have to know, whatever it is. I know you’re hiding something, but Levi is…” I groped for the right words. “He’s important. To me .”
    “You met him an hour ago.”
    Time to face up to the crazy. I lifted my chin and met Dad’s hostile stare. “I’ve been dreaming about him all week. Vividly. I know I’m about a psychic as a teapot, and I can’t explain it, but it’s like we’ve known each other for much longer.” I swallowed hard. I loved my parents, and hurting them would be the last thing I ever wanted to do, but this had to be said. “I don’t want to fight with you, but I won’t let you cut Levi out of my life. Not when he’s only just come into it.”
    Levi lifted his free hand and ran his knuckles down my cheek, mimicking the thought I’d had earlier. Soft and gentle, he soothed me even with the high tension levels in the room.
    Dad blew out a noisy breath, but then Mum cleared her throat, and the room fell silent. “I dreamed about you , Alec. You came to my dreams every night after we met. You followed me back to Yorkshire and convinced me I wanted to move to Manchester.” She stepped up, and slid her arm around Dad’s waist. “You’re not so different.”
    “I don’t want our only child living half way around the bloody world.”
    “ Whoa .” This was getting out of hand. “What are you talking about now?”
    “Your father’s worried that you’ll follow me back to New Zealand.” Levi’s smile suggested he was joking, but his eyes darkened.
    I laughed. “Talk about a whirlwind romance. Do I get a say in this?” My words hung in the air and I looked back at Dad. Lines dug into his forehead, and his jaw tightened. He didn’t think it was funny.
    “Levi looks as though he’s dropping where he stands.” Mum broke the silence again. “I’ll make up a bed for him, and then we’ll