Grace of a Wolf (by Lenaleia) novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Caine: Where’s the Cat?

CAINE

Grace seems calmer, but she’s still a little too fidgety and pale for my liking.

I sigh. I had been planning on moving us out tonight, at least a little farther so we could get off the road. Now, I’m wondering if we should stay here overnight and leave in the morning.

We should leave soon, Fenris says. Before one of those human cops shows up.

I leave her in the bedroom to relax, feeling the weight of her silence like an uncomfortable boulder pushing down a part of my soul.

What the hell kind of trauma does she carry to trigger such a terrible response? She wasn’t even this afraid after I took over her pack, or when I’d come to her in the forest—though, thinking back on the memory only serves to make my heart twist into an awkward, guilt-ridden pretzel.

I was so angry at the idea of a human mate—irritated by the idea of another mate at all—and took it out on her, furious she dared to be so alluring with her blueberry muffin scent and pretty green eyes.

I’m not exactly known for my gentle touch, but I’m learning. At the very least, I’d never tie her up in a forest again. Or yank at her hair. Or choke her...

Damn it. Fenris is right. Considering our history, it’s a miracle she doesn’t run screaming every time she sees my face.

I told you.

Hindsight is a terrible thing.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, annoyed by the headache I’ve been fighting since earlier this morning.

It’s the cat. It has to be the cat making her feel so strange. Let’s get rid of it.

"I can’t do that."

Why not?

Because if I get rid of the cat now, she’ll think I lied about not being angry. She’ll think I’m punishing her.

I rub both hands over my face, roughly scrubbing away the faint exhaustion after a long day with these children and now my terrified, pale-faced mate.

But you are angry, Fenris points out, and I hate how he knows me too well.

I’m not angry about the cat. I’m angry she put herself in danger.

After all, what if it hadn’t been just some random cat? What if it had been something worse?

But now it’s impossible to say anything, and I already told her a bunch of bullshit about how I’m not mad and I’m not going to lecture her.

I have to stand by my word.

Maybe you can take this time to reprogram your personality, Fenris suggests oh-so-helpfully.

"Fuck off, Fenris."

"Fah!" Bun squeals, a half-second after me.

She’s on the floor with the damn dog, who seems content with her life as a toddler’s toy.

I frown. It isn’t as if we have any strict rules on swearing around pups in the pack, but it still sounds off-putting to hear a toddler repeat words she shouldn’t even be hearing.

"No more swearing in front of Bun," I announce to the room at large.

Three sets of eyes turn my way, and all three of those children look dumbfounded.

Jer’s the first to speak up. "You’re the only one who swears."

"Yeah," Sara chimes in. "We’re good kids. We don’t swear." But then she looks at my face, blanches, and turns away with a mumble. "Most of the time."

She seems to be afraid I can sense her lie. It’s a useful fear, but I’m not sure what to do about the girl. She gets closer, but then returns to inexplicable states of fear around me. Perhaps it just takes time. I’ve heard girls are more sensitive.

"Yeah, Bun loves to be a cat. She was a cat the entire time you were gone. Right, Ron?" Sara says, sounding higher pitched than normal.

I cross my arms and lean against the kitchen counter, watching in amusement as these children scramble to sell their story. They’re terrible liars. They’ll have to learn to do better. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

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