Grace of a Wolf (by Lenaleia) novel Chapter 219

Chapter 219: Grace: Crash and Restart

After checking my phone, where a new mission has not appeared despite Caeriel saying it did, I glance up...

And he’s gone.

What the hell.

My eyebrows twitch with irritation, but mostly I’m just grateful the creepy reaper vanished. One second he’s all looming condescension, the next—poof. Supernatural beings must get off on dramatic exits.

My phone buzzes in my hand, the screen lighting up with a notification. Well, would you look at that. The mission he promised has finally materialized.

But the contents are... strange.

[ASSIGNED MISSION: 20-L.fnd-dgID.0039]

So helpful.

I didn’t think I’d miss Caeriel, but now I do. Maybe he’d explain what the fuck this means. It looks like some sort of error in the code instead of a proper mission.

Staring at it isn’t going to help me decode it any faster, though, so I shove my phone in my pocket, resolving to wait for ten minutes to see if some sort of update gets pushed through the app.

I scan the laundromat absently, going still when I see Sadie once again sniffing in the corner and the cat sleeping on the same washer it was before.

What the hell, what the hell, what the hell. Caeriel said they were gone giving reports, but now they’re back in the exact same positions they were the last time I looked at them?

Creep Meter has maxed, Grace Harper.exe needs to restart, this is getting too fucking weird.

(Fine. It was funnier in my head.)

Neither seems particularly disturbed by the fact Caeriel was just here.

Let’s rip the mask off these fake pets and start over.

I march across the worn linoleum floor toward Sadie, arms crossed over my chest. The golden retriever continues her intense investigation of whatever fascinating smell she’s found.

"I know you can understand me," I announce, keeping my voice flat so it doesn’t betray my annoyance. "What the hell are you?"

The golden retriever’s head whips around at the sound of my voice. She abandons her sniffing expedition immediately, her entire demeanor transforming into quintessential dog joy. Her tail wags so hard her butt swings with it. Big brown eyes lock onto mine with what appears to be pure, innocent adoration.

Convincing as hell, but we all know better now, don’t we?

I narrow my eyes, not buying the act for a second. "I know you aren’t a dog. Spill."

Sadie’s response is to crank the excited puppy routine to eleven. Her entire body wiggles with enthusiastic tail-wagging before launching at me, her front paws landing on my shoulders as she tries to lick my face with sloppy devotion.

"Ugh!" I shove her off, wiping dog slobber from my cheek. "Gross." Even worse knowing she isn’t really a dog.

Sadie lands on all fours, looking supremely pleased with herself. Her tail continues its metronome-like sweep. If dogs could smile, she’d be grinning from ear to floppy ear.

Whatever she is, she’s holding onto her secrets hard.

But she doesn’t seem out to hurt me.

"Fine. Play dumb." I wipe my hands on my jeans. "But I’m onto you."

The dog tilts her head, one ear flopping over in what has to be a calculated move of cuteness. I’m not falling for it.

I check my phone again, examining the new mission notification, but it’s as glitched out as it was a few minutes ago.

Okay then. Another five minutes before I’ll try wracking my brain to figure it out.

Meanwhile...

Sadie might not be willing to spill her secrets, but there’s always the cat.

Eyes on my new prey, I stalk across the laundromat to grab it by its scruff. It’s too heavy to dangle in the air, so I just lift its front half off the washer to ask harshly, "Whatever you are, take your true form and explain it to me."

The cat yawns, showing needle-like white teeth, then blinks big blue eyes at me like I’m stupid.

Sadie barks from behind me, and I can feel her butt-wagging joy even without looking.

"Come on. I already know you disappeared to send in a report. What are you? Who are you reporting to?"

Shaking the cat a little and trying not to feel like an animal abuser does little to bring forward movement to my interrogation.

The cat just half-dangles there in my grip, purring as it continues to stare at me with innocent blue eyes.

Hah.

"I’m warning you, if either of you bring trouble to me or the kids..."

"Miss Grace Harper, there you are!"

With all the math mathed out, I’m pretty sure my best bet is to not get on this guy’s nerves. So I give a slightly confused smile instead.

"I already found her," Andrew points out. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Mm, yes, this is going swimmingly. Both men are here to keep me safe and yet they’re at odds. We should be united against the common enemy, but first I have to work on not also being the enemy.

The old Lycan appears stumped as his mouth opens and closes a few times. Finally, he shoves Andrew aside and snaps at him to know his place as he stomps in my direction.

My back stiffens, but I desperately keep the faint, welcoming smile on my face. "Can I help you?"

He clears his throat. "That’s my question."

The way he looks at me is more curious than condescending, though his lip curls a little when he looks me over. Whatever his judgment is, I don’t seem to have a passing score—as expected. But he’s calm and polite, even subservient, with his words.

"I’m sorry?" I ask, not sure I heard him right.

He rolls his shoulders back. "My apologies, Miss Harper. I am here to help you in any capacity you require."

I glance at Andrew, who shakes his head at me like I’m supposed to understand what he’s trying to say.

The Lycan’s acting like I just berated him, and he even looks a little pleased by it, with his cold eyes warming just a little, with faint crinkles at the ends.

No; I’m probably overthinking it. He’s probably offended but trying his best to act.

"I don’t require anything—"

"Miss Harper, I’m here to help with anything," he stresses calmly. "Please have a seat. Which machine is yours?"

He places his hands on my shoulders, gently manhandling me into a hard-shelled plastic chair. There isn’t even an intimidating squeeze or glare to keep me in line, but my entire body goes stiff anyway.

What’s with these Lycans and their sudden about-faces in how they treat me?

"Um... What exactly did he say?"

"I’m sorry?" the Lycan asks, so very courteous even though I know he finds me lacking. It’s weird.

"Caine. What did he tell you?"

"Ah." The old Lycan only lets go of me only once my butt meets seat, and takes three steps back as he clasps his hands behind his back. "Miss Harper and the four shifter children she has with her are to be treated with utmost respect. The children have been acknowledged by our High Alpha as his own, and Miss Harper is..." His lips quirk a little, with an almost imperceptible pause. "...not his mate."

This time, the pause is very obvious before he adds calmly, "He was very clear that you are not his mate, Miss Harper. Please don’t worry."

Andrew’s lips keep twitching like he wants to laugh and is desperately trying to hold it back, and it takes everything in me not to glare at him.

"Oh..." I say faintly, wondering how everything’s gone so terribly wrong.