Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 1: Grace: Awakening to Pursuit

As a human, I should be miles away from any large shifter event. Especially the annual Mate Hunt.

A hunt for mates. Doesn't that sound barbaric? Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds.

Several packs in the area gather as their newly minted adult wolves shift. Females are let into the woods first and are given an hour's head start, just before sundown. Then it's time for the males, ostensibly thrown out to hunt down the scent of their fated (or chosen) mates.

It isn't an event for the faint of heart, and it's definitely no place for someone who can't shift. So why the fuck am I here, running my little human heart out, chased by what sounds like an entire pack of wolves?

Great question. I don't know, either.

Alpha warned me to stay home with all the windows and doors locked, saying you can never trust a hormonal wolf during the Hunt. And that's exactly what I did, because I've seen and heard of too many horror stories to want anything to do with a night like tonight.

But somehow, I opened my eyes to a canopy of trees over my head, half blocking out the light of the full moon. To near-freezing winds brushing against my half-naked skin. To the sound of howling, near and far.

And an unfamiliar, unsettling crunch to my left.

As soon as my brain function caught up to the situation, I got up and ran. Maybe not the smartest thing—I had no idea where I was running to—but every inch of my body was screaming danger, and there was zero percent of me interested in learning the origins of that suspicious sound.

And now I'm here.

Surrounded by howls fueled by the thrill of the hunt.

Feet bleeding. Lungs freezing.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The distinct terror of being hunted has my blood cold and sluggish in my veins, even as my heart pounds erratically. Or maybe it's the fall chill. We're only a couple degrees above freezing tonight, and however I got here—my clothes were compromised in the process.

Bra and underwear. At least I have those.

No shoes, of course.

My skin's riddled with goosebumps and branches whip at my skin, leaving marks and scratches I'm sure I'll regret later. Unlike the pack I've been adopted into, I have no innate talent at maneuvering in the wild. My feet pound against leaves, probably leaving an easy trail to follow. But is standing around any better? Uh, probably not.

Then again, running just triggers their prey drive—

Fuck. I have no fucking clue, so I keep running.

My breath is ragged, choppy. Each gulp of air is like icicles stabbing into my lungs.

Alpha—the man who more or less adopted me six years ago—is going to be furious. But later fury doesn't help me in the moment. I learned that lesson a long time ago. Not everyone's willing to have a human around a wolf pack, and a few of them are willing to show me their displeasure in private.

This might be one of those times.

Super not my idea of fun.

My foot catches on something, sending pain straight through my ankle.

The world spins, and my face slams against the ground before I can break my fall. Dirt and blood fill my mouth; I'm surrounded in twigs and dead leaves.

I cough and sputter, trying to clear my airway. My arms shake as I push myself up, spitting out clumps of earth.

"Shit," I hiss, pain shooting through my ankle as I attempt to stand. It buckles, and I collapse again.

sends my heart into overdrive. I freeze, terror gripping me as a slender gray wolf bursts into view. It skids to a halt, panting heavily.

recognition dawning. "Andrew?" Could it

Andrew stands before me, naked and scowling. "What

off guard. Andrew's always been indifferent to me at best,

stammer, struggling to my feet. "I woke up out here. Do you

keep me safe during the sexual haze of the Mate Hunt. He said he had no interest in joining, of course—though no wolf has a choice. It's a required event once you're of age. He'll be happy to

expression darkens at the mention of my boyfriend—his

here," he growls. "Turn back.

Andrew,

the sound of more wolves crashing through the forest cuts him off. Two dash past, a familiar gray form and a smaller

his entire body going rigid. In an instant—faster than Andrew, thanks to his alpha ranking—he shifts back to human form, blue eyes

doing here?" he snarls,

by his anger. "Rafe,

wolf shifts then, taking little longer than Rafe.

For some reason...

knowledge makes my stomach twist into

Long black hair frames an absofuckinglutely flawless face. Not a single freckle, or pimple, or anything. Just smooth, glass skin. Her green eyes are sharp and gorgeous, impossibly emerald-bright. She steps closer to Raphael, one hand on his arm, her

kidding? It

purrs, "who is

Mate? Who? Him?

That's

clenches and he avoids my gaze, that's exactly

My boyfriend. Her mate.

I'm practically naked in a forest full of sex-crazed wolves: My dreams of the future

that tonight won't

the new girl. His mate. Fuck,

meet mine, a flash of something crossing his face. Is it guilt? "No one," he

This can't be real. It has to

whisper, "what's

clenched. "You need

"But—"

roars,

mate—whoever she is—smirks, pressing herself against Raphael's side. "You heard him, little human. Run along now. The

shifts uncomfortably. "Grace, I'll escort

Raphael cuts in. "You should return to the

the black-haired vision protests, and he touches

gentle. So sweet. The same tone he

things change

wolf shifters

to be on

My other half.

towards me, snatching my arm in a rough grip, like a fucking stranger. Worse than

his grasp, to no avail, limping along behind

You're hurting

see a flicker of the boy I love in his eyes. But it's gone in an

were you thinking?" he hisses. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to be out

don't know how I got here! I woke