Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 4: Grace: A Sudden Change

"Grace."

Alpha's commanding voice has my head snapping up before my brain is even functioning. I must have fallen asleep.

A threadbare blanket falls to the floor as I sit up; someone covered me when I fell asleep on the couch. Several adult wolves had swarmed the clearing only minutes after my protector fled, and—thankfully—were not a part of the sexual haze of the Mate Hunt, but established and mated adults who quickly dragged me home, like a recalcitrant child.

What were you doing? they all asked me in exasperation, like I wanted to be there.

No one listened when I tried to explain what happened.

"Alpha," I greet my adoptive father, clearing my throat when my voice croaks. "I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep."

He waves one massive hand, scrutinizing me with a frown. "Tell me what happened."

Alpha's piercing gaze bores into me, and I can't shake the feeling something's off. His usual stoic demeanor has morphed into something unsettling. I swallow hard, my throat dry as sandpaper.

"I woke up in the middle of the forest during the Mate Hunt. My clothes were gone. I don't know how I got there."

He's shockingly unaffected by the words coming out of his mouth, looking more impatient than anything. "What else?"

"It wasn't safe, so I ran. I was trying to get home, but got lost. A strange wolf found me and kept me warm when I got lost. Andrew found us a while later and they both fought, and the wolf ran away."

With each word, Alpha's frown deepens, etching harsh lines across his face. The air grows thick, oppressive, making it hard for me to breathe. Oxygen makes it into my lungs with shallow, open-mouth breaths as his aura presses down on me.

I'm dizzy. And confused.

never used his aura on me before. He says humans are too weak to

like he's stealing the air from around

hiding anything

tone makes me shudder. He doesn't sound like my adoptive father. He sounds... angry. "What do you

eyes narrow, his jaw clenching. "Are you hiding a shift

mouth agape, struggling to process his words. "I... what? I'm human. How could I possibly hide a shift?" What insane question is

terrifying. His face contorts, features twisting into something inhuman. Gone is the stern

My voice quivers, barely above a

a step closer, looming over me. "Don't lie to me, girl. Did you

my head frantically. "No! No, I

he pulls me forward. His eyes blaze golden, feral and unfamiliar. The

"Shift. Now."

command slams into me, an invisible force threatening to crush my bones. My lungs struggle against the pressure,

I wheeze. "Please,

"Shift!"

the edges. I want to obey, to do anything to make this stop, but

"Alpha, please—"

biting into my flesh. "Shift, damn

grip keeps me upright. Spots dance across

airborne. My back slams against the floor, driving what little air remains from my lungs. I lay there, boneless, gasping like a fish out of water. The crushing weight of Alpha's presence lifts, allowing me to

open. Alpha towers over me, his face a mask of disgust and contempt.

ringing in my

words cut through the fog, clear and devastating. "We wasted these years. She's truly just a human. The bitch