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.

his aura on me before. He says humans are too weak to stand up to it. Now, I

from around me. Black spots

anything from

tone makes me shudder. He doesn't sound like my

"Are you hiding a shift from me,

at him, mouth agape, struggling to process his words. "I... what? I'm human. How could I possibly

contorts, features twisting into something inhuman. Gone is the stern but caring father figure I've known all

quivers,

looming over me.

frantically. "No! No, I didn't

as he pulls me forward.

"Shift. Now."

force threatening to crush my

I wheeze. "Please,

"Shift!"

through my body, setting every nerve ending on fire. My vision hazes, darkness creeping at the edges. I want to obey, to do anything to make

"Alpha, please—"

into

out, but Alpha's grip keeps me upright. Spots dance across my vision as he shakes me, each command more forceful

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

I force my eyes open. Alpha towers over me, his face a mask of disgust and contempt. The replacement

filters through the ringing in

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