Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 14: Grace: Sent Back

By evening, I’m still alive—but now I don’t want to be.

The man’s an absolute psychopath.

Psycho. Path.

Since when does "go straight to the source" mean waltz into the middle of the grand event welcoming the fucking Lycan King?

And, even if that is what it meant—which it isn’t—what madman throws a bound and gagged woman to the floor in the middle of the room?

Him. That’s who.

My skin burns with everyone’s eyes on me, and I know my face is redder than a tomato. Everyone can see the state I’m in, and there isn’t a single friendly gaze in the bunch.

The meticulously decorated event hall is gorgeous, filled with random, expensive-looking floral arrangements. Everyone in the pack is here, from Alpha and Beta down to the lowliest omega; the main lodge is the only building on pack lands large enough to handle a crowd this size.

There’s a long table at the front of the room to seat the guest of honor and his party on one side, and Alpha and other high-ranking wolves of the Blue Mountain Pack on the other; it’s a standard seating arrangement.

Several Lycans already sit there, leaning forward with interest, but the Lycan King’s seat—next to Alpha—is empty.

And Alpha...

My heart sinks at the look on his face.

against the dark wood of the table. His jaw clenches so tight, a muscle twitches

comes out low, controlled—the kind of control that precedes an

me swaying against his grip. A whimper escapes through the gag, and I find myself missing my betrayer wolf friend. He might be disloyal, but

already tell they’re leaving bruises. Though that’s the least of my problems right now. "I thought you

color drains from Alpha’s face at the challenge, and he bows his head in a show of submission I’ve never seen from him

apologies, High Alpha. I should have informed

with such deference... So

Alpha’s voice softens with false sympathy. "We found her alone, traumatized. I couldn’t

it wasn’t already forced wide open from the gag

causing no trouble. Until recently." Alpha’s eyes narrow. "When she began interfering with

loosens, but the relief is short-lived as his scrutiny burns through me. "You took in a human child, Brax?"

more. We kept her separate from pack business, taught her to be useful." Alpha spreads his hands. "What else could we do? The human systems would have failed her. We raised her as well as we could, taking responsibility

in my throat. All those years calling him my adoptive father, believing he cared about me, only for him to

king’s voice carries

mouth tightens. "She developed... inappropriate attachments. When those proved impossible, she

he’s making my relationship with Rafe sound dirty and twisted. I search the

table. Instead, he stands with Ellie, who looks positively gleeful

is so bland, I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Then again, he’s clearly insane. "That you’d risk harboring a human all these years, purely out of the goodness of your heart, and then

throat bobs. "We’ve always strived to be

Lycan King—turns to me, leaning down to yank the gag out of my mouth, his fingers scraping against my cheek as he does so. The rough fabric scrapes against the corners of my mouth, and I

feels like sandpaper, and I work

into mine. "Is what