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.

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

out low, controlled—the kind of control that

feet. Pins and needles attack my legs, leaving 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 at least he

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

face at the challenge, and he bows his head in a show of

High Alpha. I should have informed you

For Alpha to treat him with such deference... So this psychopath really

with false sympathy. "We found her alone, traumatized. I couldn’t leave an innocent

would drop if it wasn’t already forced wide open from the gag in my mouth. Lies spill from Alpha’s

recently." Alpha’s eyes narrow. "When she

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

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

cared about me,

king’s voice carries notes of

those

search the crowd for Rafe’s face, though my field of vision is limited without twisting my

table. Instead, he stands with Ellie, who looks positively gleeful over my predicament. His expression is blank, showing no reaction to my father’s—no,

king’s voice is so bland, I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Then again, he’s clearly insane. "That you’d risk harboring a

bobs. "We’ve always strived to

stranger—the 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 wince at the sharp

like sandpaper, and I work my jaw to ease

His gray eyes bore into