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.

jaw clenches so tight, a muscle twitches beneath his skin. A vein in his

His voice comes out low, controlled—the kind of control

my feet. Pins and needles attack my legs, leaving me swaying against his grip. A whimper escapes through the gag, and I find myself missing

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

drains from Alpha’s face at the challenge, and he bows his head in a show

apologies, High Alpha. I should

with such deference... So this psychopath really is the Lycan

she was young." Alpha’s voice softens with false sympathy. "We found her alone, traumatized.

jaw would drop if it wasn’t already forced wide open from the gag

no trouble. Until recently." Alpha’s eyes

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

nothing 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

about me, only for him to speak of me like I’m a stray dog

now she runs." The king’s voice carries notes

developed... inappropriate attachments. When those proved impossible,

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

ranked high enough to be sitting at the main table. Instead, he stands with Ellie, who looks positively gleeful over my predicament.

clearly insane. "That you’d risk harboring a human all these years, purely out of the goodness of your heart, and then throw her

bobs. "We’ve always strived to be merciful

his fingers scraping against my cheek as he does so. The rough fabric scrapes against the corners of my mouth, and I wince at

and I work my jaw

His gray eyes bore into mine.