Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 21: Caine: You’re an Idiot

CAINE

Even without being manifested, I can feel my wolf staring holes into my head.

You’re an idiot, Fenris observes for the twentieth time today.

Ignoring him, I nudge a plate closer to the empty seat across from me. The table is covered in a feast; plates of scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, biscuits, scones...

This pack runs well enough, and it’s objectively a loss to have murdered its Alpha last night. While Jack-Eye hasn’t spoken to me about my sudden decision, I know it’s going to be a headache when we get back to our territory. Once news reaches the other packs, protests will come to the throne. Other packs will even send envoys.

There’s no way to sugarcoat an act of war, even for the Lycan King. If I want to keep the peace I’ve forced onto our people, I can’t go around killing Alphas—but his treatment of her...

Was it much better than yours? Fenris asks, with a bit of a snarl in his mental voice. He’s still angry with me for acting as if I was going to choke the girl.

"I didn’t hurt her. She’s alive, isn’t she?"

He sighs. How was she supposed to know you wouldn’t hurt her?

Nagging isn’t a usual part of our relationship, and his insistence on taking care of this human is frustrating. I’d spent all morning cleaning up our mess, and even kept her golden-haired lover alive to take over as Alpha. She should appreciate my restraint, considering the mess I created over her.

You’re going to regret thinking like that.

Ignoring Fenris’ warning, I drop into the chair, drumming my fingers against the table. Where is Jack-Eye with the girl? The food is nearly cold, and the girl hasn’t eaten all day.

That’s your fault. You forgot about her.

escape through clenched teeth. Besides, I didn’t forget about her. I

my wolf opines again,

My knuckles whiten around the edge of the table. "I’m only feeding her because she needs to stay alive until we sort this mess out. She goes back to

snorts. And how do you plan to investigate

my nose, a snarl building in my chest. "There are survivors." It isn’t like I massacred the entire pack. Just a chunk of it. Enough to make an example and take the edge off the anger burning in my chest. "The girl

you ask her some when you went to visit

as I walked in, I was drawn to the bed, where everything was drenched in her obnoxious blueberry muffin scent. Because it

in my head. I want nothing more to punch that son of a bitch

up, nostrils flaring at her scent before she even enters. Jack-Eye opens

ring her grass-green eyes, her skin pale from lack of food. Not that I care. This is

to think

of food, her throat working as she swallows. Her entire body is stiff, and she keeps cradling her hands against her

of you

I fight the urge to scowl at the frail human, saturating this room in the scent of muffins. I might have tied and gagged her, but it isn’t like I hurt her. Scared her, maybe, but she should

you, she’s human. Not a shifter. Violence is not normal in

scoff. Human news glorifies

Fenris sighs.

as he pulls out her

if it’s just Jack-Eye being courteous, the sight of his fingers grazing her skin makes

"Get out," I snarl.

flinches, shrinking into herself. Jack-Eye raises an eyebrow in my direction, but doesn’t argue. If anything,

me if you

sound of his retreating footsteps does nothing to