Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 35

Chapter 34: Grace: Lighten

Sterling City is a small town. Too small to hide in. Andrew’s words, not mine.

"So you’re not leaving me here?" I ask, confused.

Andrew’s grip tightens around the steering wheel. "It’s the first place they’ll look. You’re going to need some more distance from the Lycan King, just in case."

His words send ice through my veins. Of course they’d search Sterling City. It’s the closest human settlement, so it makes sense I would run here.

"We’re going to keep driving for a while, but first we need some food."

He pulls into a vast parking lot illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights. A massive blue sign looms ahead.

"Where are we?"

"Walmart. We need food."

The automatic doors slide open with a mechanical hiss, releasing a blast of cold air that prickles my skin. Inside, the store stretches endlessly, aisles upon aisles of... everything. So many things.

"Bathroom first," Andrew mutters, nodding toward the back of the store.

We navigate through the nearly empty store. Past midnight, only a few night owls roam the aisles alongside us. A tired woman in a blue vest pushes a cart of items to restock, and two guys crowd stand in front of the frozen pizzas. They’re the only two people I see.

After using the bathroom, I emerge to find Andrew waiting. His gaze follows mine as I take in everything around us.

"Want to look around?"

I hesitate. "Is that okay?"

"Sure. If you’re not tired." He shrugs. "We can take ten minutes to look around."

It’s a little embarrassing to admit how much fun it is just to drift through aisles.

I end up in haircare, drawn to a wall of colors and promises. My hair’s brown and boring, but I’d never cared much about it before. It’s just hair, after all.

box with a blonde woman catches my eye. I reach for it, reading the instructions with burning curiosity. A transformation in a box. A new

when Andrew says, "Wait here while I grab some food and snacks,

absently, already reaching for another box. How different would I

up a third option when a soft

brand. You’ll

find a girl with hair in every color of the rainbow. Her eyes—unnaturally slitted like a cat’s—survey

what I’m

box. "This would work best out

read over the box, not seeing any real difference

She cocks her head, studying

"No."

eyes narrowing as she looks me up and down. "You from around

around. She seems a little too helpful to be a wolf shifter,

rig’s in the parking lot," she says, jerking her

you... some sort of

vagabond. But I’ve bleached my hair enough times. I can help with

with canned foods, crackers, apples, and a couple bottles of water. I introduce him to

us to call her

Andrew, then me, and the things in his basket, her eyes narrow.

I flinch.

to the box in my hand. "Did

the box to the shelf, feeling oddly guilty. I wasn’t trying to spend Andrew’s money or anything. It feels even more awkward now, probably because he admitted having a crush on me once before.

says, grabbing it off the shelf and tossing it into his basket. "Might be a good

run away from home," the girl interjects, "you really don’t want to botch up your dye job. Also, you’ll need at least one more

camper hitched to the back. My

Andrew here, it’s unlikely she can

the door to her fifth wheel, sweeping her arm

isn’t what I expected. It’s like stepping into another world—one splashed with color and life. Every surface holds something fascinating: lightweight cloth in rich jewel tones drape across the walls, fairy lights strung in zigzag patterns across the ceiling cast a warm glow over everything, and plants hang from macramé holders in every corner. The kitchenette gleams with copper pots dangling from a rack, while the small dinette area has been transformed with cushions covered in fabrics that look like they came from at least four

Lyre asks, tossing her keys into a

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