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.

eye. I reach for it, reading the instructions with burning curiosity. A transformation in a box. A new identity for

here while I grab some food and

already reaching for another box. How different would I look? Would Rafe even

option when

don’t recommend that brand.

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

really sure what I’m looking at," I

grabbing a different box. "This would

not seeing any real difference except—"This one costs

her head, studying me.

"No."

the tip of her nose, eyes narrowing as she

hesitate, looking around. She seems a little too helpful to be a wolf shifter, but I’m

rig’s in the parking lot," she says, jerking her thumb toward the entrance.

some sort

vagabond. But I’ve bleached my hair enough times.

couple bottles of water. I introduce him to the girl, whose name I realize I don’t

us to call

me, and the things in his basket, her eyes narrow. "You two run away from

I flinch.

Andrew says too quickly. His eyes drop to the box

box to the shelf, feeling oddly guilty. I wasn’t trying to spend Andrew’s money or anything. It feels

grabbing it off the shelf and tossing it into his basket.

"you really don’t want to botch up your dye job. Also, you’ll need at

later, we’re following her to a pickup truck across the parking lot with a giant camper hitched to the back. My stomach churns with nerves. It’s probably stupid to follow a stranger, but at least we’re in the parking lot of

Andrew here, it’s unlikely she can do anything terrible

her fifth wheel, sweeping her arm in a dramatic gesture. "Welcome to my humble

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 town?" Lyre asks, tossing her keys into a ceramic bowl shaped like

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