Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 51: Grace: Charity

Caine doesn’t acknowledge Lyre’s words, his stormy eyes never leaving my face. The intensity of his gaze makes me feel stripped bare, as though he’s peeling away layers I didn’t even know I had.

Then there’s my body.

The stupid thing wants to wrap itself around him until his smell seeps into my skin, deep enough it can never be scrubbed away. To lick his neck and see what he tastes like. To put my mouth—

Damn it, my mind’s going haywire.

Stupid body. Stupid cologne-ad smell. Stupid sexy werewolf.

"Come on, boss." Jack-Eye claps a hand on his shoulder. "Let’s give the ladies their beauty sleep."

Suddenly, I like Caine’s beta very much. What a reasonable, thoughtful man.

Andrew remains awkwardly positioned on the ground; he hasn’t twitched a muscle this entire time, and no one seems concerned about helping him up. To be fair, I wasn’t, either. Knowing he’s alive is good enough; I’m not interested in taking him in as a friend and making sure he’s happy or anything. I just didn’t want his death on my hands.

Backing away, I mount the first step to Lyre’s camper. Caine’s eyes track the movement, his body tensing as if to follow, and I narrow my eyes.

I climb the second step, still ascending backwards. He hasn’t moved, but his fists clench at his sides.

"Turn around," he says roughly, scowling once again. "You’re going to fall."

Hmm. Telling him I’m going backward because I want to make sure he isn’t following probably won’t go over very well. Frowning, I do as commanded, but pause to cautiously peek over my shoulder. He hasn’t moved, and he’s still glowering at me like I’m doing something wrong.

The third step puts me at the threshold. When I look back for the last time, I swear, Caine stands like a statue, tall and immovable in the darkness.

A cold knot forms in my stomach as I step through the doorway. It feels like turning my back on someone who wants to eat me.

camper is warmer and less humid than outside. A little safer, too. But the illusion shatters when something large brushes past my legs. I yelp, spinning around to find Fenris already making himself comfortable on the tiny patch of

his audacity. "I

last to step inside, frowning at the wolf.

wolf blinks at me, his gray eyes almost amused, then deliberately lowers his

no, you can’t stay here." I point toward the door.

Fenris doesn’t budge.

Lyre observes from the doorway, her slitted eyes taking in the scene. "Where exactly do you think

glare at the wolf. "Outside, with

huffs and closes his

door behind her. Before it closes completely, I catch a glimpse of Caine’s rigid posture,

begins to throb. "You

his own agenda." She fills a glass with water

go, guzzling it down like I’ve ran a marathon in

my empty glass. "Is it normal for you to have werewolves crash

my glass and hands it over, but my belly’s already sloshing, so I shake my head. She pours it into a

an eye open, his ear

you dare tattle. If you do, you’re out. I will drag you out by your tail. Got

tail thumps against

I warn

Another tail thump.

announces, taking the wind out of my sails. "I don’t think even I can manhandle that

has a point. Fenris must weigh three hundred pounds, at least. If he decides to stay, we don’t have many

Ugh.

But you are

in my bed. Stay on the floor. I don’t

lifts his head with a

even think of getting