Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 78: Caine: Unnatural Silence (II)

CAINE

Bodies lie scattered around us, some moving, most still.

Fenris, sensing my intention, shrinks himself down to a less imposing size—though still massive by any normal wolf standard. The blue glow around him dims to a gentle aura as he pants, surveying our carnage with grim satisfaction.

I let my shift reverse, bones cracking back into human form. Changing when wounded is never recommended, as it can make everything worse. Pain radiates through my body as wounds reshape themselves. My vision clears from wolf to human.

A Fiddleback nearby twitches, trying to crawl away. I stride toward it, naked and bloodied but unconcerned with such trivial matters. My foot connects with its ribs—not hard enough to break, just enough to turn it over.

"Shift." The word carries only a whisper of my dominance, but it’s enough.

The wolf’s body contorts, bones reshaping at an agonizingly slow pace. This time, the transformation happens as it should—not the unnatural speed from before. Paws elongate into fingers. Fur recedes into skin. Muzzle shortens to a human face.

A woman. Mid-fifties perhaps. Thin face, sharp features. Recognition flickers—Halloway introduced her earlier. Something about treasury management. I didn’t bother committing her name to memory. It was unimportant then, and only mildly useful now.

I place my bare foot against her throat, not pressing down—yet. "Where’s Halloway?"

Her eyes dart wildly around the room. Blood trickles from a cut above her brow. Her arm’s flopped at an unnatural angle and her breath comes in short, desperate gasps.

"I—I don’t know—"

My foot presses down slightly, cutting off her words. "Try again."

Fear sharpens in her eyes. "I don’t—"

My voice remains level, but the pressure on her throat increases. "I don’t have time for your lies."

She swallows hard against my foot. "He’s... he’s looking for your Luna."

My spine turns to ice. "What do you mean?"

The woman coughs, her windpipe constricting beneath my foot. I ease the pressure—just enough to let her speak. Death would be too merciful for what I need now.

Internal injuries, probably from the shift I forced on her. "Halloway got a call. The girl escaped. He went

eyes narrow. "Escaped? Or was she

eyes dart sideways, avoiding

my foot down again, just

don’t know," she chokes out. "Just

within me. If Grace escaped, she’s

there soon. We will know

do little to soothe the worry and anger blending

blood from my wounds dripping onto her face. "Why were you stupid enough to think you could go against the Lycan King? What

voice strengthens despite her broken body. "Her

fear—I don’t fear gods, or monsters. But it’s

my eyes. "Who is

immediately turns into a sputtering, wet cough. "You’ll

Bodies lie scattered across marble floors. Blood paints abstract patterns across white tablecloths. This

I grab her chin, forcing her to look at the carnage. "Fiddleback’s abandoned. I’ve won.

back in a bloody grin. "She is everywhere. She

just from the woman beneath me, but from every living body scattered across the floor. The fallen wolves arch

howl they emit defies description, a chorus of agony and

nothing to block the sound; it exists both inside

woman beneath me convulses, her back arching like the others. Her scream joins

a buffer against the

Fiddleback wolves are

decades melt away her flesh in seconds. Skin pulls tight across her cheekbones,

once a middle-aged woman becomes a mummified

wolves shrivel beneath

The screaming stops.

somehow louder

approaches cautiously, sniffing

Thom? I scan the room, but he’s nowhere to be found. Neither