Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 87: Lyre: Embraced (?)

LYRE

There’s a special joy that comes from watching someone who once stood tall crumble into terrified submission. Owen—all six-foot-something of Order-aligned angelic muscle—keeps flinching whenever I so much as breathe in his direction. It’s adorable, really.

He’s young. Strangely young. Maybe mid-twenties at best. Seems odd, considering his bloodline, but I’m not about to ask. Knowing means involving, and involving means work.

No, thank you.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I fish it out while maintaining eye contact with Owen, just to watch him swallow nervously. Poor thing. I’d only turned him into a toad for a few seconds. Just enough to make sure he didn’t run away.

Didn’t think it would bother him this much, but it is a delightful bonus.

The text on my screen makes me roll my eyes.

[CAINE: Why aren’t you answering your phone? This is just an empty building. Where are you??]

The digital equivalent of a wolf’s howl.

Sighing, I turn to Owen. "Do they need a key?"

He nods stiffly. "Yes."

"Better go let them in before His Royal Broodiness tears this place apart with his bare hands."

"This isn’t—" He stops himself and blows out a heavy breath. "Okay."

Jack-Eye straightens. "I’ll go with you."

Of course he will. Any excuse to get away from the big bad witch who turned his new friend into an amphibian. Wolves are so predictable. So boring. Take away their agency once and they lose their ability to function.

Owen hesitates, looking from me to Grace and back again.

"Don’t worry," I tell him with my sweetest smile. "We’re best friends. Right, Grace?"

The angel-descendant looks at Grace, his silver eyes troubled. "Will you be—"

her cheeks flushing pink as she looks at me.

press a hand to my chest, mock-offended. "Just a friend? After everything we’ve

genuine concern, her green eyes widening as she reaches toward me. "Oh no, I didn’t mean—I just—best friends!

I wave my hand dismissively. "You’re

shoulders visibly relax, tension melting away as she exhales a long breath. "That wasn’t funny," she mumbles, but there’s no heat behind her words. A small smile tugs at the corner of her

a world determined to grow her

threads of her fate, and they’re

by

are. The Divinity call it

hesitant Owen toward the exit, and I can’t help but twirl

At least he has some spice to his fear. Doesn’t like being poked at, does

one of the cushions scattered across the

?"

with an easy smile. "I wanted to talk to him, and it’s the easiest way to get a

Jack-Eye is

mate, who bulldozes through life with all the subtlety of

face does that endearing pink

"we’re well past that

opens her mouth, then closes it, hands fidgeting in her lap. Her nervous energy fills the space between us—anticipation and anxiety

upset?" she asks

tearing the city apart looking for you." I pat her knee.

genuinely

add, "he might be a bit... intense

smile falters. "Intense

with my overprotective wolf-king energy until you can’t breathe’ kind of intense. After what happened last time—" I pause, watching comprehension dawn in her

"Oh."

I’d hate to have to explain to the hospital staff why you’re back in a coma." Though, I’m sure Caine will never let her out of his sight

going to be

respond, a commotion echoes from the hallway—heavy footsteps and voices, one deep and rumbling with

Caine.

straighter, unconsciously smoothing her hair. It’s so painfully obvious how she feels, and I can’t

the mating bond’s peculiar sense of matchmaking. Though, Grace has her own ability to emulate an emotional

then he’s there—the Lycan King himself, filling the doorway with his massive frame, eyes locked on Grace