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

chest, mock-offended. "Just a friend?

reaches toward me. "Oh no, I didn’t mean—I just—best

"Breathe, blueberry. I’m just messing with you." I wave my hand dismissively. "You’re wound

there’s no heat behind her words. A small smile tugs

of innocence, wrapped in a world determined to grow her into a fate too large for her

can see the threads of her fate, and they’re

by

are. The Divinity call it balance, but I’ve

exit, and I can’t help but twirl my finger in the beta’s direction. "Ribbit,

spice to his fear. Doesn’t like being poked at, does he? Maybe he’ll be more

onto one of the cushions scattered across the floor, her

?"

I tell her with an easy smile. "I wanted to talk to him,

Jack-Eye is afraid

just has good instincts. Unlike your mate, who bulldozes through life with

pink thing

beside her, "we’re well past that particular denial,

hands fidgeting in her lap. Her nervous energy fills the space between

really upset?" she

looking for you." I pat her knee. "In

how someone so genuinely good could end up bound to a creature like Caine. The universe has a

"he might be a bit... intense when he

falters.

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

"Oh."

physical contact until we’re sure you’ve recovered. I’d hate to have to explain to the hospital staff why you’re back in

to be a

can respond, a commotion echoes from the hallway—heavy footsteps and voices,

Caine.

feels, and I can’t help but sigh. All that beauty, tied to an emotional brick wall with anger

and I still don’t understand the mating bond’s peculiar sense of matchmaking. Though, Grace has her own ability to emulate an emotional rock, so I suppose they are

doorway with his massive frame, eyes locked on