Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 108: Caine: Get Them Out (END BOOK TWO)

CAINE

Owen’s cave is, strangely enough, located in a run-down neighborhood. Half the lawns are overgrown, and most families use their yards as storage instead of a decorative display.

The building housing Owen’s strange cave system looks the same as the rest. Several sun-bleached gnomes decorative what used to be some sort of garden, and more windows are boarded than not. Before Owen had given us access, the house was as empty inside as it looked from the outside.

Dirty, dusty, and bare of any life or even basic furniture.

I haven’t asked what strange magic connects the cave to this place. Lyre and those connected to her seem to live by strange rules. While magic isn’t necessarily unfamiliar, the strength and breadth of their powers are leagues beyond what any normal wizard could ever dream of accomplishing.

I circle the perimeter a third time, scanning for anything out of place, but nothing pings my radar.

The silence is absolute. Too absolute.

Animals go quiet when predators approach. Right now, not even the birds call.

"Something’s coming," Grace had said with absolute certainty. Not a question, not a fear—a fact.

She senses things she shouldn’t be able to sense.

Fenris’s voice is sluggish in my mind, weakened from our battle at Fiddleback. He’s quiet most of the time now, conserving strength, but Grace’s warning roused him.

His power is great, but the price of its consumption is equal in measure.

I grunt. He sounds a little too thoughtful, but I have no interest in questioning things further. There are more important things to deal with. I don’t question it.

It’s more than a feeling. The wolf’s curiosity ripples through our shared consciousness. A human shouldn’t detect danger before a wolf. She’s showing traits she shouldn’t possess. Don’t you wonder what that means about who she really is?

My jaw clenches. Don’t care. She’s Grace.

That’s not an answer. She could be—

cut him off with a flash of irritation. My mate. That’s all that matters right now. If there’s

than mine, but it feels as

phone cuts through the tension. Jack-Eye’s name flashes on the

I snap, waiting beside the front door. I’ll go in soon, but I don’t want the children to hear

think," Jack-Eye replies, his voice tinny through the speaker. "Signal’s shit

any wolf on my pack territory, anything outside a fifteen-mile radius is

coming here, or looking for

shared our exact destination yet. Driving blind. Well,

unsurprised. That woman’s defining trait is her refusal

the cave. Grace has... a

hear the

finally responds. "She says Grace should take her truck and camper. There’s a remote boondocking site—whatever the fuck that is—about forty miles northeast. Secluded

the quick response. "Lyre

voice. "I’ll text the coordinates.

bother with a goodbye, ending the call with

figure it out. The priority is moving now,

at the cave entrance, I give the neighborhood one last scan before heading inside. Overhead, the clouds gather, thick and gray. Rain will

efficiency. Each one clutches a small backpack, expressions solemn. Even Bun,

as I enter, her hand clenched around something. Ron stands tall, his teenage frame already carrying hints of the man he’ll become, shouldering the largest

visible from the open top—diapers, wipes, formula, a small stuffed rabbit. Baby supplies for Bun. His

kids will make formidable

as pack. Regardless of their bloodline, they’ll be considered Lycan if

I ask, meeting

tightly. I miss the brown, but I’ll take her

it with the kids.

on the wall and head to the small kitchen area. I don’t bother with selection—just grab anything that looks edible and portable. Apples, protein bars, packages of jerky,

me, reaching past to grab a purple sippy cup from the

bond between us doesn’t care

a wolf’s mating bond has never been considered