Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 115: Grace: Hide and Seek, Peek-a-Boo

I fish my phone from my pocket and shoot Lyre a quick text.

[GRACE: Made it safe. Kids settled. Everything ok on your end?]

The three dots never appear. Not even a "delivered" notification.

Signal’s probably garbage out here. Or she’s napping. Could be dealing with her own crew of supernaturals with big personalities and bigger egos. Jack-Eye seems like he’d either be helpful or a handful.

Kind of like Jer, actually. Maybe they share initials for a reason.

Tucking my phone back into my pocket, I squint at the solar panel display again. The battery percentage has dipped slightly since Caine left, but we’re still at a respectable 94%. Not bad for an hour of AC use. And the trailer’s significantly cooler now.

Behind me, Ron’s taken over entertaining the kids. "Hey, Sara, wanna play a game with Bun?"

"What kind of game?"

"Hide-and-seek peek-a-boo, but with a twist. You shift into something small, and Bun has to find you. When she does, we all say peek-a-boo."

A pause. "That’s basically just regular hide and seek. And I can’t say peek-a-boo in hedgie form."

"So? She likes finding animals better than people, and she likes saying peek-a-boo. Come on, it’ll keep her occupied."

"Pa-buu!"

The camper jostles as they storm about, like we’re a ship at sea. Sturdy—Lyre made it perfectly clear the movement is very normal—but probably strange to them.

I’m barely listening, focused on deciphering the solar display, only to get distracted when my stomach grumbles. It’s later in the day, and we’ve only had breakfast.

It isn’t hard to make a giant plate of baby carrots, sliced cubes of cheddar, apples, and even grapes. Putting it out on the counter? Even easier. Getting the kids to eat it...?

Apparently, it’s quite hard.

"Snacks, guys!"

Ron glances up from where he’s crouched near the couch. "Thanks, Grace."

Jer appears out of nowhere, his head at my elbow. "I’m not hungry."

Bun? Ignores me. It’s mildly offensive. She was glued to me, but now she’s trying to cram her head under the couch and oblivious to my existence.

"That’s fine. It’s here if you want it." I scan the room. Something feels off, but I can’t put my finger on what. Like I’m forgetting something important.

Jer hovers as I head back to the kitchenette. "How does the water work in here?"

Great question. I’ve recently learned all about it, too. Okay, not all about it. But I do know there’s a button for the water pump and now I know it’s important to keep the "fresh water" tank filled.

"It’s connected to a fresh water tank, and it supplies water to all

electricity? Is it all from

generator, and that’s why

"Why gas?"

uses gas to... run." I’m not super familiar with

happens if it rains for a

We’d probably use the generator more?" I wonder how

light up. "What if there was a zombie apocalypse? Would

the sun rises, I guess." I lean

came back? Could we

reply, unable

questions are like pinballs, bouncing all over the place. No idea where they come from—or

you think the Lycan King could take

mean the chicken’s

drops, dark eyes wide with horror. Ron snorts

evolved from dinosaurs. So technically, T-Rex is related

splutters, gangly arms

Dinosaurs," he protests. "He would totally eat the Lycan

"T-Rex isn’t the king. There’s no dinosaur

squints at me, looking more suspicious than curious. Like

I am messing around with his head a little. It’s more

is what a king rules over. Like England. They have kings." I pause. "Well, a queen right now? Uh. No, maybe

the dinosaur

vote, I’d pick velociraptors over T-Rex any day." I’ve literally never thought about tiers of

What are the

we go. The extent of my dinosaur knowledge. Chicken evolution and three whole

more than three, to

Jurassic Park?" His eyes widen. "They were super

Probably the only reason I remember their

Caine’s super big. His arms

slides onto the bench seat, grabbing a baby carrot while still debating dinosaur royalty in his head. His serious expression over something so ridiculous makes my

the camper, and there’s a high-pitched shriek. It has

its way into my throat and my eyes immediately go to the door. It’s

closer. Ron straightens, instantly on alert as he looks at

wild moment, I wish Caine were here. Just his presence—solid, watchful, impossible to startle—would be enough

that?" the younger

air into my lungs. Fenris is under the camper. It’s probably just him, shifting position or bumping

my voice sounds. "Probably just Fenris. He’s

"The golden retriever is running away. Maybe Fenris scared her off. Dogs

I plaster on a reassuring smile, feeling my pulse