Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 143: Grace: Too Domestic

A few hours later, we’re finally back in the camper. The last of the barbecue has been packed away, the fire doused, the children full and sleepy, even though Jer insists he’s wide awake even as he rubs his eyes.

My shoulders ache from the tension I’ve been carrying, but I check the solar panel as the kids flop onto the couches in the living room, relieved by the cool, air-conditioned air.

"The battery’s low," I mutter, checking the display panel. The numbers flicker between 10% and 11% in a way that makes my stomach knot. Something’s still not right, even though the storm has passed and everything looks normal.

"I’ll start the generator," Caine says, already heading for the door.

"Thank you," I call after him, but he’s already gone.

When he returns, the roaring of the generator accompanies his re-entry.

The battery’s already gone back to 11% and is now steady, as if all the strange flickering never happened. Relief washes through me for all of three seconds before Caine launches into action.

"All of you, go wash up," he orders the kids, who groan from their positions on the couch. Bun looks around at each of them, then mimics the groan.

"We don’t have much water—"

"We’ll sponge-bathe," he corrects himself. "We need to conserve."

"I already washed my hands," Jer protests, but Caine gives him a Look.

The boy scurries into the bathroom, followed by Sara. Immediately, there’s a spat of squawking.

"Get out of my way!"

"Stop elbowing me, Jeridiot! Go stand in the shower!"

aren’t

your ugly face won’t

sighs and gets up, but Caine

older kid blinks and looks at me, and I shrug. The man’s in Daddy mode again; I have

and Sara’s constant squabbling. "Take turns. Jer, wash in the shower, just don’t keep the water

the bathroom, her face a little white from being too close to Caine again, and jumps onto the couch beside Ron, whispering, "I think

hers. "He’s not going to eat us. Get

she hisses. "Didn’t you see how mad he was

wasn’t mad. He was concerned. There’s a

dinner might have

My lips quirk. "Sara—"

popping his head out of the bathroom. "I’ll have you wait until Jer and Ron are

of her face as Ron heads to the

don’t have to call me ’sir’, Sara.

"Right, Sir."

the kids take their turns in the bathroom—Caine even brings them their backpacks so they can get dressed in something clean—I’m ushered into a couch

kitchen sink, where Caine wipes her down on the counter and she does her best to make music with various utensils and the countertop. She’s

done, Ron is back, and he takes Bun as Caine wipes down the counters. Then he goes around straightening cushions and folding the blanket on the daybed that Jer had disturbed with his bouncing earlier. He looks like some

making grabby hands at nothing in particular. Ron’s trying to work the TV to play one of

but Caine is there in an

he’s suddenly fluent in toddler. He grabs a sippy cup from

Ron looks surprised, his eyebrows raised as he turns

groans. "Not

left her tablet behind.

want to choose what we watch when she goes