Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 144

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 even

your ugly face won’t

up, but Caine waves him down. "I’ve got

The man’s in Daddy mode again; I

into the fray of Jer and Sara’s constant squabbling. "Take turns. Jer, wash in the shower, just don’t keep the water on. Wet this washcloth

little white from being too close to Caine again, and jumps onto the

pats hers. "He’s not going to

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

mad. He was concerned. There’s

grunts. "Concerned his dinner might have

My lips quirk. "Sara—"

have you wait until Jer and Ron are done,

of her face as Ron heads to the bathroom.

"You don’t have to call me ’sir’, Sara.

"Right, Sir."

their backpacks so they can

on the counter and she does her best to make music

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 kind of deranged

in

wrong, sweetheart?" I move toward her, but Caine is

thirsty," he announces, as if he’s suddenly fluent in toddler. He grabs a sippy cup from the cabinet, fills it with water, and hands

he turns on some show about a blue

"Not this

her tablet behind.

choose what we watch when

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