Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 162: Grace: Stealing Our House (END BOOK THREE)

We’re going to be traveling for days.

Days.

With a bunch of kids crammed into a truck. There won’t be enough room to stretch out, and there are only so many snacks you can cram down a child before they get full.

I’m already nervous.

And Bun doesn’t even have a carseat. Worse, even if we buy her one, there isn’t room for it.

I gnaw at my lower lip. If we get into an accident, I’ll never forgive myself for not having a car seat for the baby... but the idea of sending one of the kids in the car with Andrew unsupervised makes me want to vomit. Or have a panic attack. Or both.

Andrew’s been... nice. Helpful. He hasn’t complained once about suddenly being under the thumb of the Lycan King—but then again, why would he? It’s putting his life on the line for nothing.

So, while he hasn’t done anything outright to harm us, I just can’t quite trust him. Not with my kids.

When I look up, Lyre’s staring out the window again, her body unnaturally still.

"What’s wrong?" I ask, abandoning the pile of books I’m trying to cram into a closet. It’s more like I was staring at them while thinking about seat arrangements, anyway.

Her cat-like eyes narrow as she points through the glass. "Is that the couple you had dinner with?"

I follow her gaze. "Yeah, that’s them. Archie and Doris. They were really sweet."

Lyre doesn’t look convinced. She studies their vehicle with unsettling intensity, then raises her phone and snaps a photo.

"What are you doing?" I ask, a cold feeling settling in my stomach.

"People aren’t always what they seem, that’s all." She tucks her phone away with a casual shrug, but it feels anything but casual. "Paranoia comes with the job, Grace."

I frown, unconvinced.

had given me goosebumps, and they were both a little too friendly. But dangerous? They’re just a pair of retirees who shared their barbecue and taught Jer to play

terrible at remembering the

but doubt creeps in

"Maybe."

I can pester her for more information, a loud, frantic bout of barking erupts outside, followed by the kids

"Fenris, no!"

"Sara, grab her!"

"Someone get Caine!"

eyes for a split second before bolting for the

with his massive body tense, teeth bared, hackles high, with a deep growl rumbling through

ground in a strange mix of fear and defiance. Ron holds Bun protectively against his chest while Sara tries to position

I call out, stepping toward

materializes from somewhere behind the camper—he was on put-away-the-generator duty—and grabs Fenris by the scruff. The giant wolf doesn’t retreat,

for the stressed-out children

says she smells wrong," the Lycan translates, his face

shoulder. "Well, it’s supposed to," she replies evenly. "You can’t blame it

What a strange response.

because he immediately

Sadie breaks away from her standoff, zooms in a happy circle around all of

out, but

over, laughing so hard he can barely breathe.

a specific, Jer-said-something-stupid-again sigh. "How can she

this is the

darling, is the only one of the kids to exhibit the proper reaction. She shrieks, taking off after the dog. "Come back, Sadie! You can’t go in there!

children have only one level of volume, and it’s MAX. "I’ll

arm from my shoulder. "I’m pretty sure it’s coming with

not

tightens as he releases Fenris, who continues to stare daggers at the camper where Sadie disappeared before disappearing like he never existed. "Wolves