Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 170: Grace: Let’s Keep it a Secret

Caine stares at me with clear suspicion scrawled all over his face. "What is it?"

I clear my throat. This is going to be a hard sell, and beating around the bush will only make it worse. "I don’t want anyone at Blue Mountain to know that I’m your mate. Not yet."

His entire body goes rigid, and his face gets all twitchy as his eyes narrow. Even his tattoos move around more than normal. Before he can unleash whatever storm is brewing inside, I rush to explain.

"It’s not like I’m denying our bond," I clarify, shaking my hands in the air for emphasis. "Not even close. It’s just—"

What is it about, exactly? My brain scrambles to piece together the half-baked logic behind my request. There was something Lyre mentioned about me and my purpose at Blue Mountain, but the specifics escape me now that Caine’s looking at me like I’ve just suggested something terrible.

"I think I might need to... do things there." Goddess, I sound like an idiot. At least throw me a freaking bone here, deities. Help a girl out. I’m doing your bidding, after all. "And if everyone knows I’m your mate, it might complicate... things."

Wow.

I’m so eloquent I could cry.

This is never going to work.

"Complicate it how?" His voice has dropped to a dangerous level of low, the kind where every word comes out as more of a rumble. Not the kind of voice you’d normally use on your girlfriend, but maybe someone you have tied in a torture chamber somewhere.

My palms sweat. The children are too far to serve as effective human shields. I take a breath and decide to just be honest.

"Look, information moves differently around pack royalty. I know it. You know it. If they know I’m your mate, they’ll treat me differently. They won’t talk freely. They won’t gossip. And gossip is information. Good information."

The muscle in his cheek jumps, but at least his eye has stopped twitching. He’s listening.

Progress.

I’m making progress. Even if I’m fumbling.

"I mean, think about it. If the pack members know I’m with you, they’ll either hate me more or they’ll fake being nice to get your favor. Neither of those options sit well with me."

Caine remains silent, his gaze intense enough to burn holes through me. Maybe there’s no progress after all. But at least his face is no longer twitching.

A sudden, brilliant thought comes to me. "It would be even better if you act like you hate me, too. Maybe say I’m trouble."

"No." The single syllable comes out with such force, I take a step back. While I wouldn’t quite categorize it as a shout, it’s definitely shout-adjacent.

"But—"

not." Each word is clipped and hard, coming

"You didn’t even consider

mate. How the hell

was

kid trying to con another child into some

head back to maintain eye contact. His warm, musky scent wraps around me and my body gets the urge to climb all over

But I don’t.

a responsible adult with a plan, and his stupid sexy face is not going to ruin

he leans don so our faces are

need to listen to gossip,

contact is hard when you’re lying, but I manage

your request," he says finally, still sounding like he’s going to tear my nails out. "But I will not act as if I hate you.

how it tingles where his breath brushes

Kissing can’t

but then a shriek of laughter from

Jesus.

road, not

doesn’t move his face away. He doesn’t seem to have any qualms about the lack

again, and he steps forward. Retreat isn’t an

snaps. "That’s all you have to

"Er... thank you?"

long way to soothing a

so

to promise to keep your distance then. You can’t go around being

curls slightly with

for using that word?

arguing with him isn’t going to do me any

to look

again, snarling, "Absolutely

won’t be anything terrible. I’ll be fine. I’ve

"No."

"Caine—"

"No."

have to hope and Ellie isn’t going to play any tricks while I’m there. The rest of the pack isn’t much better, but at least they’re

"And about the kids—"

are testing my patience,