Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 174: Grace: White Cat (II)

Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the couch watching Sara roll around the floor with the mysterious white cat and I’m not only praying it doesn’t have fleas, but also wondering how the hell I’m going to explain to Caine we’ve somehow acquired a new cat when I wasn’t supposed to leave the camper.

This is bad.

An absurd level of panic keeps rising in my chest, even as I try to convince myself it’s fine.

"We’re keeping it, right?" Jer asks, his arm around Sadie as he watches his sister play with the cat.

I shift uneasily. "I don’t think the cat wants to stay with us." Better to blame the strange feline than my fear over Caine’s temper.

Even as the words leave my mouth, the white cat stretches languidly across Sara’s belly, looking for all the world like a giant, furry limp noodle. Its eyes close to contented slits as her small fingers trace patterns through its suspiciously pristine fur.

Shouldn’t a cat out in the wild like this be—I don’t know... dirtier? Especially when it’s white.

"It looks like it wants to stay with us," Jer points out, eyebrows raised like I’m the one not seeing reason here.

"Oh, please?" Sara begs, soft and pleading. She cradles the cat against her chest even though it’s longer than her torso, and the cat purrs louder.

I rub at my closed eyes with a groan. Caine’s going to be so mad when he gets back, and he should be back any minute. Not just mad—furious.

I was supposed to be inside with the doors locked, not chasing mysterious animals across open fields. And I’m pretty sure I definitely wasn’t supposed to bring one of those animals back inside.

Especially a cat.

A disgruntled huff comes from under the dinette. Fenris sulks in the shadows. His storm-gray eyes track the cat’s every movement, ears pinned back against his skull. After I told him to leave the cat alone, he retreated to pout like an overgrown puppy.

restraint. She whines every so often, desperate to get to the cat

just in case. Cats and dogs aren’t

sound firm even as Sara’s face falls. "It

points out. Isn’t he supposed to be my most helpful kid? And now he’s working against me,

anything," I counter. "Cats can come to anyone if they’re friendly

if this particular cat is the same one I

the same general area, but it

to blink as she looks around the room. Her eyes are still glazed

the cat and squeals. All semblance of sleepiness fades as she dives

floor, setting her upright. "Be careful. We have to be gentle,

squatting next to Sara

gently bumps its nose against

Sara says triumphantly. "Cat likes us.

it’s a girl? Maybe it’s a

spot. The cat ignores him. Yet another animal showing no fear

and Sadie are

kennel for the drive. We can’t keep this cat. It would be

been waiting for with dread:

ballistic, and I clench my fists in my lap. He’s going to be so angry, and I’m still not sure how I’m going to explain this. Sadie was barking, Bun was sleeping, I brought Fenris with me—it seemed like a reasonable risk

quell the rising tide of panic in my

put it outside, then?" Ron asks, coming behind Bun and leaning down to scratch

clutching the

doesn’t struggle in Sara’s tightening grip, just lets her squeeze it like it’s

handing Sadie’s leash to Ron. My legs feel shaky beneath me. Or maybe the camper’s