Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 176: Caine: Where’s the Cat?

CAINE

Grace seems calmer, but she’s still a little too fidgety and pale for my liking.

I sigh. I had been planning on moving us out tonight, at least a little farther so we could get off the road. Now, I’m wondering if we should stay here overnight and leave in the morning.

We should leave soon, Fenris says. Before one of those human cops shows up.

I leave her in the bedroom to relax, feeling the weight of her silence like an uncomfortable boulder pushing down a part of my soul.

What the hell kind of trauma does she carry to trigger such a terrible response? She wasn’t even this afraid after I took over her pack, or when I’d come to her in the forest—though, thinking back on the memory only serves to make my heart twist into an awkward, guilt-ridden pretzel.

I was so angry at the idea of a human mate—irritated by the idea of another mate at all—and took it out on her, furious she dared to be so alluring with her blueberry muffin scent and pretty green eyes.

I’m not exactly known for my gentle touch, but I’m learning. At the very least, I’d never tie her up in a forest again. Or yank at her hair. Or choke her...

Damn it. Fenris is right. Considering our history, it’s a miracle she doesn’t run screaming every time she sees my face.

I told you.

Hindsight is a terrible thing.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, annoyed by the headache I’ve been fighting since earlier this morning.

It’s the cat. It has to be the cat making her feel so strange. Let’s get rid of it.

"I can’t do that."

Why not?

Because if I get rid of the cat now, she’ll think I lied about not being angry. She’ll think I’m punishing her.

scrubbing away the faint exhaustion after a long day with these

Fenris points out, and I

angry about the cat. I’m angry she put herself

what if it hadn’t been just some random cat? What if it had been something

I already told her a bunch of bullshit about how I’m not mad and

have to stand by my

you can take this time to reprogram your personality,

"Fuck off, Fenris."

squeals, a half-second

the floor with the damn dog, who seems content with her life as a toddler’s

around pups in the pack, but it still sounds off-putting to hear

more swearing in front of Bun," I announce to the

turn my way, and all three of those children look

to speak up. "You’re the only one

in. "We’re good kids. We don’t swear." But then she looks at my face, blanches, and turns away with

what to do about the girl. She gets closer, but then returns to inexplicable states of fear around me. Perhaps it just takes time. I’ve heard girls

on the floor beside Bun

only one

narrow as I look them over. "Where’s

exchange glances, and it isn’t subtle at

twitches. Do these two really think they can pretend

though both Sara and Jer look away,

is the cat,

me, forgetting about the dog as she holds both hands up in a

Jer ask, with an exaggerated face of surprise. "It’s just our sweet Bun. She loves

"Meow!"

cat. She was a cat the entire time you were gone. Right, Ron?" Sara says, sounding

himself off the floor and takes his favored seat on the

counter, watching in amusement as these children scramble to sell their story. They’re terrible liars.

hisses, "Help us