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.

over my face, roughly scrubbing away the faint exhaustion after a long day with these children and now my

are angry, Fenris points out, and I hate how he

about the cat. I’m

all, what if it hadn’t been just some random cat?

now it’s impossible to say anything, and I already told her a bunch of bullshit about how

have to stand by my

to reprogram your

"Fuck off, Fenris."

Bun squeals, a half-second after

who seems content with

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

of Bun," I announce to the room at

way, and all three of those children

to speak up. "You’re the only one who

don’t swear." But then she looks at my face, blanches, and turns away with a mumble. "Most

can sense her lie. It’s a useful fear, but I’m not sure 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

swear," Ron explains from his position on the floor beside Bun as

one

as I look them over.

exchange glances, and it

these two really think they

both Sara and Jer look away,

is the cat,

proudly, cat ears sprouting from her head. She dashes to me, forgetting about the dog as she holds

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

"Meow!"

Bun loves to be a cat. She was a cat the entire time you were gone.

takes his favored seat on

lean against the kitchen counter, watching in amusement as these children scramble to sell their

"Help us out