Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 215: Grace: Andrew’s Loyalty

There’s a saying somewhere about narrow roads and enemies and it seems pretty fucking accurate.

A familiar blue sedan slows to a stop beside me, and Andrew leans across the passenger seat with a frown etched deep into his forehead as he rolls down his window.

It’s pointless to pretend like I don’t notice, so I stop walking and wait to see what he has to say.

"What are you doing?" he asks sharply, glancing around like we’re in some spy movie. His nostrils flare as he scans the area.

I adjust the heavy backpack straps digging into my shoulders; Sadie and the cat meander around my feet, completely oblivious to his presence. "Heading to the laundromat. What does it look like?"

As far as retorts go, it isn’t a good one. Carrying a few backpacks doesn’t scream laundry run at all. If anything, it looks like I’m on the run. But it’s not like I’m about to start treating Andrew like a bosom buddy or anything.

Even if he seems to be on my side.

His eyes drop to the three stuffed backpacks I’m lugging. Doubt shadows his expression, but he says, "I’ll give you a ride."

I consider my options.

Having him help isn’t like having some random Lycan guard breathing down my neck. If he gets too nosy, I can always kick him to the curb. The thought of the power being back in my hands has my mental ears perking up, and I upgrade him from the mental category of enemy to frenemy.

Then, thinking about how he was willing to get Ellie off my literal back and didn’t tell Rafe anything, I begrudgingly upgrade him again to friend with a question mark.

Oblivious to my mental classification system, Andrew jogs around to grab my bags and tosses them in the backseat while I slide up front, grateful for the sudden rescue. The animals hop into the back with the laundry without even an invitation.

The car smells like Andrew and the vague pine tree undertone of all Blue Mountain shifters. I roll down the window a crack, wondering why it smells so offensive after years of living with it.

"Which one?" he asks, back in the car and buckled in.

"Wash-N-Were."

"Got it."

a whole block before he asks, "Why are you on

is a smart idea?" He’s seen her random

"Oh. Right."

silence for an entire second block, then, "Don’t run around too much on your own.

Ellie never did come to pound on my camper, though now I regret not leading her

"How’d you manage that?"

cough, and I’m immediately on edge. It’s the kind of oh no, how do I explain this cough. You

It’s universal.

what’s in the camper or what I bring to you, would you get it then?" he

then pause. If he doesn’t want me to eat other food,

the proper term is

a lame plotline where she’s going to drug us to sleep and then kidnap me, probably involving a lot of burly guys and some nude photos."

is probably the nicest of

radiating through the car.

Of course it is.

do you know about it?"

her plan

terrible plan. Even the soapiest of operas is looking down on you. I’ve already been kidnapped once; how

thinks I’m on her side, and I was trying to buy

and look out the window. Standards, okay. He could have at

into Ellie’s head, and I’m going to spend the rest of my stay

alley where she tells me dramatically to keep my hands off her man? Better yet, I’ve seen some TV shows where the other woman has

no, it’s kidnapping

I sigh.

was just trying to

pulling teeth, but I add

cheek against my fist and stare out the window,

Speaking of which.