Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 221: Caine: Sneaking In

CAINE

Sneaking through the dark hall of her camper is starting to become a habit.

Not a great one, either.

Fenris sounds sour from his place beneath the RV, where he’s been keeping watch since Dylan and Randy left after the children were put to bed. He was less than enthused with my idea, but at least he isn’t getting in my way.

If she catches you, I was never here.

Such loyalty from the other part of my soul.

Gritting my teeth against his brazenly perfidious nature, I manage to avoid creaking or shaking the RV as I sneak my way into the master bedroom.

Sara and Bun are fast asleep, cuddled on either side of Grace. The fan’s on, blowing strands of golden hair across her nose, and yet the woman’s oblivious.

The scene’s so peaceful and perfect, it makes my little plot for a night of peace seem... dirty and mildly perverted.

What the fuck am I doing here, lurking in the darkness like some kind of deranged stalker because I can’t sleep without her goddamn scent?

This is pathetic even for you, Fenris agrees. The mighty king reduced to stealing pillows. How the legends will sing of this heroic quest.

"Shut up," I growl under my breath.

Just take what you came for and go. Or don’t. Either way, I’m not the one getting hit when she wakes up.

My original plan—swapping out the unused pillow under my arm for one carrying Grace’s scent—suddenly seems not just desperate but genuinely disturbing. What would she think if she woke to find me looming over her bed?

And it wouldn’t even be the first time.

You could just ask her for a shirt like a normal person.

It isn’t like I haven’t thought about it, but stealing her pillow somehow seemed a little less creepy at the time I made my plan.

Have you considered explaining it to her?

Damn him and his good points. I scrub a hand over my scruffy cheeks and inhale deeply, soaking in her blueberry muffin scent and consoling myself it’s better than not smelling it at all.

sure she’ll be happy to send

at my sides, the urge to step further into

take a

too far. My need for her has crossed from inconvenient to unhinged. While not abnormal in a mating bond, Grace

forcing myself to retreat. Tomorrow I’ll come back when she’s awake, explain how important scent is to a mate, and arrange a more normal, consensual pillow

touch soothed me, its effects long-lasting. And now it

inhale as I step

You’re whipped.

I hiss, tired of his constant

there for five full minutes breathing like

you," I retort, still mindful of keeping my voice low to avoid waking the children. "You’ve

I suggested marking her, not creeping

Grace’s neck marked by me sends a welcome rush of heat through my body, but I force it away quickly. She’s not ready for it yet, and

away from her bedroom makes the ache in my chest grow

just sleep

permission. And for some reason, Grace seems less than

"...Caine?"

sends heat straight through my veins. I turn

distracted with my own imagination I hadn’t heard her getting

t-shirt sliding off one shoulder. Even in the dim light, I can see the confusion in her eyes,

are you doing in here?" she asks, her voice so

good explanations for why I’m in her camper at three in the morning with a pillow under my arm and a growing hard-on in my

place the pillow over my crotch and turn away to awkwardly

her you were making sure she

lie feels

her you sensed

send her into a panic?

her you

love to, but if I start down that road, I might end

and wanted to make sure everything

with sleep-soft eyes, even as her eyebrows go up

that way, it

"I have a key."