Grace of a Wolf

Chapter 170: Grace: Let’s Keep it a Secret

Caine stares at me with clear suspicion scrawled all over his face. "What is it?"

I clear my throat. This is going to be a hard sell, and beating around the bush will only make it worse. "I don’t want anyone at Blue Mountain to know that I’m your mate. Not yet."

His entire body goes rigid, and his face gets all twitchy as his eyes narrow. Even his tattoos move around more than normal. Before he can unleash whatever storm is brewing inside, I rush to explain.

"It’s not like I’m denying our bond," I clarify, shaking my hands in the air for emphasis. "Not even close. It’s just—"

What is it about, exactly? My brain scrambles to piece together the half-baked logic behind my request. There was something Lyre mentioned about me and my purpose at Blue Mountain, but the specifics escape me now that Caine’s looking at me like I’ve just suggested something terrible.

"I think I might need to... do things there." Goddess, I sound like an idiot. At least throw me a freaking bone here, deities. Help a girl out. I’m doing your bidding, after all. "And if everyone knows I’m your mate, it might complicate... things."

Wow.

I’m so eloquent I could cry.

This is never going to work.

"Complicate it how?" His voice has dropped to a dangerous level of low, the kind where every word comes out as more of a rumble. Not the kind of voice you’d normally use on your girlfriend, but maybe someone you have tied in a torture chamber somewhere.

My palms sweat. The children are too far to serve as effective human shields. I take a breath and decide to just be honest.

"Look, information moves differently around pack royalty. I know it. You know it. If they know I’m your mate, they’ll treat me differently. They won’t talk freely. They won’t gossip. And gossip is information. Good information."

The muscle in his cheek jumps, but at least his eye has stopped twitching. He’s listening.

Progress.

I’m making progress. Even if I’m fumbling.

"I mean, think about it. If the pack members know I’m with you, they’ll either hate me more or they’ll fake being nice to get your favor. Neither of those options sit well with me."

Caine remains silent, his gaze intense enough to burn holes through me. Maybe there’s no progress after all. But at least his face is no longer twitching.

A sudden, brilliant thought comes to me. "It would be even better if you act like you hate me, too. Maybe say I’m trouble."

"No." The single syllable comes out with such force, I take a step back. While I wouldn’t quite categorize it as a shout, it’s definitely shout-adjacent.

"But—"

"Absolutely not." Each word is clipped and hard, coming through gritted teeth. "Hell no. Under no circumstances, Grace."

I glance away, grumbling, "You didn’t even consider it."

"There is nothing to consider. I will not pretend to hate my mate. How the hell is that going to help you control an energy transfer?"

Oh, right. That was the lie Lyre lied.

"It’s just pretend," I argue, even though the sentence makes me feel like a kid trying to con another child into some ill-considered prank. "It would make everything easier."

Caine steps closer, close enough I have to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. His warm, musky scent wraps around me and my body gets the urge to climb all over him.

But I don’t.

Because I’m a responsible adult with a plan, and his stupid sexy face is not going to ruin my concentration.

Even when he leans don so our faces are only millimeters apart.

"Why do you need to listen to gossip, anyway?"

Eye contact is hard when you’re lying, but I manage it. Somehow. "I just need to."

"I will consider the first part of your request," he says finally, still sounding like he’s going to tear my nails out. "But I will not act as if I hate you. Not for a moment. Not for any reason."

"Fine," I concede, trying to ignore how it tingles where his breath brushes against my lips.

Kissing is nice. Kissing can’t be that dangerous, right?

My body sways, but then a shriek of laughter from Bun kicks me out of the gutter.

Jesus.

We are on the side of the freaking road, not a private bedroom. Get it together, Grace.

Caine doesn’t move his face away. He doesn’t seem to have any qualms about the lack of space between us.

I step back again, and he steps forward. Retreat isn’t an option.

"Fine?" he snaps. "That’s all you have to say?"

"Er... thank you?"

Gratitude goes a long way to soothing a grumpy beast.

He stops looming so much, straightening his back.

"But you have to promise to keep your distance then. You can’t go around being all growly when someone looks at me sideways."

His lip curls slightly with displeasure. "Fine."

Didn’t he just get upset with me for using that word? The double standard here is so not fair.

But arguing with him isn’t going to do me any favors.

"And if they start bullying me, I need you to look the other way. At least for a while."

He tenses again, snarling, "Absolutely not."

"It won’t be anything terrible. I’ll be fine. I’ve survived it plenty of times."

"No."

"Caine—"

"No."

I guess I’ll just have to hope and Ellie isn’t going to play any tricks while I’m there. The rest of the pack isn’t much better, but at least they’re willing to show some restraint with the Lycans around.

"And about the kids—"

"You are testing my patience, Grace Harper."

I click my mouth shut.

For about two seconds.

"Well, I just think the children should stay with me."

The way his face darkens, it’s no wonder he’s the Lycan King. Seriously. He’s the scariest thing on the wolf side of supernatural.

I flinch.

He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose again. I guess stress reaches even the highest-ranking wolves.

Finally, he lets all the air out in one loud sigh. "Okay. Explain your reasoning." noveldrama

Is he... is he being reasonable right now?

"Yes, I am."

Slapping my hand over my mouth, I mumble through my palm, "I didn’t mean to say that out loud."

Another sigh. This one’s a you’re taking too long sigh.

"Um—right. Why I want the kids to be with me. For one, if they’re suddenly under your care, they’ll stand out too much."

His shoulders twitch as he stares at me. Then he grunts. "Go on."

"Plus, they won’t be able to relax. There are a lot of other shifter kids in Blue Mountain, but none of them will want anything to do with ours if they know they’re—why are you looking at me like that?"

He clears his throat, the smug smile disappearing like it was never there. "Keep going."

Suspicious now, I finish, "They won’t want to hang out with kids associated with the Lycans. They’ll be too scared."

He nods. "Understood."

This was too easy.

Way too easy.

Somehow, it feels like it’s going to come bite me in the ass later.

"You’re really okay with it?"

"No. But I’ll take it under consideration."

"Tow truck’s on the way," Andrew shouts from his car.