Grace of a Wolf by Lenaleia

Chapter 182: Chapter 182

ASHLEY

| don’t understand what is happening today. My brothers and | have seen blood and a hospital room twice in

under two hours, from two different women that are valuable to our family. Is this going to be the new normal?

Just when | was starting to think that things were taking a turn for the better?

Doctor Ezra appears from the theatre and we all dash forward.

"How's she?" Ashton enquires, mirroring our thoughts.

"She'll be fine. We stopped the bleeding. Thankfully, there was no skull fracture or internal bleeding, just a mild

concussion." Everyone exhales in relief.

"Thank you." Asher tells the doctor. Doctor Ezra nods his head while glancing meaningfully at each of us.

"I don’t mean to pry but | couldn't help but notice sstriking features between the patient and you guys. |

want to believe | have been introduced to all members of your family but that woman...how is she related to you,

if you don’t mindasking of course."

Asher pulls a straight face. "You're right. She’s indeed a relative, one you haven't met. | hope the next t|

make a proper introduction would be under more favorable circumstances. In the meantime, | trust | can count

on your discretion?"

"Of course." The doctor replies, bobbing his head. He gives us a paternal smile before walking away. When |

follow his brisk steps down the hallway, | spot Demi taking cautious steps towards us. Her head hangs low and a

contrite expression is smeared across her face.

| haven't seen her in a while. The only thing I recall right now as she edges closer is how she played games with

my family only to change her mind when her plan went south, and pretend to save Ashal’s life. | don’t trust her.

She must have pushed Skylar down the stairs.

"You've got snerve coming here, you know that?" | spit angrily, ambling towards her with clenched fists. My

brothers all turn at my outburst. When | draw closer, | realize there are tears in her eyes but they only serve to

rileup even further. She's such a queen. Does she really expect us to fall for the act?

Yanking her wrist, | push her away.

"GET LOST OR I'LL PRESS CHARGES!" | warn her with sizzling eyes.

Ashton appears next to me. "Hey, calm down."

"Don’t askto calm down. This she-devil tried to kill our sister days after she had Ashal kidnapped and

assaulted."

"That's not true." Demi counters me. At her defense, | slide a burning look towards her.

"You'll do well to shut the fuck up when | am talking to my family."

"Ashley, that’s enough." Ashton warns me.

"Whose side are you on? Have you forgotten so soon all she did to us in the last few weeks?"

Ashal comes to pat my shoulder. "Don’t be like this, Ashley. | told you what happened. Demi was also a victim."

"To hell with that!" | rebut him, shoving his hand off my shoulder. "Who got the ball rolling in the first place? She

worked with Liam. She’s been plotting our ruination even before she stepped foot into our home. Asher always

had a hunch that she was a bad omen for our family and it turned out to be the truth. Every twe're in a

crisis, guess which stranger is always in the picture: DEMI! Look at the state our sister is in. We literally just

found her and this woman was already plotting to take her life."

Ashton ranges himself in front ofwhen | try to reach for Demi who is fake crying.

"ENOUGH." He growls with a loud warning in his eyes. "If you're going to point fingers and throw accusations, be

sure to get your facts right at least because things aren’t always what they seem. She didn’t mean to push

Skylar. It’s clear from the security footage. It was purely accidental." He turns to Asher and Ashal to repeat the

last sentence like he wants to ram into everyone's skull that Demi isn’t guilty.

My attention is drawn to Demi and back on Ashton. What the hell is he doing taking her side after everything

she’s done? How gullible can he get just because of her?

"You're advocating for her now? A week ago, you didn’t even want to hear her nuttered around you and now

you're defending her?" Eyes ablaze with disappointment and rage, | turn to Demi. "You finally sunk your fangs

into him, didn’t you? You've always had a manipulative streak."

"Enough, Ashley." Asher cautionsto my disbelief. "This is a hospital, remember? We can hash this out some

other tbut right now, our baby sister needs us. I'm going to see her. You guys should ctoo."

He turns and retreats to go check on our sister. Ashal joins him. | wait for Ashton to leave but he continues to

stand like a barricade betweenand my ex-wife.

"Move. I'd like to speak with her first."

He doesn’t budge. My stomach sinks. This is no ordinary support by a gentleman for an ostensibly helpless

woman; this is protection fueled by something deeper than a sense of chivalry.

I rein in my misplaced sense of jealousy and betrayal, dismissing the possibility that both of them could hook up

so soon after my divorce was finalized. If that was the case, Ashton would definitely have told me. Hence, |

decide not to read unnecessary meanings until he does.

"Move, Ashton. What do you think I'm going to do to her in a public place like this? I just have a few things to

say."

"Hey" Ashal calls out to us from the far end of the hall, next to Skylar’s room. "She's regained consciousness. Get

in here."

Ashton immediately moves like a blur, and Demi follows closely. | watch them suspiciously. Their hands don’t

touch but | strongly feel they're itching to. There's a reasonable distance between them yet the wheels of my

mind continue to turn, painting pictures of them in my head that | am not ready to see.

| dismiss the unpleasant imagination. Yes, Demi and | are divorced for almost two months now. Yes, she’s free to

do whatever she wants with her life, including going after the Rollins brother she always loved.

However, with everything she’s done to my family, | don’t think Ashton still looks at her the same. | bet he was

just being his normal self and standing up for her because he already confirmed her innocence from the security

footage. That has to be all there is to it.

Inside, Skylar is making a fuss as Asher plops the pillow behind her head. It’s clear she’s very uncomfortable

being surrounded and nursed by the very people she had tried to hurt. Though her eyes look tired, it also

manages to convey pain and anger over her plight. | take one look at her and wonder if she’s a spitting image of

our biological mother.

"I don’t want it." She mutters through gritted teeth, knocking down the water Ashal tries to give her. "Stay away

from me, ALL OF YOU." Tears glisten in her eyes. "I don’t want your charity!"

"Unfazed, Ashal thanks the nurse who hastens to clean the mess. He sits at the corner of her bed and smiles

when Skylar withdraws her hand before he can hold it.

"You're not a charity case, Sky. You're my baby sister."

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

"DON'T.CALL.ME. THAT." She narks, baring her teeth at him. The rest of us get an icy glare.

"Don’t call you what? Sky or baby sister?" He goes for her hand in a flash but she wrenches it free and calls for

the nurse to have her room cleared. Asher steps in.

"How are you feeling, Munchkin?"

"What?"

Clueing in to their game, | step up. "Where does it hurt, Sweet Pea? Tell big bro number three so | can find a way

to make it better. Do you need anything? Is this room to your liking? We can have you upgraded if you like."

"I think this is one of the best VVIP rooms in here." Ashton adds, pulling Skylar’s right big toe to her horror. "Of

course, we can have it redecorated if it’s not to your taste, Kye."

"What do you all think you're doing?" She smacks Ashal’s hand when he tries to scoop a stray hair out of her

face. Our humor dies when tears stream down her face. "You're mocking me, aren't you? | wouldn't expect any

less."

"No, Sky, that's not what's happening here." Ashton clarifies.

Our hearts clench tightly when she heaves a breath, crying so much. Shit. Did we overdo it?

"Hey, hey, please don’t cry. You just cout of surgery." Ashal exchanges worried glances with the rest of us as

Skylar continues to baw! her eyes out like a baby. Her face turns red.

"Hey, Sky, it's okay. They were just being playful to ease the tension you must be feeling. They are really worried

about you."

Now, her eyes flash at the sound of Demi’s voice, then darts across our faces.

"Worried about me? You expectto believe that? | had one of you abducted and beaten up. | threatened to

expose your family for the injustices you're guilty off. | brayed for your blood essentially and you expectto

believe you don’t want to punishfor all that? Why? Since when have the Danvarr quads been known to

forgive their enemies?"

"You're not our enemy, Sky." Ashal continues, ignoring her annoyed face at the nicknhe keeps using. "You're

our baby sister, and God knows we always wanted one. | don’t hate you for almost makingmiss my birthday.

What are little sisters for if not to torment their brothers and vice versa?"

"Exactly." Ashton nods. "We know you didn’t have a life as easy as the one we've had. We don’t plan to hold

grudges but to be understanding as we navigate this phase of getting to know each other. We just ask that you

be willing to give us a chance like we are willing to give you a chance."

"Listen." | say to her. Thankfully, her tears have stopped and the anger in her eyes has slowly faded to

something akin to remorse. When | take her hand, she doesn’t yank it off. Everyone notes that with a smile.

"| think we've been given a second chance to be a wholesfamily again. Look at us. There's no mistaking

that we're blood. We're family. Please Sky, give us a chance to make up for lost time, to love and cherish you

four times over. You have four big brothers now. You never have to walk alone again."

Asher dabs the single tear that tries to fall down her cheek with his perfumed handkerchief.

"No more tears." To our surprise, he pulls her in for a hug, her head in range with his stomach. Though her arms

are hesitant at first, they eventually go around his waist.

"I'm sorry." She mutters, crying further. Asher rocks her while we all assure her that she’s forgiven.

We take turns hugging it out until it’s Demi’s turn, during which Skylar withdraws.

"Can you make her leave? | don’t want her here."

"What's wrong?" Ashal asks.

"| just don’t want her around me." She shakes her head. "I feel she’s two-faced and very skilled at getting people

to believe what she wants them to believe."

"Skylar." Demi calls softly. "What are you saying?"

"You never really quit your revenge plot, did you? You just made a show of not working with Liam because | came

on the scene and benched you from taking the lead. It was your plan all along to absolve yourself of the blame

and to play the victim when things don’t go the way you want. | know | am no saint but at least | don’t pretend to

be an angel. If you're still holding a grudge against people, don’t lull them into a false sense of hope that all is

forgiven." She turns to Asher. "I saw it in her eyes. She truly meant to hurtand | suspect she hoped it would

hurt you all too. She’s not so nice when she’s alone with me. She said she would have preferred you tiedup

on a chair, hadblindfolded and gagged rather than keepingin a comfortable house."

My eyes burn as | turn to Demi.

"You said that?"

"No, that’s not how | meant it..." Her voice falters. "Skylar, you know | didn’t mean that literally."

"| turn to Ashton. "You've seen the security footage. Did Demi make such a comment or not?"

"She didn’t mean it in a malicious way."

Throwing my hands up, | shake my head in disbelief. "Are you just going to turn a blind eye to all the signs

around you, Ashton? Why do you have to doggedly defend her just because she saved Ashal’s life when it’s clear

as day that she was only trying to save her hide?"

"Ashley" Demi callswith a shaky voice. "I'm not pretending, not anymore. | swear, | have no ill intent towards

your sister or any other member of your family. | regret my actions and I've moved on from my mistakes." She

turns her misty eyes to Skylar. "I'm sorry | hit you. | was triggered by the hurtful things you said but | didn’t push

you, Skylar. | would never do such a malevolent thing. | never meant for you to get hurt like this. And you know |

was only being sarcastic when | made those comments."

"No, | don’t." Skylar replies flatly. "I don’t know much about you, Demi. | am only speaking based on the version

of you that | have met. I just don’t trust you."

“Skylar, I..."

"Maybe you should give us sprivacy, Demi." Asher interrupts her. "Can you wait outside, please?"

That's when | see it, Ashton’s subtle glance at Demi that though brief, communicated volumes. Invigorated by

the quiet assurance given to her, she dries her eyes and shuffles out.

"I'm sorry. | just don’t feel safe around her. | know it’s rich coming from someone likewith my past actions

against you but | dislike her and | couldn’t pretend not to." Skylar adds after Demi leaves.

"I'm sure everything will be sorted out. She’s a kind person once you get to know her as well as we do." While

Ashal helps Skylar to lay down, her eyes remains trained on Ashton who keeps stealing glances at the door. | bet

she’s wondering the sthing | am; why he appears torn between catering to his sister and worrying about his

ex-sister-in-law. Something nasty starts unfurling in my belly, an ugly truth that | am unprepared to accept.

"Excuse me." Ashton hums before walking out of the room.

"He's mad at me, isn't he? He believes her over me. That is to be expected. I'm no more than a stranger

anyway."

Asher pats her head. "Don’t pout. He's just had a long day. We all have. Don’t draw hasty conclusions."

| lock eyes with him and wonder if he also nurses the ssuspicions as | do. Could Ashton really be hooking up

with my ex-wife in spite of everything going on? Frankly, | am not pissed because of how hollow | feel. | have

always known it could happen but right now? Especially given everything she’s done to us?

| excuse myself as well and leave the room to find no one waiting outside. That's the first sign that spikes my

suspicious nerves. Where the heck are they? | want to believe Ashton asked Demi to leave or that she had the

dignity to leave on her own steam. | sincerely hope he didn’t leave Skylar to chase after Demi.

Bending the corner, | crane my neck, searching for any sign of them. Did they already leave? Ashton wouldn't

disappear on us without so much as a message. Scratch that, he’s done it countless times before but I hope he

didn’t do it today.

Chapter 206: Grace: Braindead Ex

When the knock comes, | don’t think twice before opening the door.

For what it's worth, you should never open a door without checking who it is, even when you know who's

coming.

Because sometimes it isn’t who you think it is.

His golden hair is dulled with dust. Or sweat. Or... both? It hangs limply around a face both familiar and not, with

heavy shadows beneath his eyes and a grim twist to his lips. His confident, glowing, heroic aura is gone like it

never existed, and now Rafe looks...

Honestly, he looks like he belongs in a dark alley somewhere with needle marks on his arms, okay? The whole

drug-addled cliche you see on TV.

And his blue eyes are no longer clear and beautiful, but reddened around the edges and burning with something

I've never seen before. If | had to guess, he’s... angry? But his body language says otherwise.

"Grace." He sighs out my nlike I'm a lost child finally found.

| step back out of pure instinct, eager to gain two inches of space. Unfortunately, Rafe seems to take it as an

invitation to walk in, because he steps over the threshold.

Lyre’s protections do nothing; after all, I'm the dumbass who opened the door.

Fuck.

His hand clamps around my forearm. "Why didn’t you follow the plan? You weren't supposed to—"

"Who's that?" Jer’s voice cuts through our tic and unlucky reunion, and Rafe stiffens.

"Is something wrong?" Ron's deeper tone follows, steady but wary, and out of the corner of my eye I can see him

motioning for Sara to watch over Bun. He's clearly outclassed against an alpha wolf like Rafe, but the teenager

squares his shoulders and straightens his spine to increase his aura as he walks unhesitatingly to my side.

My brief moment of shock breaks and | twist my arm free, planting both hands against Rafe’s chest as | shove

him backward.

He doesn’t budge.

"Get out."

My words are calm despite their force; raising my voice here will only makeout to be weaker. All | have to do

is wait. Caine is on his way.

| just need to make sure he doesn’t takeaway or hurt the children.

Knowing this keepssteady, with only a smidgen of fear undercutting my indifferent facade. Fear because this

isn’t the Rafe I fell in love with. This one is strange, on edge, and filled with what | can now recognize as

obsession.

"Why did you leave me?" Each word is harsh, ragged. "We had a plan, Grace. You were supposed to wait for me.

What did you tell Andrew? What did you do to him?"

A half-hysterical laugh wants to escape, but | swallow it down. "Why are you here? Andrew should have

explained everything by now." Keeping my voice level without any extra inflection is harder than I thought it

would be.

My hands itch, both from disgust from touching him and with the urge to slap his stupid face. But | refuse to

lower my arms, knowing if | do this man will probably consider it an invitation to waltz into my home.

His hands reach up to hold just above my elbows as his eyes travel over my face with frantic little movements.

His upper lip curls into a snarl, a faint rumbling coming from his chest. Then, like flipping a switch, he tries to

smooth it away. His face arranges itself into something meant to be understanding, | think.

It's gross.

How did I ever think Rafe was handsome?

After days with Caine—and even seeing Jack-Eye as often as | have—he’s severely lacking in that category.

"lI understand," he says, voice dripping with false compassion. "You seduced him to get back at me. | get it,

Gracie. | don’t blyou."

My head jerks back.

How the fuck did we even...?

No, why would he think that?

But then my eye twitches as | realize what this means. His ignorance, how he’s acting as if | did something to his

most loyal friend: Andrew hasn't told him anything.

My heart, previously a little frozen toward the guy | considered an enemy all this time, thaws a little.

More importantly, there's the casual possession in Rafe’s tone. And he has the audacity to still callGracie

after all this?

"You don’t blme?" My voice rises with each word, even when I'm struggling to keep it flat. "That's funny,

because | blyou for quite a lot."

Ron's full of tense energy beside me, practically vibrating as his hands twitch at his sides. Once again, | jerk my

arm out of Rafe’s hold, this tto grab the teenager's arm and squeeze gently.

Hopefully my mom-telepathy is better than relationship-telepathy; the squeeze is supposed to mean

Everything's okay, don’t worry.

If Ron attacks Rafe...

Even if he’s under the Lycan King’s protection, Rafe is the current Alpha of the Blue Mountain Pack.

"You need to leave. Right now." | clench my teeth as | try to force Rafe backward with only one arm, which he’s

now clinging to with both of his hands, still staring atwith his feverish obsession. "I don’t want you here."

Rafe leans in, too close. His familiar pine scent suddenly smells artificial and overpowering, makingsneeze.

"I'm looking for you. | cfor you. Do you have any idea what I've been through when | realized you

disappeared?"

"Not enough, apparently," | mutter.

His crazed eyes narrow. "You don’t understand. It's okay. | forgive you, Gracie. You don’t trust me, but I'll show

you how serious | am—"

"That's not it." | cut him off without mercy. "You found your mate. You chose her. | accepted it. It's the end of our

story, Rafe. | don’t want you anymore."

"It’s not that simple!" His voice rises sharply, and Ron takes a step forward.

| jerk him back with the faintest shake of my head.

If Rafe hurts him...

"Yes, it is," | counter, ignoring my ex-boyfriend's rising panic. "You need to leave."

"Our bond isn’t—I didn’t expect it. That's all. And Ellie isn’t like what | thought. But you, Gracie, you're everything

"Shut the fuck up," Ron snarls, the muscles of his arm bunching beneath my hand. "Didn’t you hear Grace? She

wants you to leave."

"Your mate isn’t my concern, Rafe. You need to leave."

Raphael's eyes finally turn to Ron, taking him in with a sneer. "Who's this? You're even bringing in kids to make

I didn’t think it was possible for Ron to stiffen even more, but he does, somehow. | jerk him back with another

firm shake of my head, even as | wonder what the hell happened to Rafe’s brain cells. | swear he wasn’t this

stupid before.

"No one’s trying to make you jealous, and | don’t want you back. Ever."

His eyes dart around the camper, landing on the children in the living room.

"What's all this? Who are these kids? Are you playing house with Andrew now?"

At this point, it's impossible to be angry over his accusations. The level of ridiculous in this situation has risen to

TV -level stupidity, so it’s easy to remain level-headed as | respond, "That's none of your business."

"Everything about you is my business!" He growls, fully growls, his reddened eyes boring into mine. "I've been

going out of my mind, Grace. Ellie’s been—" He stops, nostrils flaring. "Wait. | smell... What is that?"

| know exactly what he smells. Caine’s scent on me, in the camper, everywhere. My heart pounds harder.

"You need to leave."

His expression darkens. "You smell like—" He stops, jaw working as he processes. "Who have you been with?"

"Also none of your business."

"Grace." The way he says my nnow carries a warning. "Tellyou haven't been stupid enough to get

involved with another pack. Tellyou're not—"

"She asked you to leave." Ron's voice comes from behind me, steady and cold.

Rafe’s gaze snaps over my shoulder as he snarls. "This doesn’t concern you, kid."

Somehow, the calm I've forced myself to wear shatters with this little moment, and | let go of Rafe’s hand, my

hand flying for his face.

He's an alpha wolf; he certainly has the ability to dodge a simple slap. But he’s distracted and out of his freaking

gourd, so my palm lands against his cheek with a loud smack, startling all of us.

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| didn't even know | was going to hit

him; my body moved on its own, full

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ex-boyfriend. The content is on

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chapter there!

Ron being only a couple years younger thandoesn’t matter; in my head, he’s my kid, under my protection,

and | won't let anyone hurt him.

Even if it is just a snarl from my braindead ex.

My hand stings immediately, and | pull my hand back.

Rafe stares atin shock, and | wish his cheek would turn red from the force. It doesn’t, though. A pathetic slap

from a human isn’t going to do much against an alpha wolf.

"Get out," | demand, my voice suddenly hoarse as tears cout of nowhere. | blink them back.

"Gracie..."

"Get out," | repeat, refusing to engage.

"I didn’t push her. | swear, | didn't."

My ears prickle at the sound of Demi’s tearful voice sailing from the restroom area. When | edge closer, | find her

in Ashton’s arms, sobbing.

I" :

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meant to hurt her." She sniffles loudly

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and continues her defense. "I was

just angry over ug thi@s she said to

ne andlios? my cool. Maybe | hit too

hard and she lost her footing but |

swear, | would never push your sister

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down the stairs. | wouldn't do that to

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hands. Tears are streaming down her

face. The content is on

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| believe you. You know | do." His

hands cradle her head, assuring her

of his wavering (RECHT Hor

eyes drAWAIR's e stares longingly

into his eyes. Finally, he lowers his

head and kisses her as passionately

as she kisses him back. The content

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chapter there!

Everything insidewithers.