Page 66 of Grace of a Wolf 1
"Do you think they'll come after us?" I ask.
His expression darkens. "Eventually. But the ceremony will keep them busy until morning at least."
Uneasy, I shift in my seat. Caine was so quick to murder people; what's he going to do when he realizes I'm missing? Hopefully nothing. I'm a human, going back to humans. This should be a good thing for everyone.
"And then what?" I ask.
Andrew's eyes meet mine briefly. "Then you start over. Become whoever you want to be."
It sounds so simple when he says it, so possible. A clean slate. A human life.
I lean my head against the cool glass of the window, watching the mile markers slip past. Sterling City grows closer with each moment—and with it, the promise of freedom.
But from the way Andrew keeps checking the mirrors, I know we're not free yet.
Chapter thirty-four
Grace: Lighten
Sterling City is a small town. Too small to hide in. Andrew's words, not mine.
"So you're not leaving me here?" I ask, confused.
Andrew's grip tightens around the steering wheel. "It's the first place they'll look. You're going to need some more distance from the Lycan King, just in case."
His words send ice through my veins. Of course they'd search Sterling City. It's the closest human settlement, so it makes sense I would run here.
"We're going to keep driving for a while, but first we need some food."
He pulls into a vast parking lot illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights. A massive blue sign looms ahead.
"Where are we?"
"Walmart. We need food."
The automatic doors slide open with a mechanical hiss, releasing a blast of cold air that prickles my skin. Inside, the store stretches endlessly, aisles upon aisles of... everything. So many things.
"Bathroom first," he mutters, nodding toward the back of the store.
We navigate through the nearly empty store. Past midnight, only a few night owls roam the aisles alongside us. A tired woman in a blue vest pushes a cart of items to restock, and two guys crowd stand in front of the frozen pizzas. They're the only two people I see.
After using the bathroom, I emerge to find Andrew waiting. His gaze follows mine as I take in everything around us.
"Want to look around?"
I hesitate. "Is that okay?"
"Sure. If you're not tired." He shrugs. "We can take ten minutes to look around."
It's a little embarrassing to admit how much fun it is just to drift through aisles.
I end up in haircare, drawn to a wall of colors and promises. My hair's brown and boring, but I'd never cared much about it before. It's just hair, after all.
A box with a blonde woman catches my eye. I reach for it, reading the instructions with burning curiosity. A transformation in a box. A new identity for $8.99.
I'm still reading when Andrew says, "Wait here while I grab some food and snacks, okay?"
I nod absently, already reaching for another box. How different would I look? Would Rafe even recognize me? Would Caine?
