Escaping Dominance (Heart of a Wolf Series - Trina's Tale) (4 page)

They had arrived in Redding, California. Trina wished there was some way to cover any traces of her on the bus
,
but knew it was useless. Once a werewolf shifted, they could be tracked down by their scent. She took the precaution anyway and
,
to the frowns of the other passengers
,
she used a baby wipe to clean the seat where they had sat. Ignoring those around her staring and making comments, she leaned over to Toby. “Do not touch anything okay?” Her face was close to his
ear so only he heard her words.

Toby smiled and nodded eagerly.
He was a
nxious to see what was outside the bus
since
he had ne
ver been away from home before.

With his hand in hers, Trina led Toby
down the steep steps and out of the noisy
bus. Her hand went to her back pocket to ensure the money was still safely tucked away. A backpack slung over both arms, she made sure nothing was left behind.

The stop was small, a patch of black top extended just far enough to pull the
huge
bus off the two lane main road and let people exit or get on.
No buildings to buy tickets or to get her bearings, it was literally a bus stop as indicated by the sign on the metal p
ole sticking out of the ground.

Trina stood looking around. They were still in the mountains with lots of tall trees around. This would be the perfect place for her and Toby to run and hide, to hunt when it was her “time of the month.” Across the street and up the road a few hundred feet stood a typical roadside mom and pop motel with a small diner attached. In the window stood a bright red sign for housekeeping help wante
d and
Trina smiled.

Finally something was going right in her life. Looking both ways, the highway wasn’t busy and she hurried across the paved road with Toby running alongside her, his bac
k pack bouncing with each step.

Walking up to the hotel she noticed the parking lot was half full, mean
ing
it actually had some business, which was good. Pushing the door open, a bell sounded and a woman raised her head from behind the counter.

The owner of the establishment looked Trina up and down
,
then over to Toby. “I
s he your son or your brother?”

“My son, this is Toby.” Trina ruffled his blonde hair aff
ectionately and smiled proudly.

“I’m Mable Struthers, you can call me May or Mable, whatever you like.”

She held out her hand. “Trina Rivers.” Her name was out of her mouth without a thought and the scared look
that
crossed her face must have shown before she had time to hide it.

“No need to worry, you’ll be safe here.” Mable to
ok her hand in her strong grip.

Not commenting, Trina turned to her son. “Toby, say hello to Ms. Mable
.
”

Toby looked at the woman a little hesitantly, and then nodded his head as if he approved of her. “Hello, Ms. Mable,” he said quietly.

“I take it you are here for the job?” Mable moved out from behind the counter without waiting for her response, grabbing the sign from the window and toss
ing it on top of the counter.

“Yes ma’am.” Trina stood with a hopeful look on her face.

“I don’t normally hire anyone without experience. I know taking care of a household and a bunch of men is a lot of work, but nothing like working in a motel.” Mable lo
oked Trina up and down.

Trina froze in place, wondering how the woman knew she had taken care of a bunch of men and a household. She knew Mable wasn’t wolf and couldn’t read her mind. Maybe she had a sixth sense
,
or
maybe it was
just a good guess.

Mable didn’t respond to Trina’s hesitation and continued. “You’re kind of small and you look like you could stand a few pounds.” Mable pursed her lips
, continuing to
look at Trina with a critical eye. “For some reason, I have a good feeling about you.” Clicking her tongue
a few times
, she
made up her mind and
nodded. “Okay, you’re hired. I take it y
ou can start tomorrow morning?”

Mable was in her late sixties and her face was full of fine lines, but she was a hearty looking woman who had spent her life up in the mountains. Her thick frame and broad shoulders told Trina that Mable was not afraid of hard work. She had a good feeling about this woman as well, and nodded her head. “I can be here at whatever time you like.” She glanced down at Toby and her eyes peered
questioningly back up at Mable.

Mable nodded her head. “Since you’re not from around here, I’m assuming you don’t know anyone. You can take the room next to the laundry so it’s convenient for you. Since Toby will be with you, just keep an eye on him. Make sure he keeps himself out
of trouble and out of the way.”

Trina smiled
.
“Yes, ma’am
,
”
she replied
follow
ing
Mable out the door.

131

ESCAPING DOMINANCE

CHAPTER four

T
rina and Toby fell into a routine over the next few months. She began to relax, though never completely. The escape into the night always floated at the edge of her mind. She was constantly watching the road for any sign indicating Dean
,
or any of the pack members
,
had found them.

Seeing Toby interact with Mable, and being his happy-go-lucky self, made her glad the whole ordeal hadn’t affected him too severely. He never mentioned his father and she didn’t bring him up either. Toby shadowed their every step. Mable loved having him around and made
a great surrogate grandmother.

One Friday afternoon, a woman showed up and Trina didn’t like the looks of her,
her
vehicle looked too official. Grabbing Toby,
she snuck
towards the back door of the diner
,
hear
ing
Mable greeting the woman as if she knew her. Trina hurried to their room, quickly closed the door and peeked out the curtain. Waiting until the car was long gone, Trina told Toby to stay in the room. The door locked behind her and she headed into the office to see what she could find out about the woman.

“Cass is the counselor at the elementary school. She saw Toby the other day and wanted to know why he wasn’t in school when she asked around
about him. You need to get him enrolled or show he’s being homeschooled.”

Leery of having him in a public school because it would make it easier for Dean to find him, she fought an internal battle of what to do. She had to keep him safe, yet abide by the laws of the humans she hid among. Plus, it wasn’t fair to keep him from getting an education. Of course she knew basic math and how to read and write, but she didn’t think she knew enough to teach him properly. So that pretty much solved her dilemma, he had to go to public school.

The following Monday, Mable drove them to the closest elementary
.

Reluctantly getting o
ut, Trina opened the back door.

Toby hurried out and stood anxiously beside her. His eyes wide, he stared at the school. He could barely contain his excitement.

Leaning inside the window, Trina forced a smile on her face. “Thanks, we’ll get back to the motel as soon as we can.”

Mable didn’t frown at her a lot, but there was definitely a frown on her brow when she leaned towards the passenger window and looked at Trina. “Honey, call the diner when you’re done and I’ll be right here to pick you up.”

“We don’t mind walking
,
it’s only a couple miles.” Trina ran her hand through her hair, holding it in place when the wind began picking up. The skies were darkening, a sudden storm moving through the mountains.

Mable shook her head, leaning further over, her voice low like she was afraid someone would hear her. “You don’t want to get caught.” She looked around. “You two will be out in the storm, just call the diner.”

Trina nodded and smiled slightly, stepping away from the curb when Mable waved to her and Toby, then pulled away. Looking towards the entrance, Trina drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. She dreaded going through those doors. Her experiences with school had not been so great, but she didn’t want to project those feelings onto Toby.
P
ast
ing
a bright smile on her face
, she
l
ook
ed
down at Toby,
who
peered up at her with an excited smile. “You ready to go to school?”

He eagerly nodded and tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the door to hurry her up.  With a grin on his face, Trina couldn’t help but smile as they headed into the building
in search of the main office.

After spending the day going from office to office, then back to where they first began, Trina sat in the chair, frustrated that it was taking so long.

Toby fidgeted in his seat, ready to go to class.

Blowing the lock of hair from her forehead, Trina let the back of her head fall against the wall with a slight thud. No wonder Mable had dropped her off, she must have known how long it would take.

The lady in REGISTRATIONS kept frowning at her, requesting documents. Releasing a frustrated breath of her own, the woman gave Trina a stern look over the top of her black-rimmed glasses. “When you receive his birth certificate, come back in and I can help you. Until then, there is nothing I can do.”

There was no way she could put Toby into public schooling. Being born on pack lands, she didn’t have any kind of documentation the schools required to enroll him. She didn’t have his birth certificate and
had
no way to get one. A midwife had delivered Toby. The only official record she knew of births in the pack were the council’s files. Wolves went by scent and knew who the child belonged to. Without documentation, she couldn’t enroll him. She had to find a way to teach him
herself.

With Mable on the way to pick them up, the skies opened. Standing outside under the entryway, Toby was sullen because he couldn’t stay. “But Momma, I want to go to school.”

Trina’s heart broke into tiny pieces at hearing him beg. “I know, baby, I’m sorry.” She stroked his hair and stared out through the sheets of rain, glad to see the car pulling up to the curb. With a lump in her throat, she bundled him into the back seat, then climbed into the front with a frustrated si
gh and stared at the dashboard.

“I take it things didn’t go well?”

Shaking her head, she looked out the window and watched the large drops bouncing off the pavement before the car pulled away from the curb. When Mable patted her shoulder Trina looked over at her, her lips sagging at the corners. “He’s so disappointed.”

“Things will work out, Hun, they always do.”

The next morning over breakfast Mable sat down in the chair next to Toby, ruffling his blonde hair that had turned almost white from playing out in the sun so much. “I talked with Cass and she gave me some information for a home school program that will work for you.” Glancing over at Trina she continued, “
She understands your dilemma.”

Trina frowned and wondered just how much Mable knew. She had talked to a dozen other people at the school and hadn’t scented wolf. She had avoided the packs
that
wandered through the diner and motel on occasion. Now that she thought of it, Mable tended to help with the rooms they occupied, without her ever mentioning anything. She turned her head, cocking it slightly, looking at Mable curiously. “What is it you really know?”

The old woman gave her a wink. The last breakfast patron had walked out earlier but Mable glanced around anyway. Making sure there was no one listening, she leaned over the table towards Trina
,
her voice was barely above a whisper. “You wouldn’t believe what the world is full of. Werewolves are not the only things running around in these here
woods.”

Her eyes wide, Trina sank back in the chair and stared, dumbfounded
.

“Your secret is safe with me, Hun. Now go start up the old machine over there and do whatever it is you do to make it work.” Leaning back, Mable reached into her pocket, pulling out a slip of paper, she handed it to her.

Trina looked at the note then glanced back up at Mable. Jumping up from the table, she gave Mable a quick hug, ran over to the computer and turned it on. Soon she was searching the Internet for the websites Cass had suggested. She chose one of the programs to homeschool Toby and was excited to be able to help her son learn.

Over the next couple of weeks, when not working at the motel, Trina spent every waking moment teaching Toby. Working on a math assignment, she and Toby sat in the laundry room in between her cleaning rooms.

The motel had been extremely busy
as 
of late
,
people
were
coming and going
at
all hours of the day and night. Folding the last of the laundry, she put it away on shelves. Then she loaded up her cart with the next day supplies.

Toby sat on the floor playing with his stones and doing his lesson
.

Seeing he was engrossed in the math problem, Trina slipped out the door and headed to the diner where Mable was working. It was a short day of work. The rooms had all been cleaned
,
t
he ones she had access to anyway. Turning in her check out sheet, she headed back towards the laundry room.

Trina’s sensitive nose caught the scent of another werewolf. She rushed out of the diner and spotted him walking back towards the rear of the motel. He stood a good head taller than most men in the area. He was slender, but the way he moved told her he could be deadly to her and Toby. Downwind from him, he would not get her scent. Her thoughts raced to Toby and wondered if the man had scented him. Sitting on the floor of the laundry room, he was an easy target. Heart pounding in her throat, her mother’s instinct
to protect her young kicked in.

Trina started to rush forward but remembered Toby could not shift yet, so he didn’t give off the scent that would attract the older male to his location. But she did. If she was not careful, the werewolf would turn and see her. Stepping quickly into one of the rooms, Trina peeked through the window and waited for the werewolf to pass by the laundry room. Once he was safely past, she sniffed the air for any sign of another pack member. Not smelling one, she hurried to the laundry room.

Inside, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at a tall, dark headed woman talking to her son. Her wolf slammed against her insides wanting out. She had to get this woman away from her baby. Rushing to his side, she pushed Toby behind her to protect him and nearly snarled, “What are you doing?”

The woman stood with her hands fisted at her side, glaring at her. She looked like she barely held herself under control. Her teeth were clenched, her voice demanding. “Your son has a stone that belongs to me and I want it back.”

Frowning, Trina had no clue why this crazy woman was even there. “What are you talking about?” With an exasperated sigh, she glanced at Toby. “A stone?”

“Yes, he took a stone from my room.” Her hand gestured adamantly
towards her son.

Shaking her head, Trina rolled her eyes slightly. Turning around, but keeping a wary eye on the woman, she leaned towards Toby. Not wanting to scare him she kept her voice gentle, “Honey, do you have the woman’s rock?” She didn’t like how the woman kept her fist clenched by her side and wondered why she was having such a reaction over a stupid rock.

Toby stared at her, a tight expression on his face, shaking
his head no.

At hearing his response, the woman sucked in a deep breath and exhaled
slowly.

Trina heard the woman’s response and quickly turned around, pulling Toby behind her again. Her eyes cautiously watched the woman who looked ready to attack at any moment. She had never been in a fight before, but she was sure the woman couldn’t hit any harder than Dean
.
Trina knew she could take a punch. She wasn’t sure she’d win, but she would damn sure give
it her best to protect her son.

Instead of attacking though, the woman stayed where she was and sounded calm. Her actions nowhere near matched her outward appearance. “It is not a rock. It’s a special stone that my grandfather gave me; the one and only time I ever got to meet him. I would like to have it back.” Her voice added huskily, “Now, please.”

Trina gasped when she saw her eyes swirl with color. “You’re a wolf!” This didn’t make sense. The full moon wasn’t until the next night. There should be no way this was happening. Yet, this woman showed clear signs she was getting close to shifting. Trina quickly sniffed the air in confusion and demanded to know. “Why can’t I smell you?”

The woman continued to fight for control she obviously didn’t feel. “Doesn’t matter, I just want my stone and I’ll leave you alone.”

Trina was on edge and her wolf continued to pound at her insides. There was no way this woman was a werewolf. If she wasn’t, then what Mable
had
said was true, she had to be something else. Dean had told her everything had a scent, no matter
what.

Shaking her head, Trina sniffed the air again, but there was absolutely no scent at all. The woman just didn’t have one and she frowned trying to figure it out. Out of the corner of her eyes, Trina
saw movement and glanced down.

The skin on the woman’s arms had begun to crawl and her eyes flashed yellow while she glared
.

Trina gasped slightly and couldn’t help but think there was no way that just happened, though it did confirm her suspicions. Less than three feet away from her was a wolf who was about to change out of phase. Trina’s mind raced to the most logical reason for her being there. She had to be a council member. They had other abilities, but she’d never heard of them being able to shift out of phase. Being from the council meant the woman was ther
e to take her back to the pack.