.1.
I ran faster than I ever had before.
My powerful muscles burned under the strain but I can't risk slowing even a little, can't risk them catching up.
The bundle hanging from my jaws wriggled around, as scared as I was. Hold on Caspar, I'm going to get us somewhere safe.
Pushing myself harder I ignore my screaming body, focusing on the sounds of our persuers becoming more and more distant and the dream of a safe place, a home, becoming more and more of a reality.
Feeling the exhilaration of freedom I left my past behind and just ran.
It was pouring down with rain when I arrived in La Push.
Panting hard I found a semi-dry spot under a bush, putting the bulky bundle down gently, I shifted back into my human form. Goosebumps rushed over my body at the loss of my thick fur and my hands trembled as I wrestled with the tight knot of the blanket I used as a makeshift bag that I'd filled with as much money as I could grab, a t-shirt and pair of jeans to change into and Casper nestled between the soft cotton and mass of paper bills.
The three-year-old's teary, pale green eyes met my odd ones as I pulled the blanket apart, his arms reaching out desperately to me, face screwing up as he started to cry. "Shh baby." I draw him into my arms. "We're safe now. We're safe." I soothed, rocking softly, running my hands up and down his back to calm him.
We sit there, huddled together, his hands clenched tightly in my hair, face buried in my shoulder hiccuping little cries. Me holding him tightly and trying to hold myself together, trying not to think about if what we had to do next didn't work out.
Don't think about it, just get dressed and get moving.
Pushing Caspar away from me I sweep back his mass of dark hair, meeting his eyes. "We have to get moving Cass, okay? We're going to find the nice man and get help."
The little boy rubs his eyes on his sleeve and nods. "Okay."
Placing him on the ground I hastily pull the jeans and t-shirt on, re-tying the blanket together, hauling it up my arm then lifting Caspar into my arms, holding him close to my body as I emerge from the partial cover of the bush. I quickly walk through the forrest, heading towards the smell of people, hopefully we could find the man we were looking for soon and I could get Caspar dry.
A rugged house comes into view, it was painted a flaking red and had a ramp leading up to the door. Rushing up to it I put Caspar and the bag down. "Stay behind me." I say as I move to stand in front of him, hesitating before I knock three times on the door, awkwardly shuffling back a little with Caspar clinging to the back of my legs.
"Jake!" A mans voice shouts from within the house.
"Alright, I've got it! " A younger sounding male voice shouts back. The door swings open, and I step back a little again, placing my hand on Caspar's head, holding him against me. The light from inside the house stings my eyes momentarily before it's nearly completely blocked out by the huge muscled form of a tanned skinned teenage boy. Holding the door open with his left hand he ran his right through his short black hair eyeing my drenched form suspiciously, "can I help you?"
" Do you know where I can find Billy Black?" I ask carefully.
His eyes narrow and he stands up straighter. "Why do you want to know that?" Caspar grasps my legs tighter, hearing the tension in the teens voice.
"Please, I've come a long way. I need to speak with him." I meet his sharp gaze pleadingly.
"Who're you talking to Jake?" The older male voice from before calls from out from behind the hulking teenager.
"Some girl, says she came to talk to you." The teen replies, never taking his assessing gaze from me.
"Well invite her in then, it's pouring down out there! Have I taught you nothing about treating women properly?" The teen makes no move to comply, obviously unsure of whether my intentions are good.
Caspar sneezes from behind me.
The boy's eyes snap towards his shivering form peeking from behind my legs and I immediately tense up ready to flee, or fight, if he makes any wrong move toward my soaking wet toddler. The teen seemed to freeze before sniffing, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Seeming to be satisfied with whatever he'd been thinking, he stood aside and ushered us in, "come on then." Picking Caspar and the bag up again I squeeze past his mass, holding Caspar away from him and walking into the warm house.
He leads us into a homely living room where an older man, I'm assuming is his father, sits in a wheelchair in front of an old TV, watching a baseball game. He turns off the TV and turns towards us upon seeing our sopping forms. The teen walks past us, into another room while I just stand shivering, eyeing the older man. "You want to speak with me ?"
"Are you B-Billy Black?" I ask, teeth chattering.
"That would be me, how do you know my name? I've not seen you around before." His son comes back into the living room before I can answer, a couple of large plush towels in his hand. He passes them to me, I murmur a thank you, putting Caspar down. Wrapping him in the largest towel I rub it over his hair and body, trying to get him as dry and warm as possible. He giggles cutely and pops his face out smiling shyly at me, I smile back ruefully, giving him a quick kiss on the nose before wrapping the other towel around my shoulder and picking him back up. "Markus told me your name. He told me you'd help me." I answer Billy's earlier question, eyes moving between him and his son.
"Markus?!" He asks sharply. Tension coils inside me as I see his son's posture straighten. "Where did you meet Markus?"
"He was in the same facility as me. He told me it was safe here and that you could help me get a house. I've got money so I can pay for it." I assure.
"Facility?" He questions shaking his head, confused.
"It doesn't matter." I say agitated. "Can you help me or not?" My voice is weary as I ask him, the long journey and stress taking a toll on me.
He looks at me, assessingly, his son leaning against the doorframe with his arms tightly crossed over his muscled chest. "Well I can't help you tonight, you'll have to wait until tomorrow morning," I start to protest but he holds up his hand to stop me. "If you've got nowhere to stay you and your boy can stay here, on the couch. Jake go and get the spare blankets and get them some of your old clothes, they're soaked through." Billy orders, wheeling himself out the room. " I'll see you in the morning, we'll go see a few houses that are available."
"What!? We don't even know her!" Jake argued following Billy out of the room.
Ignoring the heated discussion the two were having in another room I tentatively sit down on the edge of the longest couch, sitting Caspar in my lap. He looks up at me, sucking his thumb nervously. "See things are looking better already. We don't even have to sleep outside tonight. Then tomorrow we'll get our own house and I'll cook you any thing you want, you can even get your own room once we've settled in a little. We'll be safe." I tell him in a hushed voice, combing through his unruly curls with my fingers.
"Get pet?" He asks, tilting his head and giving me full on puppy eyes, making me laugh.
"Let's get a house first, then we'll see." He flashes me a bright smile, taking his thumb out of his mouth and wrapping his arms around me. Billy's son walks back in, a put upon look on his face as he thrusts a pile consisting of couple of folded blanket, a couple of large t-shirts and a pair of shorts at me. Shifting Caspar a little I take the pile and mutter my thanks, conscious of that fact that the teen was eyeing Caspar.
"What's his name?" He asks after a long pause.
The toddler in question peeks at the seemingly giant boy "I'm Casparw." He replied, sticking his thumb back into his mouth.
"Right. I'm Jake -Jacob. So... what's yours?" He directs at me awkwardly.
"Mama Moth." My toddler answers for me.
"Moth?" He asks incredulous. We both nod. "What kind of name is Moth?" Shaking his head he continues without me answering. "Anyway, I'm going to bed now. You'd better not steal anything and run off 'cause trust, me I'll be able to find you, and I'll send you packing back to wherever you came from, we clear?"
"I'm not a thief." I grit out.
"Yeah well, I don't know that do I? Just remember what I've said. Night little man." He walks back out the room, turning off lights as he goes.
"Scarwy." Caspar whimpers as the room goes dark.
"It's okay baby, mama's here and she's not going to let anything scary hurt you, okay? Let's get you changed and in bed. Arms up." He obediently raises his arms and I pull off his t-shirt, tickling his sides before taking off his pants and pulling on what looked like a woman's t-shirt that pooled at his feet like a dress.
Standing I remove the back cushions from the couch to create some more room and arrange the small square pillows at the arm, laying one of the blankets down. "Come on now, into bed." He hops up and snuggles into the couch, closest to the back. I lay the other blanket over him before quickly stripping out of my own, now damp, clothes and slip into the large t-shirt and shorts, drawing in and tying the strings so they wouldn't fall off during the night, then I lay our discarded clothes over the heater.
Casper rolls over towards me as I slip under the blanket and snuggles into me. "Night, night mama." He mumbles, half asleep. I pull the blankets higher and curl around the sleeping toddler. "Goodnight baby, sweet dreams."
Tomorrow we'll get our house and we'll finally be safe.
That night I dreamt of walking down a beach, Caspar laughing loudly as he runs ahead after a huge, fluffy dog and a deep voice calling my name.