Esther slammed on the brakes, and I rolled under the front seat. Tabi squealed and hopped out of the car. “I hate mice!”
Esther, who’d either had enough or hadn’t yet, huffed quietly from behind the wheel. “Would you relax? So, she’s a mouse. Kind of fitting, wouldn’t you say?”
Fitting? Was she saying I was mouse-y?
“And odd.” Tabi looked under the jeans I’d taken cover beneath. I waved a paw…foot? “But fitting. Definitely.”
And it wasn’t like I could deny it.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Imight have been about a hundred and twenty pounds lighter than I was when I started this night, but my ears worked a lot better than normal, so I could hear every single word these two were saying.
Tabi tutted. “Esther, isn’t it odd that she can just turn into more than one animal? I can’t do it. Can you?” They weren’t paying any attention to me as I sat on the chair at the end of Esther’s table.
“We all have our strengths, our gifts.” But Esther’s voice was less stern, more curious than normal. “But you’re right. It doesn’t happen often.”
“Do you think she meant to turn into a mouse? How is that helpful?” Tabi’s awe had faded. Now I was the odd duck, err, mouse in the room. Although I couldn’t be sure she hadn’t forgotten I was there. Or at least was pretending I wasn’t a mouse, since she seemed to be afraid of them.
Esther sighed. “I think she turned into something she felt at the time.” Esther chose her words with care, and it made them come slower. “It’s going to be very important that she doesn’t fall into the wrong pack.”
Into the wrong pack? I thought I was in their pack already. Were they kicking me out?
“If her daughter swears allegiance to the other alpha…” Esther shifted in her chair as if the thought caused her physical discomfort. “To Holly.” Even the other woman’s name sounded as if it hurt her to say. “We can’t allow that to happen or that alpha is going to own the daughter forever. And Bethany might not have a choice but to join that pack to protect the daughter.”
The daughterhad a name, and I was sure I’d told them, but they continued to refer to her generically. To keep their distance maybe.
“And then the vamps will come because that pack is reckless,” Tabi muttered.
They were wrong. I could never join a pack that spewed such hate and vitriol.
Esther nodded. “Right. They will come and it will be the end of all of us.”
It took a few minutes before either of them spoke again, and I didn’t know what accounted for the silence, but I didn’t feel any better about any of this when the conversation started again. My stomach rumbled. I didn’t know much about mouse digestion and body functions, but I wasn’t sure how to contain what was about to happen.
“How close do you think the vampires are to finding us?” Tabi’s worry only increased my own. Bubbles moved around my gut. Tiny bubbles for a tiny gut. The pain and discomfort felt just as big.
“Too close.” And Esther’s answer didn’t help the stomach situation. Every bit of worry in me seemed to be focused on my digestive system.
I ran down the edge of the table cloth, down to the leg of the table and the floor then scurried across to the doorway. It felt like I’d run a thousand miles on these little legs. I made it across the hall and into the bathroom with my guts threatening to embarrass me. I couldn’t shut the door but there was no time for modesty.
As I scrambled up the edge of the toilet seat, my body returned to normal. I had to jump back, then turn to sit, slamming the door as I went.
Okay, well, at least I hadn’t pooped on Ether’s table. Or in front of anyone. Those were pluses in my book.
I finished up and rooted around under the sink. Ah, thank goodness. A towel to wrap around myself.
Looking in the mirror, I came to a harsh realization. With a sigh I studied the crow’s feet at the corners of my eyes, the smile lines around my mouth. My unruly hair. I was me, but it was like I was seeing myself for the first time.
I’d always sort of let Tilly do her thing. I’d always just kind of let life move around me. It seemed I couldn’t do that any longer. It was time to, well, shit or get off the pot.
Pun intended.
I walked out to the dining room, wrapped in the towel. “Don’t worry, ladies.” I was worried enough for all of us. “I’m going to handle my daughter. I’m going to make sure she doesn’t stay with that pack.”
No matter what I had to do.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
