The Master of Me

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

                After breakfast Sterling washed up the dishes and then retreated into his office to work.   “You’re welcome to anything, TV, food, couch . . . “he hesitated in his speech and then added, “Guest bedroom and bath. I don’t have any female clothes you could wear temporarily, if you wanted to wash your current attire, but there is a bathrobe in the guest room. Or I can get you some of sweats or…” He offered her unsure of what else to offer in his limited knowledge or selection of his wardrobe.

                Alue had to reassure her mind that ‘this male’ was just being polite. There was no alternative motive in his offer of his food or use of his space. Her skin bristled when he began on the topic of showering for a number of reasons. “I need nothing.” She told him, as she watched him accept this answer without argument and retreat out of her view down the hall. When she heard the door of the computer room shut, she bolted for the back door. Her shape changing from human to wolf and began an excursion to a lake about seven miles away.

                The lake was freshwater, with a decent amount of fish for the humans’ patient enough for such a past time activity. Now came the tricky part for Alue. Getting her fur wet would get her clothes wet in her other form. However, it would not make them look presentable. Once she reached the edge of the lake she looked about wondering what to do. East of her location was a crop of trees that was technically in the lake, about 30 feet off the shore. Water lines on the trunk showed over the years where the water level had risen and fallen. If she swam to this and plunged under the low hanging tree shrubbery and stood on the roots in her human form while she removed her clothes to scrub them, then she would be concealed and could get a proper washing.

                Deciding this as a good plan of action, she padded along the sandy shoreline of the lake toward her destination. When she could no longer use the shoreline to become closer to the tree, she took a few paw steps into the water and then plunged in, her powerful muscles moving her toward the tree. That was when she noticed this tree still had leaves but they had begun to change color, signaling the oncoming season of Fall.  She had forgotten that she had fled from her master’s home the first day of Summer. Some days that seemed like ages ago. Living out her days on Sterling’s property with no longer the need to be on the run or scavenge for food, she almost felt free. Upon reaching the trees low hanging branch shrubbery she changed into human form and plunged under it making the rest of the way to the base of the trees large roots to stand upon. Stripping off the oversized hoodie she began to scrub that first. The water almost instantly darkened as she rubbed the fabric together and submerged the cloth under the surface. She repeated this process until she was certain her keen nose could no longer smell the stench of dirt, oil, and body odor upon the garment. Using a branch to hang it off of she carefully peeled off the capris, attempting unsuccessfully to not slip back into the water. She resurfaced and adjusted her position on the algae covered tree roots then began to scrub the capris. There was no use getting out the grass stains, but everything else came out. By the end of it the capris actually looked light blue and not dingy gray. After that came her own body, which was pretty easy since she had already been submerged into the water twice. She used some leaves to help scrub against her skin, as well as behind her ears. She knew from past experience, trying to get on jeans while in water was practically impossible. Gathering up her clothes she gripped them into her mouth and changed into wolf form to swim back to shore. Getting out of the water she gave her coat a vigorous shake then looked about for other humans about. Not seeing or scenting any she shifted forms and quickly dressed as fast as she could.

                She was slipping her arms into the zipper hoodie when she heard the sound of a young girl screech the words, “Mommy, there’s a naked woman on the beach.” Alue didn’t freeze, but finished slipping her arm into the sleeve and dropped to the ground and shifted.

        “What! Where?” a mother’s voice said with a worried tone as she looked to where her daughter was pointing where Alue had been but was now padding away. Alue could hear the following, silently chuckling to herself. “That is not a woman dear child. That is a large dog, a husky breed probably. What have we said about lying?” The mom said to which the girl replied, “But it WAS! I’m not lying. Where that dog is, I mean was, there was a woman standing there with only pants and a jacket on sort of.” Alue almost felt sorry for the girl. It was refreshing to be in a place that was slightly ignorant of the reality of shifters. In her mind the best place to hide from her past is where she would least be expected to be.