An Alpha's Trust (4 page)

Chapter 5

Trevor saw his mom run out of the back door and he said, “Wait ma, you don’t want to scare Jake. He just saved my life.”

That’s when he saw and, more importantly, got a big whiff of his mate. She was gorgeous, with the most enchanting shade of light brown hair, with natural blond highlights. Not to mention her brown eyes which he swore saw straight into his soul.

Right now however she was looking at him like he was going to eat her and her son. As if he’d have room to eat them both. He’d get a terrible tummy ache.

Jake needed to ease her fear of him so he slowly put his muzzle up to the boy’s hand and gave a big lick.

The boy smiled, hugged him, and whispered in his ear, “I said no licking but thanks again for saving me. Let’s introduce you to mom.”

The boy, apparently named Trevor, walked up to his mother and pat the side of his pants calling Jake to his side. Jake wanted to argue that he was an Alpha male and did not come when called, but he couldn’t resist getting closer to his mate.

As Trevor told the story of how the mean coyotes tried to attack him and the good doggie saved his life, Jake sat still and simply enjoyed the smell of his mate. It was comforting. Occasionally she would glance down at him but she didn’t reach out to him which was discouraging. He was, however, a wild animal and not a man right now so he understood her hesitation.

Finally, when Trevor was done with his story, he reached out and began to pet Jake again. Trevor looked to the wolf. “Hey Jake, this is my mom. I call her mom, but you could call her Shana. She likes animals, but we can’t have any because we might have to move again.”

The poor kid looked so sad and they both stared at him for a moment.

Shana was finally dragged out of the moment by a sniffing of her hand and a wet nose to her palm. She stiffened; Jake the wolf was smelling her hand. This was silly. If her five-year-old was not afraid of ‘Jake,’ by golly she wouldn’t be either.

“You named him Jake, already. That didn’t take long, big man. I don’t think he’s a dog, Trevor. He looks more like a wolf to me.”

Shana reached down and the wolf licked her hand.
Yuck.
“Whoa there wolfie, no licking. Bad wolf, bad. No lickie.”

It looked like the huge scary wolf smiled.
Wait, a wolf can’t smile.
But if they could she would have sworn he did.

Jake was laughing. If anyone saw what these humans were saying to him, he’d never live it down. He put his muzzle right into her crotch and took a big sniff.
Take that, mate. If I’m gonna be called a bad wolf I might as well act like one.

After his sniff, he bent his head and went under her skirt pressing his cold wet nose to her inner thighs. He could smell her panty covered mound and tried to get far enough for a small taste. Oh, he longed to taste her, she smelled so sweet.

Shana turned, grabbed Trevor’s hand and pushed the wolf away. She called over her shoulder as she was walking in the house, “Naughty wolf.” He caught a small smile before she closed the door in his face.

Well, that was a good first interaction with his mate. He only wished he had been in human form. He knew he’d dream of her tonight. Of her soft skin and sweet smelling sex; bad wolf indeed. No worries, he’d see her tomorrow with Grant at nine in the morning, sharp, whether she liked it or not.

Jake walked back through the woods and sat, watching them eat through the window. They seemed so happy, smiling often. He longed to be a part of this family. Every so often he caught Shana looking out the window with a worried expression which she quickly hid from her son. But he saw and he was determined to find out what caused her sadness. She would trust him soon and he would protect her.
But how to gain her trust?

He went back to Twilight Lookout and informed Grant of the change in plans. Grant wasn’t very happy to be deceiving his new client, but when th
e Alpha decided on a plan you went along with it, or took the consequences.
Now, how to win his mate? And what was she hiding?
He could do a background check on her but he wanted her to trust him enough to tell him of her life, her fears, wants and needs. Why did he suddenly feel like his life was thrust into a lifetime movie with all these…feelings?

* * * * *

When Trevor went into the house with his mother, he began to question Shana. “Do you think Jake will be back? I think we should let him in, mama. He’ll get cold outside all night. He really is a good wolfie. We should get some food for him too. He’ll protect us.”

Shana was amazed at her little boy’s thought process. He was so kind and giving. “Well, big guy, maybe tomorrow after school we can go get a doggie bed and some dog food and we’ll leave
it on the porch for him. He can’t stay inside because he is a wild animal and they need their space to run free. I’m sure he wouldn’t like to be cooped up. Plus, he probably has fleas.”

Trevor beamed up at his mother. “Can I pick out his bed? I don’t think he’ll like dog food, mama; it smells funny. Maybe we can give him wolf foods.”

He looked so excited it chased some of her fears away, for now.

“Honey, wolves eat raw meat like rabbit and deer, if they can catch ‘em. I’m grateful to Jake for savin’ you and all, but I’m not gonna go out hunting rabbit.” Trevor snickered. “What’s so funny?”

“Let’s go hunt some waskalie wabbit, mama; just like Elmer Fud.” They began to laugh in earnest and it lightened her heart to know that he was her family. He made her feel whole and when she got upset he knew just what to say to make her happy she was alive.

“Come on, big guy, time to get ready for your bath, then to bed. You have a big day tomorrow.” She chased him up the stairs and gave him a tickle before sending him to bathe.

That night, instead of dreaming about Ryan, the bastard, she dreamt of her wolf, Jake. Wait a minute, when did he become her wolf and why couldn’t she stop thinking of running her hands in his soft fur. Wouldn’t ya know it; she hadn’t had sex in five years and she’s dreaming of a wolf, instead of her dream guy, figures.

Chapter 6

“Have a great day at school. See you at one o’clock,” Shana called to her son. She had pulled the teacher aside to remind her that Trevor was in a special situation and he was only to be released into her care. She told the teacher if she wasn’t there at one then to call the police and her parents because something would be wrong.

She drove away from the school crying and thinking about Trevor. The first time he crawled, walked and the first time he told her he loved her. She wanted to go back to the school and pick him up and never let him out of her sight, but that wasn’t realistic. She had to work and he had to grow wings and make friends.

As she pulled into her driveway, she noticed a red truck parked on the street and, without thought, began to panic. That is, until she noticed Grant getting out of the passenger side.

When she looked to the driver, she stopped completely and stared. The man was tall, maybe six foot-two, with shaggy brown hair and the deepest brown eyes that she had ever seen. She smiled and then realized she was staring, so she quickly looked away but not before they noticed her blush.
Fabulous.

Grant extended his hand. “Good morning, Ms. Dunn. Did Trevor get off to school okay this morning?”

She was about to answer when she heard a low growling sound. She looked around to the back of the house thinking Jake, her wolf, had come back. But she didn’t see anything.

Shana turned around to find the fine ass driver standing right in front of her. His eyes closed, looking like the cat that got the cream. With his eyes still closed he inhaled through his nose and smiled when he let it out.
Damn, he was hot.

Shana gave a slight cough. “Hello, can I help you, sir?”

His eyes opened and she felt a physical pull towards this man. Until, she noticed the coloring of his eyes, almost yellow. Weird, she thought she had seen dark brown eyes moments ago. She must be more traumatized with Trevor going to school than she thought.

“Uh...Um, yeah, I came here to help Grant with the setup.” He stepped closer, holding out his hand. “I’m Jake, nice to meet you.”

She felt overwhelmed just being next to this man. He was the most handsome person she had ever seen and she was instantly attracted to him. She took a step back, refusing his hand, but continued to look him in the eyes.

“Hello, I’m Shana and it’s nice to meet you; however, I was very specific yesterday when I informed Mr. Calhoun that I will not allow anyone else into my home, so I think you should leave.”

Shana was so proud of herself. All she wanted to do was rub her body up against this man and lick him.
Uh, no, no licking.
She must be losing her mind.

The more she looked at him, the more she felt a connection and wanted to reach out and touch him. Not just shake his hand but maybe squeeze that firm backside. Oh, hell, she couldn’t control her thoughts and she could feel herself blushing.

She had to get away. Wait, this was her house. “Well, are you going to leave?”

He simply smiled and said, “Grant is my brother, and because of the job we do, we are required to bring back-up. I’m sure you understand. If you’d like I can wait outside and we can talk about your system while he sets up. He needs to check the pre-existing alarm before installing the panic button. I’m sure you understand.” Leave? She was crazy if she thought she could escape that easily.

“I don’t think that’s a great idea. I’m very busy and have plans to attend to when you’re finished. Grant told me it would only take fifteen minutes.”

For the first time, Jake noticed her clothing. She was wearing business attire with the sexiest three inch heels he had ever seen. He wanted to rip her clothes off, bury himself deeply within her while she dug her spiky heels into his back.
Whoa, down boy. Control.

“If it’s a bad time we can complete the work and I can come back later. Or I can meet you at the diner for lunch and explain the program and how you key in the passwords.” He saw her eyes widen. Okay, too soon. It wasn’t like he was proposing; it was just lunch for crying out loud.

“Forgive me for being blunt Mr. Calhoun, but I’m not interested in lunch with you, or anyone else for that matter. I am very busy with work and raising my
son
.” She put emphasis on the word ‘son’ like that was going to deter him. “I’m not comfortable going anywhere with you, ever, but thank you. If you leave a manual, I’m sure I can figure it out.”
Take that, Mr. Sexy. Not everyone is interested in your hard body and spicy male scent.

Damn, she needed to get laid; unfortunately, she’d never trusted anyone enough to be naked with them. She felt drawn to Jake, but she had control of her libido.
Yeah, right.
If she had control she wouldn’t be creaming in her panties. She squeezed her thighs together.

“Sure, Shana. I’ll be done in a couple minutes and then we’ll leave.” Grant looked at Jake. “Right, brother?”

Jake nodded and went to the car to get the equipment. He waited outside while Grant did the work. It made him crazy to know that his brother was in his mate’s house; in her confidence while he was left out in the cold.

They said goodbye to Shana and got in the truck. Jake was seething and Grant looked frightened, keeping his head down.

“You smell of her and I want to rip your head off. Maybe you should roll down the window.”

They followed her car, but drove past, when she stopped in front of the town lawyer’s office. She must be in trouble.

* * * * *

Shana pulled up to the town lawyer’s office. She straightened her back and swore that she would no longer feel shame for what happened so long ago. She had brought the case file and the papers she’d received yesterday. Her palms were sweating and she felt like a scared little girl all over again. She would do this for her son. Ryan, the piece of shit, no longer wanted her but their son. Her innocent precious boy. She strolled confidently into the office, head held high but shaking inside.

Shana left two hours later. She looked a mess. Her makeup was cried off and her eyes were red and puffy. Her face was flushed and her spirit crushed.

The courts were leaning toward dual parenting where the mother and father both had contact with the child but not each other. The crime was against her and not the innocent child. Her lawyer, Kyle Malloy, told her he would fight for her, but it was ultimately at the judge’s discretion.

She drove to the diner and got a cup of coffee to go. When she walked in the diner she immediately felt Mr. Jake Calhoun’s presence, and was assaulted by his spicy male scent. When she looked for him she found him in the corner booth sipping coffee and eating what looked like chicken fried steak. He was alone and looked lonely.

She had no idea what possessed her, but she walked over to his table and sat across from him. He breathed roughly through his nose and looked up smiling. “Well, hello, Ms. Dunn. Are you hungry?”

She was amazed he didn’t ask why she looked like a kid that lost their candy. “Sure, I’ve suddenly got quite an appetite.”

Jake called the waitress over and Shana ordered, “Whatever he was having.”

They ate in comfortable silence. When the meal was complete, she asked, “How long have you been working for Twilight Lookout?”

Shana was pushing her luck staying so close to him knowing she was physically attracted, engaging in conversation. Maybe he would be really dumb and she’d lose the passion and intrigue she felt for him.

“Actually, I own the company. It is pretty successful even though this is a small town that doesn’t get much crime.” At the mention of crime he noticed her face fell.

“Oh, well. Let’s hope it stays a low crime area. But you never know when someone is going to move in and bring their troubles.” She tried to sound lighthearted but too much was weighing on her.

“Is everything okay, Shana? Do you need help or protection? We’re a pretty small town but we like to help each other. If there is anything you need, I’ll do my best to provide it,” Jake said with seriousness.

She cocked her head to the side and asked, “Why? Why would you help me? You don’t even know me. And I don’t know you. In fact, I tried to kick you off my property not two hours ago.”

“I know it sounds funny, but I feel a connection to you and I know you feel it too. You can trust me. I’m not going to lie to you, Shana. I think you’re a beautiful woman and, one day, I’d like to have you in my bed, but, when I do, it’ll be forever.”

Shana’s eyes narrowed and her scent became bitter.

“I don’t trust easy, or often, Mr. Calhoun. In fact, I haven’t shared a meal with anyone apart from my family and my best friend for years. I don’t feel safe, and although I’d like to trust you, I just don’t see that happening, in or out of bed.”

She tried to take money from her wallet to pay and leave, but he waved her money away, already giving the check to the waitress.

“Thank you for the meal.” Shana turned to walk away.

Jake was irritated. Why was she back to the all-business attitude? “It’s obvious something has happened to you, and I’m truly sorry, but my offer still stands. If you need me I’d be more than happy to listen to you vent, or even just sit with you for comfort.”

Jake wrote his phone number on a napkin, stood and walked away. It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. His beast was snarling at him to go back and comfort his mate, but his human side knew she wasn’t ready.

Shana went to her car and drove to pick up Trevor; after all, they had a wolf to care for. A wolf that was safe because he had protected her son. She would buy him his own bunny factory if he would keep them safe. Yuck, she hoped he didn’t hurt Thumper and brought it to the porch.

They drove to the pet store and Trevor talked about his teacher and some of the kids in his class. Forrest was caught picking his nose, and Mrs. Miner made him wash his hands. Larry went down the slide the wrong way and threw up. The janitor had to come clean it up before they could play on the slide again.

When Trevor was done with the kindergarten gossip, they sang their ABC’s.

Trevor picked out an extra-large, expensive dog bed and a dish for food and water. They bought dog food and treats while they cruised the store looking at the pets. Trevor liked the hamsters and asked to take one home. Shana told him that wolfies’ favorite food is hamster so he let the idea go fairly quickly.

Once at home, they set up the bed for Jake on the corner of the back porch, putting the food and water dishes next to it. She scooped out half of the dog food into the bowl, putting the rest in a Tupperware in the fridge for tomorrow. It smelled disgusting. She introduced Trevor to the new security system and the panic button before bed.

Hopefully, they’d sleep soundly tonight.