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The coat wiggles again, more insistently this time.

Landon leans forward. “Zane.”

Ryker’s eyes narrow. “What did you do?”

Zane sighs like a man who has made peace with a terrible decision. Then he opens the coat.

Frodo’s head pops out.

My breath leaves me in a broken sound I don’t recognize as my own. “Oh my god,” I whisper.

Frodo wriggles free, tail wagging so hard his whole body shakes. He lets out a happy, ridiculous little whine the moment he sees me, paws scrambling against Zane’s arm.

“Frodo,” I choke.

Zane carefully sets him on the bed beside me, like he’s handling a live grenade. Frodo immediately crawls onto my chest, nose pressing under my chin, licking my face with complete disregard for hospital decorum.

I break.

Tears spill out of me, fast and helpless, my hands shaking as I wrap my arms around him as much as I can. He smells like home. Like safety. Like happiness.

“I thought—” My voice cracks. “I didn’t know I would be able to see him again. I thought…”

Zane rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, well. He was…uncooperative about being left behind.”

I look up at him through tears, disbelief crashing over me. “Zane. Youhatedogs.”

“I don’t hate dogs,” he says defensively.

Beckett snorts. “You once referred to Frodo as a ‘sentient mop with opinions.’”

Zane grimaces. “In my defense, hehasopinions.”

Frodo barks softly, as if to agree.

I laugh through my tears, pressing my forehead to Frodo’s. “You did this for me?”

Zane shrugs, but his eyes won’t meet mine. “We’ve…come to an agreement.”

I blink. “An agreement?”

“He doesn’t chew my boots,” Zane says, “and I acknowledge his emotional support status.”

Dominic exhales, eyes suspiciously bright. “You smuggled a dog into a hospital.”

“Allegedly,” Zane says.

Ryker steps closer, resting his hand over mine. “You okay?”

I nod, crying openly, completely undone. “I am now.”

Frodo settles against me with a satisfied huff, like he’s done his job. The room feels warmer. Fuller. Like something broken has stitched itself back together.

I look at Zane again. “Thank you.”

He gives me a crooked smile. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation.”

Landon laughs softly. Beckett finally stops pacing. Dominic’s shoulders loosen. Ryker squeezes my hand.