Page 12 of Midlife Animal Rescuer Wolf

Together, they continued through the woods. Their path between the trees narrowed, and the greenery grew denser as they approached the creek. The trickling of water slowly filled Bryon’s ears. Within moments, the water came into view, a steady stream caught in the rays of sunlight as it flowed downhill.

Bryon stared at his foot and shook his head. Then he faced Miranda.

“Let’s do this.”

Getting across the creek was as difficult as anticipated. More than once, Bryon’s injury throbbed so painfully, he wanted to cry out, but he restrained himself. By the time they made it across, Miranda clinging to his arm, his breathing was labored.

“Keep moving,” he said, gritting his teeth against the pain. He pulled the bathrobe tighter around him. “We’re getting closer to the foal.”

“We’ve been walking for an eternity,” she grumbled, but continued anyway. “Just how much longer is this going to take?”

“It would’ve been faster if I wasn’t injured,” he told her. “And if I was alone or still in wolf form, for that matter.”

At that last statement, she stiffened a little against him. Bryon pressed his lips together, staring ahead. The closer they got to rescuing the foal, the closer she was to getting out of these woods. And that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. He was rescuing a woman who could very well turn on him, just like his best friend, Harold, had.

He frowned as the memory flitted across his mind. Very little good ever came from getting involved with humans or revealing one’s supernatural nature to them. Even some of the other animal rescuers had experienced some kind of tragedy as a result. Cal? His fiancée, Melissa, had abandoned him at their wedding ten years ago because she’d found out he was a bear shifter. Only a couple of months ago had they reunited.

And Theon? Theon had suffered an even worse tragedy. His wife had been a shifter like him, but she’d been killed by poachers. It was why he’d founded Green Sanctuary to begin with. When Bryon approached Theon all those years ago, the jaguar shifter had still been somewhat consumed with grief over his wife’s death, but he’d given him shelter and a job.

Bryon was eternally grateful for that. As badly as humans had treated him, the shifters in his life had been beyond kind to him. He’d lived peacefully over the years since arriving at Green Sanctuary.

And now, that just might come to an end.

***

Between nearly getting attacked by a wolf, crossing a creek, and having to trudge through the woods for what felt like hours, Miranda was at the end of her rope. If this was what it felt like to be a hero in an adventure book, she wondered why those guys willingly went on those silly quests.

“I would not have survived the trip to Mordor,” she uttered under her breath as she and Bryon squeezed their way around a large boulder that had somehow ended up wedged between two trees.

She let out a low groan. How long had they been walking? She hadn’t stopped walking since she stepped into these woods, and her legs were on the verge of giving out beneath her. Overhead, the sun had risen high into the sky, shining down through the treetops. It had to be noon by now.

Bryon must’ve noticed her discomfort—or perhaps her constant groaning—because he suddenly paused in his tracks.

“I’m guessing you’re tired,” he said. “We could rest for a bit.”

He didn’t have to suggest it twice. By the time the last word was out of his mouth, she’d already dropped to the ground with a sigh of relief. She scooted over to the nearest tree, leaning against its trunk. Bryon did the same, his face tightening with pain as he settled on the ground.

“How’s your foot?” she asked him.

He simply shrugged. “Only hurts when I dance.”

Miranda shook her head at him. “I honestly can’t believe you’re still so determined to save some foal, instead of trying to get us out of the woods first.”

“Well—”

“You’re injured, for goodness sake. And I’ve got a target on my back. Not to mention I haven’t even had breakfast yet,” she grumbled. “Is this foal really that important to you?”

He looked at her like she’d just asked the dumbest question possible. “Yes, it is.”

“Oh.” She blinked at him for a few seconds, unsure what to say next. She hadn’t expected him to say no, but she hadn’t expected a yes either.

What’s more, she’d felt a tiny flutter in her chest at his response. Despite his rough exterior, despite the fact that he was part wolf, he seemed to have a soft side. She’d never seen anything like that in Jerry. No, Jerry had been a jerk to humans and animals alike. Heck, she’d even seen him kick a cat a couple of times.

She stared into Bryon’s handsome face, trying not to get too deeply drawn into his brown eyes. “So... what’s animal rescuing all about? I mean, I know it’s about rescuing animals, but what’s in it for you? Why are you so interested in it?”

He shrugged again. “I love animals. I like making sure they’re okay, and it’s my job.”

“Think it’s got anything to do with the fact that you can turn into one?” The words spilled from her lips before she could stop them.