The doorbell rang right when I was filling up Shadow's water bowl. He'd been drinking a lot lately, probably because his wounds were healing so fast. Honestly, it felt a bit too quick.
"Coming!" I called out, drying my hands on a dish towel.
From his spot by the kitchen window, Shadow lifted his big head.
As I headed to the front door, I noticed him tracking me with that ember eye of his, ears perked up, totally alert.
Then my stomach dropped when I caught sight of a familiar face through the peephole.
David.
There he was on my porch, holding a bunch of red roses, that smile of his—the one that used to make my heart race. Now? It just exhausted me.
I kept the chain latch in place as I opened the door. "David, what are you doing here?"
"Hello, lovely, to you too." His grin widened. "I thought I'd stop by since I was in town for work. Can I come in?"
"That's really not a good idea."
I heard the soft click of claws on hardwood behind me. Shadow had left the kitchen and was now watching from the hallway. I could practically feel his tension radiating from where I stood.
"Ariana, come on. It's been six months since we broke up. Can't we at least be friends?"
David's eyes flicked from me to Shadow. "Whoa. That's a big dog. When did you get him?"
"Recently." I didn't want to dive into details. Shadow's vibe was making me uneasy, and something about David's presence felt off.
Then I heard a low rumble from behind me. It was almost a growl, but not quite. Shadow made a sound I'd never heard before.
David took a step back, saying, "He doesn't seem very friendly."
"He's protective." I didn't mean to sound defensive. "David, what do you want?"
"I just want to talk about us." He held up the roses. "Ariana, I messed up. I shouldn't have put my career before you. I want us to try again."
I should've felt my heart racing. Six months ago, those words would've meant everything to me. But now, staring at David's perfect smile and fancy suit, all I felt was… nothing.
"We've already been over this. It's done."
The rumbling behind me got louder. When I turned, Shadow was moving closer, his big body eerily silent. I could see the tips of his sharp, white teeth as he bared his lips just a bit.
"Shadow, it's okay," I whispered.
But it didn't feel okay. Shadow was coiled tight, like a spring ready to snap. His amber eyes were locked onto David with pure intensity.
"Ariana, Jesus. It looks like he's going to eat me!" David's charming facade was slipping, replaced by real fear.
"He's fine. "You just need to leave," I said, trying to sound calm.
"I'm not giving up that easily." David puffed himself up a bit. "There was something special between us. You can't tell me you've forgotten."
Shadow moved so fast I barely caught it. One moment he was behind me, and the next, he was at the door, pushing his massive head through the crack I'd opened.
This time, a deep, menacing growl erupted from deep within him.
David stumbled back, dropping the roses. "What the hell!"
"Shadow, no!" I yelled, trying to pull him back by his collar. It felt like trying to move a mountain.
Every muscle in Shadow's body was tense, radiating danger under my hands. But then something strange happened the instant I touched him. I felt this surge of emotions—like hot, fierce jealousy. Possession. And something nearly heartbreaking beneath it all.
I looked down at Shadow, realizing he was the source of those feelings. I knew it without a doubt.
David was backing away toward his car, saying, "I'm calling animal control. That dog is a threat!"
"Don't you dare." I was surprised by the fierce protectiveness in my voice. "Shadow isn't a threat. He just doesn't like you."
"Clearly." David's face was pale as he glanced between Shadow and me. "Ariana, this isn't over. I won't give up."
He left the roses scattered on my porch as he jumped into his car and sped off.
With shaky hands, I closed and locked the door. Shadow remained tense beside me, his gaze fixed on the window as David's car disappeared down the street.
"What was that all about?" I asked him.
For a brief moment, I thought I saw a flash of guilt in those deep eyes when he looked up at me, like he knew he'd over
Shadow was still keeping an eye on the woods while Jenny was busy looking at the front desk.
She looked over at me and said, "He's really protective of you, isn't he?" I've never seen a dog so dedicated to guarding someone."
I glanced down at Shadow, and he immediately turned to look back at me, always alert, always watching.
"Yeah," I replied, kind of softly. "I think he feels like it's his job to keep me safe."
As we walked to the car, Shadow stayed right between me and the tree line. Once we got home, he patrolled the whole place before finally settling down for the night.
I couldn't help but wonder what he had spotted out there in those woods and why every animal we met today seemed to treat him like royalty.
It's like he's more than just a big, friendly dog.