The next day, I just couldn't concentrate on work at all.
Every time I tried to take a look at a patient or go through the charts, my mind kept wandering back to that crazy kitchen incident. The speed of it all. The timing—it was like something out of a movie. And that look Shadow gave me afterward? It was as if he could sense all my doubts.
By lunchtime, I threw in the towel on pretending to be productive. So, I locked my office door and opened my laptop.
"Alright, Shadow," I whispered to myself, typing into the search bar. "Let's see what you really are."
I kicked things off with the basics: large black dog breeds. My screen lit up with all the usual suspects—German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Great Danes. I clicked through photo after photo, trying to match them up with my mental image of Shadow.
But none of them felt right.
German Shepherds were close with their coloring, but their faces were just too narrow and the ears too pointy. Shadow had that broader, more powerful look. His ears? Sure, they were similar, but they sat differently on his head.
Then I looked at Rottweilers. They had the size down, but the coloring was off. Shadow was pure black—no brown patches at all.
Great Danes had the height thing going, but they were just too skinny. Shadow? He was all muscle, like a tank.
I even tried mixing breeds in my search. German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix. Rottweiler-Great Dane cross. Still, nothing seemed to fit.
Feeling pretty frustrated, I widened my search. Rare dog breeds. Ancient breeds. Working dogs, you name it.
Belgian Malinois? Too small and the wrong ear shape.
Cane Corso? Closer in build, but still not quite right.
Presa Canario? Yeah, they looked intimidating enough, but Shadow's face was way more refined than that.
I slumped back in my chair, staring at a sea of dog photos. After two hours, I was more lost than when I started. Shadow didn't seem to fit into any breed category, not even the mixed ones.
Maybe I was just remembering him wrong? Or maybe all the stress from that accident had messed with my memory of what he really looked like.
So, I decided to switch gears. I typed in "Identifying dog breeds by physical characteristics."
The first link was a breed identification guide. I clicked through to find a detailed questionnaire that might help narrow down the options.
Size: Large (90-110 lbs)
Coat: Medium length, thick, all black
Ears: Triangular, set high, alert
Tail: Long, bushy
Body type: Muscular, athletic
Face shape: broad muzzle, strong jaw
So, I did a quick search and got hits for German Shepherds, Belgian Tervurens, and Groenendaels. I clicked on the Groenendael link first. It was a variant of the Belgian Shepherd, all black, and had the right coat texture. The size? Pretty close. And honestly, the smarts matched up with what I'd seen in Shadow.
But still… Something didn't sit right. The proportions felt off. The Groenendael's legs seemed shorter than Shadow's. And their faces? Sure, they had some similarities, but they didn't have that regal look that made Shadow so unique.
I figured I'd shift gears a bit. Instead of just looking at looks, I decided to dive into behavior patterns.
"Highly intelligent dog breeds."
"Dogs with human-like intelligence."
"Dog breeds that understand complex commands."
The results were kind of interesting, but nothing felt definitive. Border Collies were at the top of every intelligence list, but Shadow? He was way bigger. German Shepherds also popped up, but I'd already ruled them out because, well, they just didn't fit.
I found myself lost in articles about dogs that seemed to grasp human speech beyond the usual commands. Dogs that surprised their owners with their problem-solving skills. Dogs that showed empathy and emotional intelligence that felt almost supernatural.
And the more I read, the more uneasy I got. Every quirky behavior mentioned? Shadow did that. The intense staring, the way he seemed to know what I needed before I did, those almost human expressions on his face.
But here's the kicker: none of those articles talked about dogs that could intercept falling objects in a blink or leap eight feet from a lying position. I felt like I was missing a huge piece of the puzzle.
Out of nowhere, I typed in a new search term: "Dogs that don't match any breed."
What popped up was sparse but oddly fascinating. Forums where folks talked about their unusual pets. Rescue groups with dogs of unknown lineage. A few academic papers on hybrid vigor in mixed breeds.
Then I stumbled upon a forum post that stopped me in my tracks: "My dog doesn't match any breed I can find. Super intelligent, almost human-like. Anyone else feel this way?"
I clicked, and wow, dozens of responses poured in from people sharing similar stories. Dogs that seemed too smart, too intuitive, and too athletic for what their supposed breeds were.
But one response chilled me: "Sounds like you might have a wolf hybrid. They're illegal in most places, but they exist. Super intelligence, human-like behavior, and physical abilities that surpass normal dogs. Just be careful—they can be unpredictable."
Wolf hybrid.
I sat there, staring at the screen, my heart racing. Could Shadow actually be part wolf? That would make sense of his size, his brains, and those incredible physical abilities. No wonder he didn't fit any breed category.
But it also meant I might be keeping an illegal and potentially dangerous animal.
I dove into wolf-dog hybrid identification guides. The photos that loaded? They gave me chills. Large, powerful creatures with intelligent eyes and a noble presence. The facial features looked so much like Shadow's.
And the behaviors? They lined up too. High intelligence, a strong prey drive, a tendency to push boundaries, and struggles with traditional training. These articles also warned about hybrids being unpredictable and potentially aggressive, needing experienced handlers.
Yet, there was another side to it. They talked about how wolf hybrids often formed deep bonds with their chosen humans. They were fiercely loyal and protective, sometimes putting themselves in harm's way for their pack.
Like jumping between their person and a boiling pot of water.
I shut my laptop and buried my face in my hands. If Shadow really was a wolf hybrid, it changed everything. I couldn't just keep him as a pet. I'd need permits, specialized training, and likely a whole new living situation.
And there was this nagging feeling I couldn't shake. The wolf hybrid theory explained a lot, but not everything. It didn't account for his insane speed or that uncanny timing in the kitchen. Nor did it explain those moments when he looked at me as if he was trying to say something important.
I glanced at the clock—past five. I had to get home to Shadow and really see him with fresh eyes.
As I gathered my things, one thought kept creeping into my mind. If Shadow was part wolf, where had he come from? Wolf hybrids weren't exactly common around here; someone had to be missing him.
And if he was part wild animal, why hadn't he left once he was healed?