Page 2 of Rescued

Tossing everything into the truck, I climb in and start the engine. My thoughts churn as I drive toward the Schumaker property, the back roads familiar but somehow longer tonight.

A wolf. How the hell does a wolf end up here, in Shasta of all places?

The idea of approaching a wild animal—a wolf, no less—has me gripping the wheel tighter. Todd said the animal is too weak to be a danger, but I can’t help the edge of nerves twisting in my stomach. A wolf is still a predator, no matter how starved or sick it looks.

I just hope Todd’s right about this one.

By the time I pull into the Schumaker property, twilight is settling over the fields. Todd’s cruiser is parked near the house, its headlights cutting through the dimming light. He’s standing by the barn, gesturing for me to drive around to the back.

I park near him, but I don’t kill the engine. Call it nerves, but I like having the option of a quick getaway if something goes sideways.

“Kind of a wimpy move, huh?” I mutter to myself as I step out of the truck.

Todd doesn’t seem to notice—or if he does, he doesn’t care. His focus is on the ground, and I follow his gaze to the heap of fur lying a few feet away. My breath catches as I take in the sight of the wolf, his body atangle of limbs and fur that looks more like a shadow than a living thing.

For a moment, I think it’s already too late. Then I see it—the faint rise and fall of his side, the shudder, the shallow intake of breath.

“Still alive,” Todd murmurs, his voice low.

I nod, relief warring with the ache of seeing an animal in this condition. The wolf is massive, his fur dark and matted with dirt. His ribs stand out beneath the coarse hair, each breath rattling in his chest like it’s an effort.

The sound of an engine pulls my attention away. Adam’s car rolls to a stop behind my truck, and he steps out with his medical bag in hand. I glance back at the wolf, a strange pull in my chest.

For reasons I can’t explain, I feel desperately like I need to help this animal.

“Look at him, Gabe,” Todd says, his voice thick with sympathy as he gestures toward the poor animal laying on its side. “The poor thing’s barely alive.”

I nod silently, my stomach twisting with anxiety. The wolf looks even worse up close, a ghost of the powerful creature he must’ve once been. Strange how, somewhere along the drive here, I’d stopped thinking of him as dangerous. I can’t pinpoint when it happened, but now, standing here, any fear I might have had is eclipsed by something else.

Determination.

I step around Todd without a word, my eyes locked on the wolf. His ragged breaths stir the dust beneath him, his body so still it’s almost unnatural. Behind me, I hear Adam’s sharp voice cutting through the air.

“Gabe! Wait! Be careful—”

Hiswarning barely registers. All I can think about is reaching the wolf. Something in me says Ineedto.

I move slowly, each step deliberate, not wanting to startle him. The air feels heavy, charged with tension, but I push through it, the pull toward the animal too strong to ignore.

The wolf stirs as I approach, his muscles trembling weakly. His head tilts ever so slightly, his whiskey-colored eyes cracking open. For a moment, they lock with mine, sharp despite the exhaustion shadowing them.

Then comes the growl—a low, guttural sound that rumbles deep in his chest.

I freeze. It’s not a threat, not entirely. It feels more like a warning, a way to say “don’t come any closer” without the energy to back it up.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I murmur softly, even as I know he doesn’t understand the words. My voice seems to calm him, though. His growl quiets to a faint rumble as I crouch just a few feet away.

The wolf struggles to roll onto his belly, his limbs trembling with the effort. His head turns, those amber eyes meeting mine again. The intensity of his gaze makes the air rush out of my lungs in a whoosh, like he’s stripped me bare with nothing but a look.

Recognition flares, sharp and inexplicable. It’s ridiculous—I’ve never seen this wolf before in my life. And yet, something inside me shifts, like I’ve been waiting for this moment, this connection, without even realizing it.

I lower myself further, kneeling beside his shoulder. Slowly, I extend my hand, palm out, toward his muzzle.

“Gabe, don’t,” Adam growls his voice urgent. “He’s hurt and wild—”

The rest of his warning fades into the background. The wolf sniffs my hand cautiously, his damp nose brushing my skin. Then, to my shock,he licks it—just once, a quick, deliberate motion before settling his head back down.

I exhale slowly, my fingers trembling as they move to the nape of his neck. His fur is coarse but soft beneath my touch, and I let my hand rest there for a moment, feeling the faint warmth of his body.

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