with his honesty. He says it like it is. I have respect for that. Even if I don’t like what he has had to say to me, I can still respect his honesty one hundred percent.
I lie back down before I wear a hole in the concrete. I hear footfalls and feel my hackles rise. Two people. One male and one…female…elderly. I manage to calm myself down but get back to my feet. My ears are pricked up. My senses are on high alert. I catch his scent before I see him. I can’t believe it.
I crouch and whine when he comes into view. I can’t believe my eyes. My tail is wagging. I’m making yipping noises. I can’t control myself right now. Rage is the last person I expected to see.
He’s here!
For me!
Here to fetch me!
“Look how happy she is to see you,” the lady who runs the pound, Gretchen says. She’s beaming broadly.
Rage doesn’t say anything. He is frowning darkly. His body language is hard; hostile even. What is he doing here? He clearly doesn’t want to be!
“I knew you’d come around. Did you miss her?” the older woman asks him, oblivious to his dark demeanor.
I stop my yipping and tail wagging and prick up my ears. I want to hear this.
His eyes are on me. “As irritating as she is, she grew on me…like a mold or fungus.”
I would roll my eyes, but it would look stupid on a dog, so I refrain. He would say something like that.
“We would normally need to do a home inspection, but since you brought her in, we can waive the formalities.” Gretchen smiles as she inserts a key into the padlock on my gate. I look up at the loose piece of corrugated iron roofing. The padlock was completely unnecessary.
The lock opens with a click, and Gretchen pulls open the door. I walk out, going to Rage’s side.
“What are you going to call her?” Gretchen asks Rage.
I find myself all ears. I can’t wait to hear what he comes up with. “I think I’ll call her…” he looks down at me, I see his eyes dance with mischief, “Mochyn.”
“Mochyn is a strange name…if you don’t mind me saying.”
“It’s Welsh, actually.”
“How interesting.” The woman’s eyes widen.
“It means beautiful.”
Dogs can’t laugh. If they could, I’d have tears rolling down my cheeks right about now. Mochyn does not mean beautiful. Far from it. I wonder if he knows what it really means.
The older woman gasps. “That’s perfect. What a lovely name.” If only she knew how far off she is.
Rage looks at his watch. “I think we’d best be going.”
Gretchen nods. “Thank you for the very generous donation.” The real reason for the waive in the house check, I’ll bet. “I’m so glad you changed your mind about this doggo. You saved a life here today.”
Little does Gretchen know how right she is. Rage can save me. I know it! I’ve heard the whispers. The rumors. After meeting him, I can feel it. The power radiates off him. The question is, will he do it? Will he try? It’s clear that he works hard at containing his strength every day. The runes on his chest speak volumes.
Gretchen is talking about the statistics surrounding adoptions when it comes to the bigger, more vicious breeds of dogs.
“We need to get going,” Rage mutters, interrupting her. He looks at his watch again.
“Of course.” Gretchen smiles.
“Thanks,” Rage says as we walk away. I stay close to him. I keep alert. We go into the reception area. The exit is through there. I notice that he scans the parking lot before leaving the building.
He looks relaxed, but he is watchful. I am too. My senses are on high alert.
He opens the door for me, and I hop in, then he climbs in as well. The car roars to life as he turns the key. “There is a pair of sweatpants and a shirt on the back seat,” he says. “I had the pleasure of meeting Gaire.”
My heart starts beating faster. My throat feels tight. I knew my leaving wouldn’t go unnoticed for long. I knew it might take a few days for someone to figure it out and for the news to reach him. I didn’t think he’d find me this quickly. I’d hoped to have a little more time.
I jump into the back of the car and then get down behind the seats. I shift. “He found you?” I push out, sounding panicked. I am panicked. “Where?