A flashlight beam skimmed the clearing. Elise stood, blocking the view, insisting she’d been out walking. The officer frowned at her mud-streaked clothes. “Stay inside tonight,” he warned. Elise nodded quickly, body shielding the brush where Shadow crouched, invisible. The lie burned, but her loyalty held firmer than reason.
Back home, Shadow paced the cottage, agitation sharp as static. Elise locked the doors, hands shaking. She whispered, “They can’t know, not ever.” Shadow pressed his massive head into her lap, as though sensing her despair. The weight comforted her, but it was heavier than chains.