Heart hammering, Elise realized the intruder might have broken in had Shadow not intervened. She sat on the floor afterward, clutching the animal’s damp fur, torn between gratitude and dread. Shadow nuzzled her cheek, almost tenderly, but the growl still echoed in her ears. Protector or predator—she no longer knew.
By morning, police cars patrolled nearby roads, officers knocking on doors, asking about attempted break-ins. Elise said nothing. She kept Shadow hidden in the bedroom, stroking the silky coat, silently thanking it. Yet a dark question gnawed at her: if Shadow could stop men, what else was it capable of?