The wolf was huge. A good 200 pounds or so. The largest dog she ever owned was about 125 pounds. But when he dragged her across a river bed to catch a rabbit, she decided never anything that large again. She ever so gently touched his back paw. He was definitely breathing but he didn’t move. She could see he was wounded. He had a deep gash on his side and his fur was matted with blood and dirt.

She briefly thought about going back to her truck to get Angelina’s gun, but instead cautiously moved around him and, after quickly unlocking the door, went into her house. She grabbed the phone and dialed information. She eventually got through to animal control, but was immediately put on hold. While she was waiting and watching the wolf on her porch, she saw headlights heading up the path to her house. Until they disappeared. Just like that. Someone shut them off.

“Shit,” Sara got out as Angelina’s concerns and the day’s past events flooded her mind. She stuffed the cordless phone into her back pocket. She was about to slam the door and leave the wolf to fend for himself, but for some completely irrational reason, she just couldn’t. She felt she had to protect him. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

She ran to her closet and grabbed the muzzle she had used for her largest dog, Rocks, and her own always-loaded pump-action shotgun. She went back to the wolf. His eyes were still closed and he seemed to be out cold. Burying all her fear, and any logical thought, she carefully knelt beside him, placing the shotgun at her feet. She put the metal basket muzzle on him, tightening the leather strap that would hold it in place should the wolf try to take her arm off. She grabbed him under the shoulders and dragged him into the house. It should have been harder, but… well, maybe he wasn’t as heavy as she had originally thought. Once she had him settled, she went back out to her porch and retrieved her gun.

She watched an extremely expensive car pull up to the front of her house. Four men got out. All well-built. All well-dressed. Okay. So, the guy in the shop seemed to have brothers. Not a problem. They began to head toward the house, but she pumped the weapon once and aimed at the first guy she saw. They stopped moving. They may have even stopped breathing.

“You’re trespassing. Get off my property.”

The one she had her weapon aimed at decided he would charm her. He opened his mouth to speak, so Sara shot the ground at his feet. All four men stumbled back.

“Welcome to Texas, gentlemen. Now get the fuck off my property!”

They were in their car and gone.

Sara took her phone out and dialed a number,

“Sheriff’s Office,” a deep voice drawled. “Deputy Fogle speaking.”

“Hey, Eddie. It’s Sara Morrighan.”

“Hey, Darlin’. How you doin’?”

It was true; Sara was always a sucker for the cowboys and the cops. But herweakness and general kindness to them also helped her. Like right now.

“I’m not bad. Look, I was wondering, though, if you and your boys could do me a favor tonight? Some strangers were round my property just a few minutes ago. Never seen ‘em before. Not from around here, if you know what I mean?”

“We’ve been seeing a lot of that in town the last couple of weeks.” I just bet you have.

“Well, I was wonderin’ if y’all could check my house from time to time tonight and make sure they don’t come back.”

“For you? That’s not a problem. I do hope you gave them strangers a Texas-sized welcome.”

Sara laughed, “I sure did. But I gotta sleep sometime. Be nice to know you guys will be watchin’ my back for me.”

“You bet. I’ll send a car out there right now.”

“Thanks, Eddie. Tell the Sheriff I said, ‘Hey.’”

“Sure will. You sleep well now.”

Sara turned off her phone, looked out again into the darkness, and finally went back inside. She locked and bolted her door.

Her wolf friend was still out cold on her floor. Once again, irrational behavior took over. She hauled the poor thing up on to her couch. Cleaned off his wound, realized it wasn’t as deep as it initially looked, and wrapped it in a clean bandage. Then, to top it off, she covered him with a blanket.

Yup, she thought to herself, I am clearly losing what is left of my mind. Soon I’ll be as crazy as my grandmother.

Sara made sure all her doors and windows were locked, took a shower, and went to bed.

***

It was 3 am and Sara still couldn’t fall asleep. She was obsessing over EVERYTHING. Well, it started off she was obsessing over everything. Until she just began to obsess over Zach. He looked so angry when he saw that scumbag touching her. He actually snarled. Snarled! It was kind of cool.

“This is ridiculous.” Sara tossed the covers aside and slipped out of bed. She padded out of her bedroom, through the hallway, through the living room, into her kitchen. She poured herself a glass of ice cold water and headed back to her bedroom. She had just gotten to the hallway when she stopped. Dead in her tracks. The glass of water gripped tight in her hand. Her eyes staring straight ahead. Then she, slowly, walked backward until she was standing in her living room. She took a deep breath and turned her head until she was looking at the couch. And there he was, laying on it. His wound bandaged. The blanket she had placed over him, pushed down so that it was around his hips. The muzzle still on his face. She stared at him. Just stared.

After a few moments, his eyes slowly opened, he looked around confused, pushed the muzzle off his face, and stared at it. Then his eyes looked across the room and focused on Sara.