The sun was beginning to dip below the treetops, casting long golden shadows across the clearing behind the Willow Pack’s main pack house. The air smelled of pine, fresh earth, and the faint sweetness of the evening sky. Lena stood near the edge of the porch, her arms folded across her chest as she listened to the birds settling in for the night.
She adored the peacefulness of their pack grounds. It was different than she was used to. But the peacefulness, reminded her of the clinic.
She missed it.
God, she missed it.
The scent of antiseptic and clean linens. The quiet hum of the machines. The soft, rhythmic breathing of a recovering pup curled up beside a hot water bottle. The way animals looked at her—with trust, with instinct, with no hidden motives.
She missed the work that made s
