Chapter 11 #3
I step inside. The small lobby area greets me, moonlight streaming through the large windows, illuminating the reception desk. The first micro-camera goes beneath the windowsill, behind a fern, its lens hidden among the green fronds. Perfect line of sight to the entire lobby.
My heart pounds harder as I move deeper into the building.
This is her domain, her sanctuary within the sanctuary.
Every step feels like a deeper invasion of her privacy, and the thought thrills me more than it should.
She’ll understand eventually. When she realizes how far I’ll go to protect her and what she loves, she’ll see that this was necessary.
Luna’s office door stands ajar, and I push it open.
The space embodies her, all organized chaos with stacks of files and medical books on the desk, framed photos of animals she’s rehabilitated covering the walls, and a coffee mug with a chip in the handle sitting on the arm of the sofa.
A cardigan sweater hangs on the back of her chair, and I give in to the urge to bury my face in the fabric, to breathe her in.
The scent goes straight to my cock. That light scent of peaches that hit me like a brick when we almost collided outside the post office.
Focus, Damien. You’re here for a purpose.
The second camera goes on top of her bookshelf, hidden behind a small ceramic owl. From there, it has a clear view of her desk. I imagine she spends hours in this room, and now I’ll be able to share those quiet moments with her.
The main treatment area is beyond her office, a clean, sterile space filled with medical equipment and examination tables. This is where the real work happens. The thought of watching her, of seeing that focused intensity up close, makes my cock even harder.
I place the third camera on top of a cabinet, angled down toward the treatment tables.
The lighting here is harsh and clinical, but it will provide perfect visibility.
I can already see Luna’s face in the camera’s feed, biting her lower lip when she’s worried about a patient, and the gentle murmur of her voice as she soothes frightened animals.
Then I head into the back area, where Luna houses the animals too injured to be released and her permanent residents.
I learned all of this from the images and text on her website.
This is the heart of her sanctuary, the reason she built this place.
The cages and enclosures are larger than most facilities would provide, each one designed with the specific needs of its inhabitants in mind.
Even in the dim light, I can make out several sleeping forms.
A soft chittering sound draws my attention to a medium-sized enclosure to the right. Two raccoons sway in hammocks in the far corner, but one of them has noticed my presence. It comes forward, hands gripping the wire mesh, its masked face tilted up toward me with curiosity.
“Who are you?”
I crouch to the raccoon’s level. It studies me with dark, knowing eyes, the chittering continuing in a soft conversational sound that somehow doesn’t seem alarmed.
I mount the fourth camera on a support beam nearby, positioned to capture the entire space. The raccoon watches my movements with interest, its head tilting back and forth as I work. When I’m finished, it gives one more soft chitter before retreating to rejoin its companion.
Movement catches my eye in the next cage. A baby bobcat crouches in the shadows, yellow eyes reflecting the dim nightlights scattered around the room. Unlike the curious raccoon, this one radiates wariness, every muscle tensed and ready for a fight.
Its eyes never leave mine as I approach. There’s intelligence in that gaze, and something else. Pain, maybe. The lingering trauma of whatever brought it here.
“You’re lucky, you know.” I settle back on my haunches to appear less imposing. “You have Luna taking care of you. She’ll make sure you heal. That you’re strong enough to return to the wild where you belong.”
The bobcat’s ears twitch at the sound of my voice, but it doesn’t move.
“She saved you. The same way she saves all of them. That’s what makes her special.”
The bobcat blinks, then turns away, deciding I’m not a threat.
I finish installing the cameras throughout the back area, each one strategically positioned and concealed.
The animals seem to tolerate me with the calm patience of creatures used to human handlers.
They don’t know that I’m not supposed to be here, that these cameras represent an invasion of their sanctuary’s privacy.
They simply see another figure moving through their domain.
When the last camera is in place, I make my way back through the building, double-checking each installation.
The feeds will go to my private server, accessible only by Cade and me, for round-the-clock access to Luna’s world.
The thought sends a thrill through me that’s almost electric.
Soon, I’ll be able to watch her work, interact with the animals she loves so much, and witness the compassion that makes her so extraordinary.
The morning light is growing stronger as I step back outside, locking the door behind me and replacing the key beneath the gnome.
I walk across the driveway to the treeline on the opposite side, where I tuck two more micro-cameras into crevices of two tree trunks across from the house, providing a perfect view of the front door.
I attach the last camera to the roof trim of the screened back porch. It covers the entire backyard and rolling foothills to the rear of the property. When I’m done, I make my way back to the front.
Now for my final task—the wildlife cameras.
I know where they are, having studied this place for over a week. Luna positions them to catch poachers and trespassers, not realizing that the real threat comes from someone who’s learned to move through her sanctuary like a ghost.
As I work, the wolves stir, sensing my presence the way animals always do, but they don’t sound the alarm. Maybe they recognize my scent from previous visits, or maybe they understand I mean no harm to them or their sanctuary. Either way, their silence is a gift I don’t take lightly.
Luna will wake soon and step out to check on her animals as she does every morning. She’ll find my gift waiting, but she’ll have no way to trace it back to me. When the time is right, when she’s ready to accept my presence in her life, then I’ll reveal myself. But not yet.
Until then, I’ll be watching.