Chapter 23 #2
“Perhaps.” The skepticism in her voice is impossible to miss. “The wolf enclosure backs up to the forest. It’s our most vulnerable point, almost impossible to secure without making it feel like a prison.”
“There are options. Perimeter sensors that won’t disturb the animals but will alert you to intruders.”
To anyone but me.
The tour continues, and every minute feeds my obsession.
She shows me barns, rehabilitation spaces, medical facilities, and enclosures housing everything from eagles to foxes.
Though not all, most animals have a story of abuse or abandonment that she recounts with clinical detachment, but I see through the mask.
Her hands clench when describing cruel cases, pain flickering across her expression despite her professional composure.
I catalog each reaction, each sign of the darkness that lives beneath her compassionate exterior. She’s light and dark, opposites that can’t exist without the other. Except in me.
“And this is my office.” She leads me into the small, cluttered space I know better than she realizes. “Not much, but it’s where I handle administrative work when I’m not with the animals.”
My eyes flick to the ceramic owl on the shelf that hides my micro-camera.
“Your home is separate?”
“Yes, it’s about ten yards that way.” She points in the direction I know by heart. “I can keep an eye on things from there, but it’s far enough that I can sometimes pretend I have a life outside this place.”
“Do you? Have a life outside?”
Luna raises an eyebrow, moving to lean against her desk. “Is that relevant to my security needs, Mr. Wolfe?”
“Damien,” I correct. “And yes. Understanding your routines helps identify vulnerabilities.”
“My routine is work, sleep, and more work. Thrilling, I know.”
“Purposeful. That’s rare.”
A commotion erupts from beneath the desk.
Luna crouches with a sigh. “Ricky! What are you doing in there?” She pulls out the chair to extract a medium-sized raccoon who reaches for her chest.
“Ricky, stop it.” She tugs his small paws away and looks up at me with a smile. “Sorry. This is one of our resident raccoons, and he’s a bit of a stinker.”
Maren comes rushing into the room. “There you are, you little shit.” She plants her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. “He snuck out when I was cleaning his cage. I’ve been searching for him for ten minutes.”
“He was hiding under my desk.” Luna stands and hands the raccoon to Maren.
“No banana sundae for you tonight, mister,” she scolds as she walks away. “Damn it. Stop grabbing my boobs.”
I raise an eyebrow at Luna.
“Ricky has a boob fetish.”
“That’s not something I ever thought I’d hear.”
“You and me both.”
She settles against the edge of her desk again, and I have to resist the urge to step closer, to cage her in against it.
“So, what are your thoughts on securing the sanctuary? The animals are my primary concern, but recent events have made me realize I also need to prioritize my own safety.”
“I’d recommend a comprehensive system. Cameras at key points along the perimeter and on the exterior of all the buildings, inside all the sanctuary spaces, motion sensors, and upgraded locks. And to reiterate your point, given what’s happened recently, your house warrants special attention.”
“I don’t want cameras inside my house. The idea of being watched makes me feel violated.”
Oh, little doe. If you think the cameras will make you feel violated…
“Of course. But exterior cameras that cover vulnerable points of access are important. We can program them to capture only unusual activity, not everyday routines.”
Luna hesitates, then nods. “And the cost?”
“I’ll be donating your system, including monitoring.”
Surprise flashes across her face. The expression makes me want to reach out and touch her, caress that smooth, flawless skin, and tell her she belongs to me and I’ll give her anything she needs.
“I can’t ask you to do that?”
“You didn’t ask. I offered. I have a charitable foundation that donates to animal causes worldwide. Your system will be donated by the foundation. You’re a 501(c)(3), correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll send a detailed proposal today and have everything installed tomorrow.”
“That quickly?”
“I’m the board chairman, Luna. I set the timeline.”
And I want my eyes on you as soon as possible.
“Okay, tomorrow it is.”
“I’ll oversee the installation personally.”
Luna shifts, and her eyes narrow. “Why would you do that?”
“Let’s call it community service. I believe in hands-on support for local animal welfare efforts. And neighborhood watch efforts,” I add with what I hope is an easy smile.
“That doesn’t mean you need to install my security system personally. You must have more important things to do.”
Luna is independent and stubborn. That’s going to make her next encounter with the wolf a shock to her system. She’ll surrender all that independence and stubbornness to me. She won’t have a choice.
“I can always make time to help a beautiful neighbor. And your safety and the safety of your animals matter.”
Her eyes soften, and satisfaction purrs through me.
“I also find puzzles compelling, and you present quite the puzzle.”
She goes rigid. “I’m not a puzzle, Mr. Wolfe. I’m a veterinarian with a security problem.”
“Damien.” I’m tired of correcting her. “Everyone is a puzzle. Most are just tediously simple to solve.”
“I’m not?”
I let my gaze linger on her face, studying every detail while allowing some of my real intensity to show through the mask I wear for the world. “You’re delightfully complex.”
A flush creeps up her neck, and she looks away first. She feels the pull between us, even if she doesn’t understand it yet.
“I don’t know how to thank you for your generosity, Damien.”
“No thanks needed.” I step closer, close enough to breathe in the scent of peaches and warmth that clings to her skin. Her scent haunts me even when she’s not near. “I’m impressed with what you do here. It takes an exceptional person to heal those victims the law fails.”
Her brow creases, and I wait to see if she’ll connect my words to the note I left with Raymond Davis. Then her eyes snap to mine as recognition flares, but hesitation clouds it over. Like she’s dismissing her suspicions before they fully form.
Intelligence, genuine compassion, and beauty are rare, seldom found in one package. But she embodies them all.
She clears her throat, stepping toward the door. “I should get back to it. The sanctuary doesn’t run itself.”
“Of course.” I reach into my jacket, pulling out a different business card than the one Eleanor gave her. “Here are my personal numbers. Call me anytime. For any reason. I’ll arrange for installation to begin tomorrow morning. It will take my team two to three days to complete.”
Our fingers touch as she takes the card, and that electric spark passes between us again. Luna stares at our joined hands for a long moment before her eyes meet mine, something unreadable flickering in their depths.
“I’ll walk you out.”