Hailey backstepped and nearly tripped over a rock. Crouching, she hefted it. Whichever animal emerged the victor might come after her next.
The battle ended as startingly as it began when one beast crashed through the underbrush, leaving the other animal panting and whimpering.
A chill raced through her limbs. She recognized that whimper.
“Chance?” she whispered intothe dark.
He answered with a pathetic yip.
“Buddy!” Tears choked her as she approached the silhouette, her arm flailing toward where he stood.
When she reached him, she dropped the rock and wrapped her arms around his furry neck. Chest heaving, he leaned heavily against her. “Oh my God, itisyou!”
She pulled away and ran her hands over him. He gave her face a lick even as warm, sticky fluid covered her palms. He collapsed on the hard ground.
“Oh no, oh no! Hang with me, bud. Neve will fix you up, but you gotta stick with me.”
She hauled him onto her lap and held him, stroking his fur, reassured every time he inhaled or expelled air. “It’s gonna be okay.”
The world went silent as their harsh breathing settled. Then came a growl in the dark. Every muscle in her body coiled. The animal that had tangled with Chance was back to finish the job.
Oh God!
She slid her hand over the rock and grasped it, pulling it close. The rumble continued, and she canted her head. The sound was distant and held a steady rhythm.
That’s not an animal. That’s an engine!
She heaved Chance off her lap, and he stood, swaying on his legs. “C’mon, fella. That vehicle is going to lead us to a road. If we hurry, we might be able to flag it down. Even if we miss it, another one might come along.”
Urgency seized her. Did Chance have the strength to keep up? She pulled the dog along, though she was unsure which way to go. One moment the buzz came from one location, and the next moment, it seemed to reverberate from the opposite direction.
Chance came to a halt and cocked his head. Just as she expected him to drop from his wounds, something seemed to click into place, and he trotted until he reached a narrow trail. Hailey was right beside him, picking her way to keep from stumbling for getting smacked across the face by a branch. Chance seemed to tap into an extra reserve, and he loped ahead of her. She followed, trying not to think of how much blood he might be losing. He gained speed, leading her toward a break in the trees where a hazy light glowed.
The vibration grew louder. The vehicle was getting closer.
In the same instant she realized Chance had led her to a road, he launched himself through the trees. Tires squealed and kicked up dirt as a large vehicle came to a grinding halt. She broke through in time to see Chance lower himself gingerly on his haunches in a truck’s high beams, his tongue lolling as he panted. A large man jumped from the driver’s side.
“Jesus Christ, dog!”
She lurched onto the asphalt. “Charlie?” she croaked.
He rounded the hood. “Hailey Bailey?”
Sobs bubbled up, and she couldn’t hold them back. He ate up the distance between them and flung his arms wide. As she ran into Charlie’s embrace, Chance thudded onto the asphalt.
“I’ve got Hailey andChance! They’re right here!” Charlie whooped in the truck cab as he sped down the highway. “It’s a fucking miracle!”
“Hailey?” Noah’s worried voice drifted through the speakers.
“I’m here,” she rasped. Tears wadded in her throat and stung her eyes, and her body began to shake at the sound of that velvety baritone she knew and loved.
“Sweetheart, tell me you’re all right.”
“I-I will be. I’m not so sure about Chance, though.”
The dog was wrapped up in a blanket and wedged on the front seat between her and Charlie.
“Charlie, drive straight to the clinic,” Neve’s voice commanded.
