That, or the whole thing with the Italians meant I needed two burly Irishmen guarding me.
Well, technically, one burly Irishman and one Scotsman.
Regardless, I found the two of them endearing.
Alphas rarely had committed relationships with betas—at least not outside of a pack setting. If anything, it was a quick fuck before parting ways, but Aidan cared for Torin. I saw it in the way hehovered and held his hand when he thought no one was looking.
In the car on our way to the shelter, my curiosity got the better of me.
“How long have you two been together?”
“About a year,” Aidan said, meeting my eyes in the rearview mirror.
Aidan stroked the nape of Torin’s neck while he drove. Affection warmed my belly. They were part of Kaelen’s family.
Soon to be my family too.
As we pulled onto the street that led to the shelter, Aidan and Torin’s demeanors shifted, their eyes scanning every passerby.
People said Roxbury was unsafe, but I found it charming. My bodyguards did not share my sympathies as they practically swaddled me, leading me through the entrance. The animal shelters in places like Back Bay and the South End had plenty of volunteers and donations, but spots like these—off the beaten path—got forgotten.
That was why I kept coming back. Someone had to protect these babies.
“So what warranted the additional escort today? Kaelen going all overprotective alpha? Or does it have something to do with the Italians?” I asked, noticing how Aidan’s hand twitched above his concealed pistol.
The men shared a look. A blush tinted Torin’s neck while Aidan shifted from side to side.
“Is it so horrible that I wanted to spend some time with my beta?” Aidan said, rubbing a small circle on the inside of Torin’s wrist.
Oh, they were adorable. I almost didn’t notice the girl nearly bouncing behind the counter at my approach.
“Hi, Lily,” I said, getting the attention of the frantic girl behind the desk.
“Oh, Willow. Hi. I’m so glad you’re here. Maybe you can help.”
The joy in her eyes faded. A knot dropped into the pit of my stomach, heavier than a leaden weight. A lot of the animals in the shelter struggled to adapt, but there were always cases of abuse or neglect that needed special attention.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“We brought in a new resident three days ago. Black lab mix. She’s young. Somewhere around fourteen weeks, the vet thinks. She’s completely withdrawn. Won’t eat or let anyone near her.”
“What happened to her?”
Aidan and Torin leaned against the wall, listening while scanning the room.
“Somebody tortured her,” Lily whispered, frowning. “She’s in decent shape all things considered, but all the fur on her tail is singed away like someone set her on fire.”
A whispering snarl echoed behind me and I spun, unable to tell if it was Torin or Aidan who had made the noise. If Torin strained any harder, the vein in his neck would burst.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, steeling myself for the worst.
Lily handed me a pouch of treats. “She’s in the kennel at the end of the hall. The yard’s empty if you can convince her to go outside.”
I pocketed the baggie, walking across the stone floors lined with kennels that felt more like prison cells. An uneasy feeling slithered around my limbs. I hated it. How cold and detached this place was. After one too many fights with my dad about donating more money to the shelter, I gave up.
The only hope for most of these animals was that someone would adopt them or a well-funded rescue would take pity on them and pull them out. I knew it was impossible to save them all, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
I was never allowed to have a pet. Even though I really wanted a dog, I would have settled for anything. But my dad refused, not letting me have so much as a fish.
