Reese had both dogs out by the time Sonny made it around the truck. Delilah was cradled against his broad chest again, her head tucked under his jaw. Hercules stood on the driveway, leaning heavily against Reese’s leg. Both animals looked small and vulnerable next to his mate.
The front door opened before they reached it. A man appeared, younger than Dr. Sullivan, with dark hair and an easy smile. His energy felt calm, steady, the kind of person who probably didn’t panic in emergencies. Ryan. His bunny immediately scented that Ryan was human, just like the vet.
“You must be Sonny.” Ryan’s gaze swept over him, taking in the disheveled mess and tired expression with a gentle smile. “Reese texted me. Come on in. I’ve got a space set up for the dogs.”
Sonny followed Ryan inside, his arms still full of supplies. The house’s interior was warm, lived-in, with furniture that looked comfortable rather than expensive. Voices carried from somewhere deeper inside, male voices engaged in what sounded like a debate about sports.
Ryan led them through the living room toward a hallway. “I set up the guest room on the first floor. Figured it would be easier than having them navigate stairs. There’s bedding on the floor and water bowls. Dr. Sullivan said they’d need somewhere quiet to rest.”
The guest room was exactly as Ryan described. Soft bedding covered most of the floor space, creating a nest large enough for both dogs. Water bowls sat in the corner, along with empty bowls for the special food Dr. Sullivan had sent home. The lighting was dim, easy on traumatized eyes.
Reese set Delilah down on the bedding. She immediately circled twice before settling, her movements slow and pained. Hercules limped over and collapsed beside her, his damaged ribs making him groan softly.
Sonny dumped the supplies on a nearby dresser and dropped to his knees beside the dogs. His hands moved over them automatically, making sure nothing had gotten worse during the drive. Delilah gave a weak tail wag when his fingers scratched behind her ears. Hercules licked his wrist, tongue warm and slightly rough.
“They need their medications in four hours.” Sonny was already mentally calculating the schedule, figuring out when each dose needed to be administered. “The antibiotics for Delilah are the most important. Dr. Sullivan said the infection could spread fast if we’re not careful.”
“I’ve got it written down.” Ryan’s voice came from the doorway. “Reese sent me Dr. Sullivan’s instructions. I’ll set alarms on my phone so I don’t miss any doses.”
Sonny nodded but didn’t look up. His focus stayed on the dogs, on the rise and fall of their breathing, on the way Delilah’s injured leg was positioned. She needed to keep weight off it, but dogs didn’t understand that concept. He’d have to watch her, make sure she didn’t try to move around too much.
“Sonny.” Reese’s voice came from somewhere above him. “You need to eat.”
“I’m staying with them.” Sonny’s hands stilled on Hercules’s back. “They’re in a strange place. I don’t want them to be scared.”
“Ryan’ll watch them while you eat.” Reese crouched down, his massive frame folding with surprising grace. Those ice-blue eyes held his gaze. “Just asking for twenty minutes, hon.”
Sonny wanted to argue. His mouth opened to form protests, but his body chose that moment to remind him exactly how long it had been since he’d taken care of himself. The room tilted slightly. His vision blurred at the edges. The exhaustion crashed over him like a physical force.
“Fine.” The word came out sounding defeated. “Twenty minutes. But if anything changes, if they need me, someone comes and gets me immediately.”
“Deal.” Ryan smiled warmly at him. “Go eat. I’ve got them.”
Muscles protested from constantly running as Sonny pushed to his feet. He gave the dogs one last look, making sure they were settled, then forced himself to follow Reese out of the room.
The hallway felt longer than it had on the way in. His feet dragged against the hardwood floor, each step requiring conscious effort. His body wanted to shut down, wanted to find somewhere horizontal and sleep.
The kitchen appeared ahead, bright and clean and smelling like something that made Sonny’s stomach cramp with sudden hunger. A large table dominated the center of the room, surrounded by chairs that looked sturdy enough to hold someone Reese’s size. Three other men sat at the table, and all of them looked up when Sonny and Reese entered.
“This is Sonny.” Reese’s hand settled on Sonny’s lower back, the other pointing at the men. “That’s Grayson, Colton, and Malik.”
Their scents identified them immediately. Lion, panther, cheetah. All predators. All powerful enough to tear him apart without breaking a sweat. He wanted to find the nearest exit and bolt. But Reese’s hand kept him anchored, easing the panic trying to choke him.
“Heard you rescued some dogs from a fighting ring,” the lion shifter said. Grayson, Sonny’s brain supplied. His voice was deep, authoritative in a way that said he was the guy in charge. “That took guts.”
“Or stupidity,” Sonny countered. “The jury’s still out on which.”
The panther shifter, Colton, laughed. The sound was genuine and warm, lacking the edge that would’ve signaled he was laughing at Sonny rather than with him. “I’m voting guts. The hyenas don’t take kindly to people messing with their property.”
Property. That was what the hyenas had called them, like they were objects instead of living beings capable of suffering. The reminder made anger cut hot and fierce through his fatigue.
“They’re not property,” Sonny bit out. “They’re dogs. Living animals who deserved better than what was done to them.”
Silence filled the kitchen. He realized he’d just snapped at a room full of men who could kill him without blinking. His bunny was screaming at him to shut the hell up, to apologize, to do anything except stand here with stubborn jaw.
But Sonny refused to back down.
“You’re right.” Grayson’s expression possibly radiated respect. Sonny was too tired to care at this point. “They deserved better. That’s why what you did matters.”
