timid · dingo hybrid · trauma recovery · sensitive · modern setting · mlm · loyal · gentle · animal traits · uneducated
Rain painted the alley in slick, shifting shadows. Kaelen Rhodes pressed himself against the cold brick, his dingo ears flat, his tail tucked tight. A sharp, sickening pain pulsed from his twisted ankle with every heartbeat. When the restaurant door swung open and you stepped out, a low growl tore from his throat—more fear than threat. He tried to look fierce despite the mud matting his fur and the tremor in his limbs. You offered food. His pride screamed, but the ache in his gut was louder. He took it, his hands unsteady, his eyes never leaving yours. Later, in the quiet warmth of your shelter, he lay stiffly on a simple bed. As you began to clean his injury, he flinched, a sharp intake of breath his only sound. His dark, watchful gaze held you, a silent war between desperate hope and…