I rescued an abandoned dog off the street, and he ended up saving my life
CHAPTER 8
The intruders searched the storage unit.
Ethan and Lily hid behind the boxes.
Scout stayed completely still.
Then one man whispered:
“The dog.”
Another answered:
“Find him.”
Ethan understood.
Scout was the only thing they hadn’t accounted for.
The men separated.
Scout moved silently.
One second later, a metal shelf crashed.
The intruders looked toward the noise.
Ethan grabbed Lily.
They ran.
Outside, Scout followed.
They barely escaped.
Ethan looked at him.
“You knew.”
Scout wagged his tail.
“You knew we had to leave.”
Later that night, Lily explained more.
“My father trained Scout to warn people.”
“Warn them how?”
“He would nudge doors.”
“Like tonight?”
She nodded.
“Whenever something dangerous was nearby.”
Ethan looked at Scout.
“How did my dog know?”
Lily smiled faintly.
“Because he’s not your dog.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
“Then whose is he?”
Lily answered:
“He’s ours.”
The words hit Ethan harder than expected.
He had thought he rescued Scout.
Perhaps the truth was the opposite.
Scout had simply chosen where to go next.
And now he was choosing Ethan.
They spent the night at a motel.
Around 3 a.m., Scout suddenly woke Ethan.
The dog growled at the hallway.
Ethan sat up.
Nothing.
Then the fire alarm began.
Smoke filled the room.
Ethan grabbed Lily.
But the hallway was already burning.
Scout ran toward the emergency exit.
Ethan followed.
The door opened.
They escaped.
Behind them, the motel window exploded.
The fire had been deliberate.
Someone wanted them dead.
Ethan looked at Scout.
The dog was trembling.
He hugged him.
“You saved us.”
Scout rested his head against Ethan’s chest.
For the first time, Ethan realized something.
He hadn’t rescued a stray dog.
He had been adopted by one.
