Page 356 of Rangers Last Promise

Wolf took a drink of coffee. “It is.”

Max walked into the room beside me.

Dylan jumped out of his chair.

“You have a dog!”

Max’s ears lifted.

Dylan ran toward him.

“Stop,” I said.

The boy froze.

Havoc moved quickly, but I held up my hand.

“Let Max come to you.”

Dylan looked at the dog.

Max looked at Dylan.

“Hold out your hand,” I said. “Keep it low.”

Dylan did exactly as I told him.

Max moved forward and sniffed his fingers.

“Friend,” I said.

Max’s tail moved once.

Dylan smiled so widely I could see the gap between his two front teeth.

“Can I pet him?”

“On his shoulder. Don’t reach over his head.”

Dylan placed one careful hand against Max’s side.

Max leaned into him.

Havoc released the breath he had been holding.

“He likes me,” Dylan whispered.

“He doesn’t like many people.”

“He likes me,” Trigger said.

Max turned his head away from him.

Rylie laughed.

Trigger looked wounded. “We had a moment upstairs.”

“You threw coffee on the walls,” I said.