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T he morning sunlight streamed through the clinic windows. Lynda rubbed her eyes and checked the time. It was a few minutes after nine o’clock. She’d managed a quick nap on the cot after the dawn feeding, but exhaustion still tugged at her muscles.

She ran her hands through her hair and straightened her sweatshirt. From farther down the hallway, she heard a microwave pinging in the staff room. After folding the blanket she’d slept under, she headed toward Matt.

He smiled when she walked into the room. “Coffee’s fresh,” he said from beside the small counter. “I even kept some of the shortbread cookies for you.”

Lynda grinned. “You’ve found the way to my heart.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she bit her bottom lip. “Oops, sorry. Sometimes, I speak before I think about what I’m going to say.”

“That’s all right,” Matt mumbled. “I have the same problem.”

Matt poured her a coffee, then went back to restocking the supplies in a large backpack. He looked as tired as Lynda felt, but there was a determined energy in his movements.

“The generator’s holding up,” he told her. “But we should conserve electricity where we can. I’ve shut down everything but essential equipment.”

Lynda sighed as she took her first sip of coffee. “Is there any word from emergency services about the road conditions?”

“Highway 93 is still closed,” Matt replied, checking his phone.

“Landslides in three places. They’re saying it’ll be at least forty-eight hours before the road’s passable.

The bridge to Polson is underwater, and most of the back roads are washed out.

” He looked up, his expression serious. “We’re effectively cut off except for emergency vehicles. ”

“Which makes us the only functioning veterinary clinic for miles,” Lynda concluded.

Matt nodded. “I’ve already had calls from three ranchers with injured livestock, and Carol says some of the shelter’s roof gave way. They’re bringing the affected animals here as soon as they can get through.”

As if on cue, the clinic’s front door chimed. Lynda walked into the hallway with Matt and looked through the glass door. Ben Davis, the ranger who’d taken them to find the pups, stood outside, soaked and muddy, and carrying a large cardboard box. Matt unlocked the door and let Ben inside.

“Got a family of raccoons,” Ben announced as he carefully set down the box. “I found them clinging to a tree branch in the flood waters. Their mother’s injured. I think she’s broken her leg. I couldn’t just leave them.”

Lynda immediately moved across to the reception desk to check the raccoons. The female raccoon was curled around three tiny kits, her front leg sitting at an unnatural angle. Despite her injury, she hissed warningly when Lynda got a little too close.

“We’ll need to sedate her to treat her leg,” Lynda said. “The kits look unharmed, but they’re too young to be separated from their mother.”

Matt joined her and looked inside the box. “We can use the isolation room for them. It’s the furthest from the puppies, which should reduce the stress for everyone.”

Ben picked up the box and followed Matt and Lynda.

While Matt cleared a space in the isolation room, Lynda prepared the sedative. Ben hovered nearby, clearly concerned for the animals he’d rescued.

“You two seem to have things under control,” he told them. “I should get back out there. There are still a lot of people and animals in trouble.”

“Thank you for bringing the raccoons into the clinic,” Lynda said.

“You’re welcome. How are the wolfdog puppies doing?”

Lynda looked at Matt.

“Better than last night,” Matt said with a smile. “They’re warm and eating the right amount of formula.”

Ben nodded. “That’s good to know. I’ll catch up with you later today.”

After Ben left, Lynda and Matt divided up the work they’d have to do next.

She would handle the raccoon family while Matt checked on the wolfdog puppies and prepared for the shelter animals Carol was bringing to the clinic.

They’d coordinate the feedings for the orphaned puppies between their other cases and hope there weren’t too many callouts.

Forty-five minutes later, Matt returned to the isolation room. “Star’s breathing normally now,” he told Lynda. “She’s still weaker than the others but improving.”

Lynda felt a surge of satisfaction. “That’s wonderful. I’ve splinted the raccoon’s leg and checked her babies. All she needs now is a lot of rest.”

By lunchtime, the clinic had transformed into a buzzing emergency center.

Carol had arrived with three dogs and four cats from the damaged shelter, each needing assessment and treatment for mild hypothermia or stress.

A local farmer brought in a lamb with a deep laceration, probably caused by debris in the floodwaters.

Just when they thought the worst was over, two rangers arrived with a barn owl that had been blown from its nest.

Matt checked his watch. “It’s time to feed the pups. Do you want to take Star and the two males, Lynda?”

She smiled as she prepared the formula. “I’m happy to feed any of them, but Star’s my favorite.

” When she was ready, she carefully picked up the smallest pup.

Star’s condition had improved dramatically since their night-time crisis.

Now she sucked eagerly at the bottle, her tiny paws pushing against Lynda’s hand.

“You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?” she murmured affectionately. “Just like someone else I know.”

Matt glanced up from his feeding duties. “I hope that’s a compliment.”

“Definitely,” Lynda replied, their eyes meeting briefly over the puppies in their arms.

The clinic door chimed again, but this time, Brenda was there to help whoever had arrived.

A few minutes later, Kathleen bustled in carrying two large bags that filled the treatment room with the mouth-watering aroma of pancakes.

“I figured you two hadn’t eaten a proper meal since yesterday,” she announced, setting the bags on the counter. “Blueberry pancakes, maple syrup, and some of my special scrambled eggs with cheese and herbs.”

Lynda’s stomach rumbled on cue. “Kathleen, you’re an angel.”

“I try,” Kathleen replied with a grin. She moved across to the incubator and smiled at the pups. “They’re so cute. The whole town’s talking about your midnight rescue of the wolfdog puppies.”

Matt looked surprised. “How did they hear about them?”

“Ben Davis posted about it on the community Facebook page,” Kathleen explained, unpacking containers of food. “Complete with a photo of you two carrying the puppies to your truck. He called you the ‘Wildlife Rescue Dream Team’ or something equally dramatic.”

A blush crept up Lynda’s neck. “Oh, good grief.”

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Kathleen said, setting out paper plates and plastic forks.

“People are inspired. You should see the comments. Everyone wants to help. I’ve had at least a dozen people ask how they can donate supplies or volunteer.

” She moved across to Matt and held out her arms. “And talking about helping, how about I take that cutie out of your arms and feed him? The pancakes taste better when they’re hot. ”

Brenda appeared in the doorway. “We have a situation in the reception area. Everyone’s arriving with supplies for the injured animals.

Diana from the Lakeside Inn brought blankets and towels.

The high school biology teacher delivered a box of syringes and medical supplies donated by the school.

Even Mayor Wilson stopped by with bottled water and energy bars “for the heroes of the hour,” as he put it. ”

As Matt handed the pup to Kathleen, Sarah, his vet tech, came into the room with a dozen hot water bottles. “Mrs. Pemberton thought these might come in handy. Would you like me to feed Star, Lynda, while you have something to eat?”

“That would be wonderful.” As Lynda handed Sarah the tiny pup, Matt’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket.

When he glanced at the screen, his expression softened. “It’s my daughter,” he said with warmth in his voice. “Do you mind if I take this?”

“Of course not,” Lynda replied, gesturing for him to answer.

Matt smiled and lifted the phone to his ear. “Hey, sweetheart. Yes, we’re okay.” He listened for a moment, his face creasing with concern. “The news is exaggerated as usual. The clinic’s fine, just busy with animals needing help after the storm.”

Lynda poured some syrup over two of Kathleen’s pancakes while Matt spoke to his daughter. She didn’t want to intrude on their conversation, but she couldn’t help noticing the gentle affection in his voice as he talked to Stephanie.

“No, don’t worry about driving out here,” he said.

“The roads are still closed. I’ve got plenty of help.

” His eyes met Lynda’s briefly, a smile crinkling the corners.

“Yes, the puppies are doing well, especially the little one we almost lost.” He chuckled at something Stephanie said.

“I’ll send pictures when I get a chance.

Give the kids a hug from Grandpa, okay? Love you too. ”

As Matt ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket, Lynda felt a warmth spread through her chest. The tender way he’d spoken to his daughter told her a lot about the man she admired more with each passing hour.

“It sounds like you have a great relationship with your daughter,” she said.

Matt’s expression was proud. “She worries about me too much, though. She saw the storm coverage on the news and was convinced half the town was underwater.”

“It’s nice that she cares.”

Matt smiled. “The blessing and curse of having a daughter who inherited her mother’s protective nature.” His smile was wistful but not sad. “She’s going on vacation with her family soon, but after they get back, you’ll have to meet them. Stephanie visits me at least once a month.”

“I’d like that,” Lynda replied, surprised by how much she meant it. She handed Matt a plate of food. “We’d better eat something before more people arrive.”

As they ate the pancakes, Kathleen and Sarah told them what had been happening in Sapphire Bay.

The volunteer fire department had been busy clearing fallen trees and covering roofs that had been damaged in the storm.

With the electricity supply still being unreliable, some families were staying in the local school to keep warm.

Lynda was just happy that Matt’s clinic had a generator. Without that, looking after the injured and abandoned animals would have been nearly impossible.

By early afternoon, the wolfdog puppies were still in the incubator, except during feedings when Matt and Lynda would carefully tend to them together. Despite the clinic’s increased activity, they managed to maintain the quiet, controlled environment the vulnerable orphans needed.

“We can’t take any more animals,” Matt told Brenda, Kathleen, and Sarah after a family arrived with yet another injured bird. “We’re at capacity. Direct any new cases to the emergency station the rangers have set up at the community center.”

Lynda nodded in agreement. The clinic was full to bursting, with every available cage and bed occupied. They’d even converted the break room into overflow housing for the less critical cases.

Matt sighed as he returned to one of the treatment rooms with Lynda. “We don’t often get overrun like this. I hope the storm hasn’t put you off staying in Sapphire Bay.”

Lynda shook her head. “If anything, it’s made me even more certain about living here. From what we’ve been told, the animal shelter will need every dollar the community raised to fix the building. I’d love to be part of that.”

“I’d love you to be part of it, too,” Matt said softly. And with a twinkle in his eyes, he picked up Mrs. Pemberton’s hot water bottles. “But for now, we have a family of raccoons, a litter of kittens, and an elderly cat who needs their hot water bottles changed.”

“Lead the way, Dr. Reynolds,” Lynda said with a grin. “It might be the easiest job we’ve had all day.” And with a lightness in her heart, she followed Matt to the kitchenette.

Regardless of what they’d done during the storm and what they still had to do, Lynda hadn’t been this happy in years.