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L ynda watched as the last of the visitors disappeared into the snowy night, their voices carrying across the parking lot as families bundled into cars and headed home.

The new Paws of Hope Center fell quiet around her, settling into the peaceful hush that only came when the day’s excitement was over.

“That went better than I’d hoped,” Lynda said, turning to Matt as Carol locked the main entrance behind the departing news crew. The afternoon had been a whirlwind of tours, interviews, and enthusiastic questions from community members eager to see the center come to life.

Matt nodded, but he seemed distracted. His gaze connected with Lynda’s with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “The support has been incredible,” he added. “Did you see Tommy’s face when he got to feed the baby raccoons? I think we’ve created a future wildlife biologist.”

Lynda laughed. “Or at least ensured he’ll volunteer here every weekend for the next ten years.” Tommy had carefully listened to them as they’d explained how to look after baby raccoons. “Frank and Isabel looked so proud as they watched him.”

“Speaking of which.” Matt glanced at Carol and Brenda, who were picking up empty refreshment platters, “Would you mind staying a bit longer, Lynda? I’d like to walk through the facility one more time while it’s quiet. Just the two of us.”

Something in his voice made Lynda look at him more closely. There was a nervous energy about him that she’d noticed throughout the afternoon, as if he had something important on his mind but couldn’t find the right moment to share it.

“Of course,” she said. “I’d love that. It’s hard to appreciate everything we’ve done when the center’s full of people.”

Carol approached them, jingling her keys. “You two don’t need to clean up. Brenda and I can handle the rest. Just make sure to set the alarm when you leave.”

“Are you sure?” Lynda asked, feeling guilty about leaving them with the work.

“Absolutely,” Brenda chimed in, already stacking empty cups. “You’ve both done enough hosting for one day. Go enjoy your facility.”

After Lynda and Matt left the main entrance, the center felt completely different.

Without the crowds and conversation, Lynda could hear the subtle sounds that would become the heartbeat of the center—the gentle humming of climate control systems, the soft rustling of animals settling for the night, and the distant howl of wind around the building’s carefully designed acoustics.

“It’s amazing how different it feels when it’s just us,” Lynda said softly as they walked slowly down the main corridor.

Through the observation windows, she could see their current patients.

There was a great horned owl that Lily had been so fascinated with, a family of orphaned fox kits, and several songbirds recovering from various injuries.

“This is how I imagined it,” Matt said, his hands clasped behind his back as they strolled. “Quiet and peaceful, a place where healing can happen without stress or chaos.”

They paused at each enclosure, discussing the animals’ progress and the treatments planned for the coming week. Lynda enjoyed discussing the animals with Matt. They’d learned to work together and use their different strengths to complement each other.

“When the surgical suite is completely finished, it’ll be fantastic,” Lynda said as they passed the gleaming operating room. “When I think about some of the procedures we attempted in the old shelter with inadequate equipment...”

“We saved lives with what we had,” Matt reminded her. “But now we can save even more.”

They made their way gradually toward the back of the facility, where the wolfdog habitat stretched out beneath the large windows. The enclosure was beautifully lit with subtle landscape lighting, allowing visitors to see the animals without disturbing their natural rhythms.

Star was curled up on a raised platform near the viewing area, her siblings scattered around the spacious enclosure. At six months old, they’d grown into magnificent creatures. They had the intelligence and loyalty of domestic dogs, with the wild grace of their wolf ancestry.

“Look at her,” Lynda whispered, pointing to Star. “Do you remember how tiny she was? How we didn’t think she’d make it through that first night?”

Matt stood beside her at the observation window, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. “I remember thinking that if we could save her, we could save anything. She was our proof of concept, in a way.”

Lynda nodded. “And now she’s thriving in a facility we never could have dreamed of back then.” Star’s ears twitched at the sound of their voices. “It feels like a miracle, Matt. All of it.”

When Lynda turned to look at Matt, he was watching her instead of the animals, his expression tender and intense in the soft lighting.

“Lynda,” he said quietly, his voice slightly hoarse. “I need to tell you something.”

The seriousness in his tone made her heart skip a beat. “What is it?”

Matt took a deep breath, as if gathering courage. “When the fire happened, I thought we’d lost everything. Not just the shelter, but... us. I was terrified that you’d realize you’d made a mistake coming here, that you’d go back to Denver, and I’d never see you again.”

“Matt—” she started, but he held up a gentle hand.

“Let me finish,” he said with a shaky smile.

“You could have left. You had every reason to leave. I’m sure the new owner of your clinic would have taken you back as a vet in a heartbeat.

You had a comfortable life in Denver and a successful career.

All of it was waiting for you. But you stayed.

You stayed and worked eighteen-hour days and slept on my office couch.

You helped me rebuild not just the shelter but my faith in the future. ”

Tears pricked Lynda’s eyes as she watched a multitude of emotions cross Matt’s handsome face.

“You’ve given me back pieces of myself I thought were lost forever,” Matt continued.

“You’ve made me remember what it feels like to dream big, to take risks, to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.

But more than that, you’ve made me remember what it feels like to love someone so completely that life without them is impossible to imagine. ”

Lynda’s breath caught as Matt reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Her hands flew to her mouth as he dropped to one knee right there in front of the wolfdog enclosure, surrounded by everything they’d built together.

Matt opened the box, revealing a beautiful solitaire diamond ring. It sparkled like captured starlight and took Lynda’s breath away.

“Lynda Morth,” Matt said, his voice thick with emotion. “Will you marry me and build the rest of this adventure with me?”

For a moment, Lynda couldn’t speak. The tears that had been threatening finally spilled over as she looked down at this incredible man. He’d given her a second chance at love, a purpose, and a new place to call home.

“Yes,” she whispered, then louder, “Yes, of course, yes!”

Matt’s face broke into a grin as he slipped the ring onto Lynda’s finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had been made just for her. When he stood and pulled her into his arms, Lynda felt like every broken piece of her heart had finally been made whole.

Their kiss was gentle and deep, a promise of all the tomorrows they’d share. And just as they broke apart, something magical happened—Star lifted her head and let out a soft, melodic howl that seemed to echo with joy.

The sound triggered responses from around the center. The great horned owl gave a gentle hoot, the fox kits chittered excitedly, and even the songbirds rustled in their enclosures as if celebrating along with them.

“I think they approve,” Matt said, laughing through his tears as he held Lynda close.

“They should,” Lynda replied, looking around at the facility that represented everything they’d built together. “This is where our story began. With Star, with hope, and with the belief that broken things can be made beautiful again.”

Outside the windows, snow continued to fall in the darkness, blanketing everything in pristine white. But inside the Paws of Hope Center, surrounded by the animals they’d saved and the dreams they’d made real, Lynda had never felt more certain that she was exactly where she belonged.

She was home. She was loved. And she was ready for whatever adventures lay ahead.

THE END