“Lily, maybe it’s time to back away,” her mother urged again, though there was a trace of uncertainty in her voice now, as though she too was caught in the magic of the moment.

Lily shook her head gently, her eyes never leaving Ranger’s. “No, it’s okay. Look at him,” she murmured, gesturing subtly with her chin.

Indeed, Ranger was no longer the embodiment of fury and distrust. His muscles relaxed, ears perked slightly forward, and the rigid aggression in his stance melted away. He tilted his head to the side, stepping back a bit from the bars as if contemplating this strange, fearless human who had dared to see beyond his menacing exterior.