I want to protect your innocence, as much as I can. – Elias
Liana
Miso sprawled across the kitchen floor like he hadn’t just tackled a man into next week.
He was panting gently, tongue lolling, paws twitching every now and then in some dream. Like he didn’t just turn into a whole damn superhero.
I wiped the last of the dirt off his fur, heart still thumping in my chest. Not from fear. From everything else.
Elias was quiet when he walked in. Calm. Like he already knew I was going to ask.
And I did.
“Okay,” I said, not bothering to hide it. “You want to tell me what that was?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You saw it. He stopped a guy from hurting you.”
“No, Elias. I saw a dog move like he had field training. Like he’d done it before. Like he knew exactly where to hit and how hard.”
Elias didn’t answer.
So I pressed, softer this time. “That wasn’t obedience school. Was it?”
He exhaled slowly. Then said, “No.”
Elias
“He’s K9 trained,” I said quietly. “Private facility. Retired handlers. Real scenarios. Real responses.”
She blinked.”Since when?”
“Since the first month we found him.”
Her lips parted. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I looked at her. Really looked.
“Because I didn’t want to scare you. Because I didn’t want you to feel like your life had to come with a security plan. But mostly… because I hoped we’d never need him for that.”
Liana sat down slowly, eyes wide, brain clearly catching up.
“You planned for this. For… someone trying to hurt me.”
“No,” I said. “I planned for anything. Because I can’t always be here. And because I love you enough to make sure someone else can be.”
Liana
My throat felt tight.
I wanted to be mad. I wanted to accuse him for lying.
But all I could think about was that moment in the parking lot—the blur, the teeth, the unwavering force standing between me and danger.
And Elias, quietly building that wall before I even knew I needed it.
I reached for his hand.
He looked surprised.
“You could’ve said something. I wouldn’t have run.”
He gave a small, tired smile. “I didn’t want you to see the world like I do. But… I needed to protect you like I do.”
We sat in silence for a long minute.
Miso let out a sleepy huff.
Elias glanced at him. “He’s just learning to protect what matters.”
I looked between the two of them.
Then leaned into Elias and whispered, “You both are.”
He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close.
Liana
Later that night, I lay in bed with one arm draped over Miso’s broad, solid form, the other curled into Elias’s side.
“We’re a real team now, huh?” I murmured.
Miso thumped his tail.
I smiled. “Good boy. But next time, maybe give me a little warning before going full FBI mode.”
Elias chuckled into my hair.
I fell asleep in his arms, protected.
