Christmas Tempest (Holiday Heartwarmers #12)

Chapter One

Worry and fear gripped the large white dog.

Loneliness had her shuddering as memories filtered through her mind.

Sadly, she began to cry, making small whimpering sounds.

Pretty Girl had never spent time alone in a strange place before. She didn’t know what to do. Whining, she sat staring at the last place she’d seen Dex, her owner.

One minute, he’d been right there, and then he’d disappeared… him and the vehicle.

He’d left her.

Why? Did he want her to follow him? But she didn’t know where to go. If she’d been closer to home, the smells would have been familiar.

They’d driven for such a long time that she’d become stiff. When he left her with the car door open, she’d decided to follow him but then a scent had teased her, and she’d ran after the prey. When she realized how long she’d been gone, she’d returned to the place where he’d parked only to find the car and Dex missing.

He’d driven away without her.

Protecting herself from the cold, she’d curled into a ball, waiting and watching. When the snow began to fall, she became anxious. He’d never left her alone for this long. Ears cocked, eyes searching this way and that, seeing nothing.

While darkness hovered, she walked around in circles, whining with worry. Would he come and get her soon. She returned to her spot and waited some more.

Suddenly, a thought entered and wouldn’t go away. She lifted her muzzle, strange scents surrounding her. Did he expect her to go home? She knew the direction. But what if he came for her? She waited longer, and the snow fell harder.

A man from the store where they’d stopped had seen her and offered her water, and so she drank. When he left her food, she ate… and waited. Looking around at the wind and snow, she finally made up her mind. She had to find Dex. She’d go home, and he’d be waiting for her… calling for her.

The kind man who’d fed her, offered for her to come inside the building but she couldn’t do that without Dex. So other than accepting his food, she backed away. With a final bark of gratitude, she headed down the snow-covered driveway back in the direction they’d come from.

Crying, filled with worry, she understood only one thing… danger. The harsh weather closing in made her feel even more certain that she had to find Dex. And… so she would.