Another crash. Another explosion of sparks.
«Keep going, boy,» Ethan gasped.
«I’m right with you,» Thor seemed to say, urging him forward.
Finally, fresh air hit Ethan’s face. Thor dragged him out of the burning wing and into the arms of shocked firefighters. The dangerous dog had just saved the man who refused to give up on him.
The moment Thor pulled Ethan into the open air, firefighters surged toward them, shouting orders over the crackling roar of the burning wing. Smoke billowed into the sky in thick black waves. Sirens wailed. Staff scrambled.
But Thor ignored everything. Every voice, every hand, every command—except Ethan.
Ethan collapsed to his knees, coughing hard as clean air finally reached his lungs. Thor immediately pressed his body against him, tail lowered, ears pinned back in fear and desperation. His chest heaved with exhaustion, but his eyes never left Ethan’s face.
A paramedic rushed forward. «We need to get him on oxygen.»
Thor growled, stepping protectively in front of Ethan.
«It’s okay,» Ethan whispered, reaching out to touch Thor’s head. «He’s just trying to help.»
The paramedic froze, wide-eyed. «Sir, this is the same dog you said was too dangerous to handle.»
Ethan managed a weak smile. «He saved my life.»
Thor lowered his head, nudging Ethan’s arm as if to say, Don’t ever scare me like that again.
Firefighters surrounded them, pulling hoses and shouting updates. A loud crash erupted as part of the roof collapsed. The staff flinched. Thor didn’t. He stayed locked against Ethan, trembling but steadfast.
Karen arrived next, tears streaking her smoky face. «Ethan, you’re alive, thank God.» She knelt beside him, touching his shoulder. «I thought we lost you.»
Thor growled again, his protective instinct flaring.
«It’s okay, boy,» Ethan soothed. «She’s a friend.»
Thor reluctantly relaxed, but only by a fraction.
Karen put a hand over her heart. «I’ve never seen him like this. Not with anyone. Not even near anyone.»
Ethan stroked Thor’s fur, feeling the dog’s rapid heartbeat. «He didn’t save me because he’s trained to. He saved me because he didn’t want to lose another person.»
A paramedic approached with an oxygen mask. This time Thor didn’t growl, only hovered anxiously as they helped Ethan breathe. The dog paced in a tight circle, whining softly, tail brushing the ground in panicked sweeps. Every few seconds he pressed his nose against Ethan’s shoulder to reassure himself the man was still there.
