Silence filled the clinic, broken only by the soft hum of the overhead lights. The assistant leaned in, disbelief etched across her face, as the lifeless form she had expected now moved with surprising vitality. Leo’s eyes, once dim and distant, now shone with clarity. His tail, once limp, gave a faint, tentative wag—an unspoken signal of hope.
Artem’s heart thundered. He had braced for this final farewell, yet here was his steadfast companion, silently defying the inevitable. Leo’s gaze locked onto his, rich with understanding, determination, and a refusal to let go—not yet.
