Noemi was on the beach by herself, watching the waves. Just as she began to relax, she saw something move. At first, she thought it was a dog. She looked around for its owner, but the beach was empty.

Then, the animal turned toward her, its eyes locking onto hers. It was a wolf.

She got to her feet slowly. The wolf started to move again, its steps careful, as if it were sure she would follow.

Then, she heard a faint, desperate cry. Her stomach tightened. There was something else out there.

As they moved past a rock formation, the cries grew louder.

Then, she saw it. It was a baby wolf caught in a net on the beach. Its head was just above the water. The wolf was struggling to get free and gasping for breath.

The mother wolf cried out, trying to free her pup with her paws, but she couldn’t.

Her hands shook as she bent down and reached for the net. It was tangled between rocks, the fibers tight and stubborn.

After a long time, the puppy finally got out. It staggered towards its mother, and the mother wolf suddenly stepped between Noemi and the pup.

For a short, scary moment, Noemi thought the wolf would attack her. But instead, without making a sound, the mother wolf turned. She picked up her pup by its scruff and walked away; the pup limps in her mouth.

Just before they disappeared, the mother wolf stopped and gently set the pup down. Both wolves turned to look at Noemi, their eyes locking with hers. Then, without a word, they disappeared into the trees.

Noemi breathed out heavily, her body shaking. She had come to this beach to escape, but now she had experienced something she would never forget.

As the wolves left, she stood there, the waves lapping at her feet. In the distance, a wolf howled, its howl carried away by the wind.

She didn’t know what the howl meant. But somehow, she liked to think it was a thank you.