She realized that despite their bond, he was ultimately a wild animal with strong instincts, and that it was never truly safe to let her guard down around him. As much as it pained her, she knew that she had to take action to protect herself.
She spent the next few days preparing for his departure, saying goodbye to the snake who had become such a significant part of her life. Then one morning the day she had been fearing for, had arrived. When the rescuers came to take Reggie away, Cassandra struggled to hold back her tears. She stroked Reggie’s scales one last time, whispering her goodbyes.