Through a Dog’s Eyes
899 Words
Ben’s POV
The morning sun spilled over the hill, gilding my fur in gold. I stretched, bones creaking into this new shape I still wasn’t used to. A dog. Not a wolf, not what I was born to be—but at least I could let Knox rest in the quiet of my mind. He lingered there, heavy with grief.
We had lost too much. Our pack. Our freedom. Our mate.
My own heart ached, but I clung to the hope Knox couldn’t. One day, somehow, we’d be together again. For now, we needed to survive. Survival meant food.
I padded down the slope, paws whispering over grass and stone, until the human settlement spread before me. The scent of refuse wafted from a metal bin. I drifted closer—hungry, desperate—until Knox stirred sharply.
We are not so lowly as to eat from there.
His disapproval curled in my chest, and I turned away. That was when a different fragrance curled through the air, soft and unmistakable. Lavender.
Knox jolted awake in my mind, his energy surging. Her. It’s her!
My paws flew over the cobblestones, heart hammering. The trail led me to a grand building with tall columns and glass doors that gleamed in the light. A polished sign stood in the grass—painted with the image of a dog encircled in red, slashed through.
No dogs allowed.
I stopped, chest heaving. Not a home. Some sort of gathering place. I would wait nearby, but hunger gnawed too deeply for patience.
The scent of baking bread drifted on the breeze, leading me around the corner. A quaint shop stood there, striped in faded pink and white. In the window, a woman with a tumble of red curls bustled as she arranged trays of steaming pastries. Her emerald eyes landed on me, and her lips curved in a smile.
“Well now,” she said, stepping outside with two golden quiches in hand. “You look like you could use a taste-tester. Want one?”
The aroma was irresistible. I hesitated, instincts whispering caution, but my stomach betrayed me. Slowly, I stepped forward and took the offering from her hand. The flavor melted across my tongue, rich and warm.
“There we go,” she murmured kindly. “Where’s your owner then?”
I stiffened. Owner? I was no one’s property.
Before I could retreat, a small white-and-brown dog trotted from behind the woman and immediately shoved his nose against my flank. A growl tore from my throat, lips curling.
“Try that again,” I snarled, “and I’ll tear your head off.”
The little dog yelped and rolled to his back in submission. “Alright, alright! No harm meant! Just introducing myself!”
My eyes widened. I understood him.
He scrambled upright, ears twitching. “Name’s Remi. I’m a beagle. You smell… weird. What are you mixed with?”
Suspicion edged my voice. “That’s none of your concern. Call me Benedict. Ben.”
Remi wagged his tail as if I’d already agreed to be his friend. “Strange name for a strange dog. You should come with us. My lady loves dogs. She’ll take care of you. I’ve always wanted a brother. Joyce says I’m getting a human sister this week, but you’d be better.”
I flicked a glance at the woman—Joyce, apparently—who was watching me with gentle curiosity. She didn’t look pregnant.
Remi snickered at my expression. “Oh, not like that. My other owner, Carl, found a baby last night. They’re adopting her.”
Every muscle in me went taut. My head snapped toward him. “What baby?”
Remi’s ears flattened. “I—I don’t know. A girl.”
Knox’s growl thrummed through me. It could be her. Our mate. Or her sister.
Either way, staying close was the only choice.
Remi brightened, oblivious to the storm inside me. “If you stay, Carl might take you to work. You’ve got the look of a police dog. Bet your nose can sniff out everything.”
Knox preened at the compliment, puffing his chest.
Joyce crouched, offering me another pastry and a soft stroke across my head. “Good boy. Come inside. You and Remi can have some water.”
The bakery smelled of sugar and spice, walls striped like candy canes. A chalkboard scrawled with whimsical lettering stood above rows of pastries gleaming behind glass. Joyce led us to a back room where she placed a brimming bowl before me.
I drank greedily, the cool water easing the fire in my throat.
“You must’ve been so thirsty,” she said, smiling. “Stay here with Remi while I get back to work.”
Remi flopped onto a fluffy bed, tail thumping. “So? When do we meet the baby?”
“Tonight, I think,” he yawned.
Knox howled with restless energy inside me.
I settled into the quiet of the small room, my belly full, my eyelids heavy. Joyce scratched behind my ears one last time. “If I can’t find your owner,” she whispered, “I just might keep you.”
Knox’s voice softened in my mind. I like her.
A small smile tugged at me. Me too, Knox. Me too.
Sleep pulled me under, and for the first time since everything fell apart, I felt almost… safe.
- Writer
