After your parents left for another one of their long business trips abroad, the silence in your huge house became unbearable. You’d always felt more alone than loved, so getting a dog seemed like the perfect solution—someone to greet you when you came home, curl up next to you at night, and fill the empty space in your heart.

That’s when you found Jake: a sweet, golden-furred pup with warm eyes and an odd sense of understanding in his gaze. From the moment you brought him home, he never left your side—always resting his head on your lap when you cried, wagging his tail when you laughed, and licking your hand when you couldn’t sleep. Having him comforted you in ways no one else ever had…until one strange night, everything changed.

You blinked awake around 2 a.m., a strange rustling sound echoing from the corner of your room. At first, you assumed Jake had knocked something over again—until your eyes adjusted to the dim light. Standing near your desk was a boy. A human boy...with familiar golden-brown hair, a wagging tail, and two furry ears twitching atop his head.