The moment he drank the blood, everything changed.

  A sharp cracking sound echoed through the silent room. His bones twisted unnaturally, snapping and reshaping beneath his skin. His head jerked to the side. His teeth sharpened, then shifted. His spine bent backward as though pulled by invisible hands.

  It lasted only a few seconds.

  When the door creaked open, Suzie froze at the sight before her.

  His clothes were scattered across the floor.

  And standing in their place was no knight.

  Instead, a beautiful Siberian husky stared back at her — thick silver-and-white fur, piercing blue eyes glowing under the dim light, breath steady as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

  It was him.

  The knight had transformed.

  For a moment, Suzie couldn't even breathe.

  Then the husky tilted his head… and walked toward her calmly.

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  No growl.

  No fear.

  Only obedience.

  "You…" she whispered.

  The dog stopped at her feet, eyes soft — familiar.

  Suzie swallowed her shock. She didn't need a rope. The husky followed her naturally, as if tied to her by an invisible thread.

  It was 6:00 PM when they reached her house.

  The sky was painted in dark orange as the sun disappeared behind the buildings.

  Suzie opened the door.

  "I'm home, mummy!" she shouted.

  From the kitchen, hurried footsteps approached. Mrs. Hale rushed out, wiping her hands on her apron. She was slightly plumper than Suzie, her face filled with worry that instantly softened at the sight of her daughter.

  "Where were you? I was so worried!" Mrs. Hale exclaimed.

  Suzie forced a smile.

  Behind her, the husky stood quietly.

  Mrs. Hale blinked. "Whose dog is this?"

  Suzie's mind worked fast. "It's my friend's dog, Mom. She asked me to take care of him for three days."

  Mrs. Hale hesitated, studying the unusually calm husky. The dog simply sat down, as if trained perfectly.

  "…Only three days?" her mother asked.

  "Yes," Suzie replied quickly.

  Mrs. Hale sighed. "Fine. But you must take responsibility."

  Suzie nodded and quickly went upstairs before more questions could come.

  Inside her room, the husky slowly lay down. He looked exhausted.

  Suzie found a large cardboard box, placed a soft cloth inside, and gently guided him in.

  He didn't resist.

  Within seconds, he was asleep.

  She sat beside the box, staring at him.

  His fur shimmered under the light. His breathing was peaceful. It was hard to believe that this beautiful creature was the same knight who had once stood tall before her.

  A strange warmth filled her chest.

  What are you… really?

  At 8:00 PM, her mother called from downstairs.

  "Suzie! Dinner!"

  She took one last look at the sleeping husky before heading down.

  Dinner passed quietly. Suzie ate quickly, barely tasting the food. Her thoughts were upstairs.

  After finishing, she poured some milk into a small bowl.

  "For him," she said softly.

  Back in her room, the husky was still asleep inside the cardboard box. He looked too peaceful to disturb.

  Suzie crouched down carefully.

  "I don't want to wake you…"

  She gently placed the bowl of milk in front of him.

  For a moment, she simply watched him.

  Mesmerized.

  Then she slowly closed the cupboard door, dimming the light in her room and she too slept

  Outside, the night grew darker.

  To be continued…