I tried to look happy as I headed down the stairs, but I was devastated.

My friend just called and told me she found her animal; a hamster she named Holly.

I haven’t found my animal yet and I’m fourteen! I’ll my friends have found their animals and I’m getting bullied for not having one.

“Hey sweetheart!” My mom said, closing the fridge and smiling at me, “Hey mom! I responded brightly, hoping she wouldn’t see past my act.

My mom handed me a few pieces of toast with butter and I smiled.

Sitting down at the table to eat, I say, “Hey mom, I’m going to the woods behind our house with my friends after school, is that okay?”

“As long as you let your phone charge here and take it with you out into the woods so you won’t get lost, and if you do, I can come and find you with the GPS.”

“Okay, I can do that!”

“And be back by seven o’clock.”

I nodded as I finished my toast then jumped up and hurried out the door.

~~•~~

(Time skip)

(After School)

I opened the front door to me and my moms house then went up the stairs, got my phone, came back out again, and headed back out the door, stopping and saying goodbye to my mom.

“Okay,” I said to my friends, who had all brought their pets, “let’s go.”

We went around my house and into the woods beyond.

Each of us played around, Cristi played fetch with her Rottweiler, Jessie found some nuts and gave them to her squirrel, and Emma sat with her hamster on her shoulder. And me? I was watching them, envying that they had pets when I didn’t.

“Remember when we were younger?” Emma said suddenly, loudly. Cristi’s Rottweiler tilted his head. “What do you mean?” Jessie asked, holding out one hand to her squirrel. “I mean, when we used to play hide and seek. Wasn’t that fun?”

“Yeah,” I said.

Cristi slowly nodded, “Yes, I do too.”

“Do you want to try that again?” Emma asked.

“Yes!” Cristi exclaimed.

“I’m down for it.” Jessie said.

“I call seeking first.” I smiled.

Emma smiled back “Well then, let’s start!”

~~•~~

(Another time skip ;))

(After seven minutes of seeking)

I prowled through the forest, it had only been seven minutes and I had found both Cristi and Emma. Jessie was great at hiding but I wasn’t giving up.

I suddenly heard a low growl and saw a pair of blue eyes peeking out from a bush.

The creature stepped out and revealed their silver fur, ramp-like snout, small, rounded ears, and powerful paws, legs, and teeth.

A wolf.

I mentally flipped through what I knew about wolves and slowly dropped myself into a crouch, trying to make myself small and nonthreatening.

I squeezed my eyes shut and felt my heart pounding.

Until something wet touched my nose.

Startled, I opened my eyes to discover that the wolf was right in front of me.

They tilted their head then began to lick my face.

I laughed and patted them on the head.

“Your a pretty good boy.” I said.

The wolf rolled over, and I corrected myself, “girl- sorry,”

A thought occurred to me and I said, “Are you my pet?” The wolf rolled back over, barked, and nuzzled me with her snout.

I felt happier then I ever had before, and I knew that it was just going to get better.

~~•~~

My friends were absolutely astonished when I told them about the wolf, but my mom was even more shocked.

“You found your pet?” My mom said.

“Yep!” I responded, then called the wolf into the room, “This is Silver.”

My mom cautiously reached down to pet the wolf. She let her and wagged her tail back and forth.

My mom smiled and said, “Welcome to the family, Silver.”