I used to be the most beautiful wolf in the pack. I was the Alpha’s daughter, and everyone knew me as the girl with the perfect fur coat, sharp eyes, and the grace of the moon. I had won every competition, from the local pack’s beauty contest to the grand wolf pageant that took place across the lands. I had been crowned Miss Alpha five times, and Miss World twice. The title didn’t matter anymore, though. None of it did after I met him.
Fred. He wasn’t just any wolf. He was a businessman, someone who didn’t fit into my world of competitions and titles. He was invited to the pageant runway one evening, and I was so focused on my next step that I didn’t notice him until he spoke to me.
“You’re the star tonight, Suzanne. You don’t need a title to prove your beauty.” His voice was smooth, his words like honey dripping into my ears. I turned to look at him, and for the first time, I felt like someone actually saw me, not just my fur or my title.
His smile made me feel alive. “Thank you,” I said, my voice shaking slightly.
Before I could say another word, the show started. I had trained for this moment, my steps fluid as I walked the runway. My heart was racing, but not from nerves—no, this was different. This was excitement. For the first time in years, I felt seen.
But then, everything went black.
The lights, the audience, everything faded.
I woke up in a hospital room. My head throbbed with pain, and my face was covered in bandages. It felt like my whole world had been ripped away from me. I tried to sit up but couldn’t—my body felt heavy, too weak.
“Suzanne, please, don’t try to get up.”
It was Fred. His face was calm, but his eyes were filled with worry. “Fred?” I whispered, my voice cracking.
“Don’t speak. You’re hurt, you need to rest,” he said gently.
I looked around, feeling confused. My head felt fuzzy, like I was trapped in a fog. “What… What happened? Why am I here? My face… What’s going on?” I reached up to touch my bandaged face, but Fred grabbed my hand.
“The lights on the stage fell, Suzanne. Right onto you. I rushed you here the second it happened. The doctors say you’ll be fine, though. You’re strong.”
I could barely process the words. The pain was too much. But Fred’s voice, soft and steady, somehow comforted me.
“I’m sorry you’re in pain. I’ll be here for you, no matter what,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
I could see the concern in his eyes, but it wasn’t just pity. There was something more there.
“But… Fred…” My voice trembled, and tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m not beautiful anymore. I don’t look like I did before. I…”
“Stop, Suzanne,” Fred interrupted gently, kneeling down beside my bed. His face was so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my skin. “You are beautiful to me. Always. No matter what.”
I blinked, still in shock. “Fred… Why would you want me? I’m ruined.”
He reached for my hand and held it tightly, his touch warm and firm. “I don’t love you for your looks. I love you for who you are. You are strong, you’re kind, and I’ve never seen anyone as brave as you.”
I could barely breathe. His words were so genuine, they sank deep into my heart. But I couldn’t understand why he was so sure of himself, so sure of us. I had no strength left, no confidence.
Fred took a deep breath. “Suzanne, I’ve known you for a long time. But tonight, when I saw you hurt, I realized something. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to be with you. I want you to be by my side, always. Suzanne… will you marry me?”
My heart skipped a beat. “What? Fred, are you sure? You don’t want someone better than me? Someone who doesn’t look like this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Fred smiled, his eyes full of warmth and love. “I’m sure. I will never find anyone better than you. Will you marry me?”
I was frozen. Could this be real? How could he love me like this? My mind was spinning, but my heart told me that this was what I had been waiting for, even if I hadn’t known it.
“Yes,” I whispered, barely able to breathe. “Yes, Fred. I will marry you.”
Fred’s face lit up with a smile that could light up the darkest night. He kissed my noforehead gently, then stood up.
“You won’t regret this, Suzanne. I promise.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting his words sink in. Fred was right here, beside me, and I couldn’t help but believe him. I had always been the star of the pageants, but now, maybe for the first time, I felt like I was enough, just the way I was.
And maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something more.
The door to the hospital room opened, and the light from the outside hit my eyes. It was a new day. A new beginning.
But as I sat there, Fred’s proposal still ringing in my ears, I knew that my life had changed forever.
I could feel the world shifting around me, and for the first time, I felt hope.
