Lina woke to the sound of bells.
They rang across the palace grounds, marking the start of the most important day of her life. Her coming-of-age ceremony was today. She would choose her pet shifter.
She sat up in bed, heart fluttering. Outside her window, the garden shimmered with morning dew. Servants bustled below, preparing for the event. Somewhere in the grand hall, shifters were already gathering—waiting.
Lina had imagined this moment since she was a child. She'd read stories about noble girls choosing fierce wolves, graceful hawks, even rare dragons.
She wanted someone who felt like hers.
The grand hall was alive with color and music.
Silk banners fluttered from the ceiling, each one bearing the crest of a noble house. Shifters stood in elegant lines—some in animal form, others in human shape. Lina's breath caught as she stepped inside, her heart pounding like a drum.
She walked past a silver-eyed wolf, a graceful panther, and a pair of twin hawks with matching feathers. Each one bowed politely, but none stirred her heart.
Until she saw him.
He leaned against a marble pillar, arms crossed, golden eyes watching the crowd with quiet amusement. His hair was the color of autumn leaves, and his smile was sharp—like he knew a secret no one else did.
A fox shifter.
Lina stopped walking. The world seemed to hush around her.
He tilted his head, meeting her gaze. "You're late," he said, voice smooth and teasing.
"I was choosing," Lina replied, stepping closer.
"Have you chosen now?"
She nodded. "I choose you."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Fox shifters were clever, unpredictable, and rarely chosen. But Lina didn't care.
The fox stepped forward, eyes gleaming. "Then I accept."
As their hands touched, a soft glow surrounded them—the bond sealing with quiet magic.
And somewhere deep inside, Lina felt it: the beginning of something wild, beautiful, and dangerous.
She saw the fox shifter standing alone at the very end, seemingly trying to shrink himself.
His copper-red hair fell into his eyes, and his arms were crossed tightly, as if he wished he could disappear. The other shifters stood tall, proud, eager to be chosen. But not him.
Lina's heart tugged.
She knew that feeling—of wanting to vanish, of being overlooked. She had felt it at crowded banquets, in her father's cold study, even in her own mirror.
So when it was her turn to choose, she didn't hesitate.
"I pick him," she said, pointing to the fox.
The room fell silent. A few nobles whispered. A fox shifter? They were clever, unpredictable, not the safest choice.
But Lina didn't care.
The fox looked up, startled. His golden eyes met hers, wide and unreadable.
"You… choose me?" he asked, voice low.
She nodded. "I do."
He stepped forward slowly, like he wasn't sure it was real. Then he bowed, one hand over his heart.
"I accept."
As their hands touched, a soft warmth bloomed between them. The bond was sealed.
And Lina knew, deep down, that she hadn't just chosen a shifter.
She had chosen someone who saw her.
Later that evening, Lina sat alone in the palace garden, the soft glow of lanterns lighting the path. The ceremony had ended hours ago, but her thoughts still swirled like autumn leaves.
She heard footsteps behind her—light, careful.
Ren.
He didn't speak right away. Instead, he sat beside her on the stone bench, his gaze fixed on the stars above.
"You surprised everyone today," he said quietly.
Lina smiled. "Did I surprise you?"
Ren tilted his head. "A little. I didn't expect to be chosen."
"Why not?"
He hesitated. "Fox shifters aren't… popular. We're seen as trouble. Too clever. Too wild."
"I don't care about that," Lina said. "I saw you. You looked like you didn't want to be there."
Ren's eyes flickered. "I didn't."
"Then why did you come?"
He looked at her then, really looked. "Because something told me I'd meet someone who wouldn't see me as a pet."
Lina's breath caught.
They sat in silence, the night wrapping around them like a soft blanket. Somewhere in the distance, a fox cried out—a sharp, lonely sound.
Ren stood. "Come find me tomorrow," he said. "There's something I want to show you."
"What is it?"
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "A piece of the truth."
Then he vanished into the shadows, leaving Lina with a heart full of questions—and the feeling that her choice had changed everything.