While walking her dog one evening, a teenage girl named Emily was approached by two men who aggressively offered to “take her for a spin.” She had never seen her dog, Bella, like this beforeher eyes burned with fury, her teeth bared in a threatening snarl. Before Emily could process what was happening, Bella lunged at the man who had grabbed her arm, knocking him to the ground and looming over him with a menacing growl, like a shadow of pure rage.
When Emily turned seven, she was given her own spacious, bright bedroom. But she flatly refused to sleep there alone. Every night, one of her parentssometimes her mum, sometimes her dadwould lie beside her until she drifted off. If she woke in the night and found herself alone, shed bundle up her pillow and blanket and march straight to her parents room. No amount of pleading or reasoned discussions made a differencenothing changed, even as she grew older.
That was, until one day, the solution tumbled right into her pathin the form of a fluffy white ball of fur that first yelped in terror, then promptly piddled on the floor. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an utterly adorable puppy, so sweet and pitiful that Emily immediately cried, “Mum, can we keep her? Please?” And so the negotiations began: good grades, keeping her room tidy, walking the puppy herself, andmost daunting of allsleeping alone in her own room. The first three terms Emily agreed to without hesitation, but the last gave her pauseuntil she realized, “But I wont be alone now!”
Thats how Bella came into their livesofficially a Westie on paper, but in temperament, a true lady with a strong will. And to everyones surprise, Emily kept her word. With Bellas arrival, she started sleeping in her own room, and the dog became her faithful companionboth in her dreams and in everyday life.
Bella was a proper beauty: well-groomed, aware of her charms, and every bit the refined little lady. She barely acknowledged other dogs but toleratedeven condescended tochildren who wanted to pet her, as if graciously accepting their admiration. Any approaching canine, however, was met with bared teeth and an indignant yap of disapproval.
To curb Bellas attitude, Emily and her mum enrolled in dog training classes, attending diligently for three weeks. But whether the trainer was inexperienced or Bella simply had too much of a mind of her own, nothing changed. The experts final verdict: “She sees you as her pack. She doesnt need anyone else.” Well, fair enoughthe three of them got along just fine as they were.
For walks, Emily and Bella preferred the overgrown, abandoned lot behind their house. Once home to old barracks, only scattered foundations and wild fruit trees remained. One side of the lot bordered a row of crumbling wooden cottagesbuildings living out their final years. Most dog owners chose the nearby, well-maintained park, but Emily and Bella loved this quiet, secluded spot, romantic in its wildness.
And it was here that Bella met her destiny.
That summer, Emily turned fifteen, and Bella turned eight. Emily had grown tall and slender, with a dreamy gaze and her phone always in hand. Bella, meanwhile, carried herself with the dignified confidence of a seasoned lady. They strolled the lot togetherEmily lost in thought, Bella sniffing the grasswhen suddenly, chaos erupted. A massive, shaggy dog barreled toward them, something like a sheepdog but even messier, brimming with boundless energy. A boisterous, oversized goofball, he circled Bella, nudging her with his nose, licking her, his sheer joy electrifying the air. Bella stood frozen, utterly bewildered by this cheeky intruder.
“Dont be scared, love!” called an elderly woman in her seventies, leaning on a walking stick as she hurried over. “Hes playful but gentlenever bitten a soul!”
“I can see that,” Emily laughed, crouching as the exuberant fluffball enthusiastically licked her hand, his tail wagging so hard it kicked up dust. “The only danger here is death by slobber!”
“You know, Id only ever let him out in the yard before. Never took him out. But my grandson came yesterday and insistedand he was so happy! Thought Id give it a go. Then he spotted your pup and dashed right over.”
“And mine cant take her eyes off him. Think shes smitten!”
“Well, isnt that lovely! Twos merrier than one. His names Rufus. Im Margaret.”
From that evening on, Rufus became a regular at their walks. Sometimes hed already be waiting at the lot; if he was late, Bella would let out a sharp, ringing barkand within seconds, hed come bounding toward them. Theyd chase each other through the grass, wrestle, roll in the dirt.
Emily would bring a blanket, spread it under the apple tree, and read while Bella and Rufus, exhausted from play, curled up beside her, noses touching as they dozed. Occasionally, Margaret would join them, bringing biscuits, perching on the edge of the blanket, and sharing stories. Emily listened eagerlythe old woman lived alone, her son and grandson visiting rarely. Shed gotten Rufus as a tiny puppy five years ago, never expecting him to grow into such a giant.
“Couldnt manage without my sons help. Feeding him on just my pensions a right challenge,” Margaret sighed, while Rufus gazed up at her with adoring eyes.
As September arrived, their walks shifted to the evenings. One night, just as they stepped onto the lotRufus nowhere in sighta black SUV roared over the uneven ground, music blaring, three drunk lads inside. Two stumbled out, weaving toward Emily, flanking her.
She backed under the apple tree, quickly switched her phone to record, and slipped it into her pocket. Then she whispered to Bella, “Call Rufus. Now!”
All she could do was hope hed hear.
Bella didnt need promptingshe erupted into deep, booming barks, a desperate cry for help.
“Now thats more like it!” one lad cheered, grinning approvingly. “Glad we came this way!”
“Proper little firecracker, aint she?” his mate smirkeduntil Bella, hearing the word, snarled, lips peeled back in a silent threat.
“Why stand around?” the first one said, suddenly grabbing Emilys arm. “Come on, lets go for a ride. Promise well bring you back in one piece”
“Or near enough,” the other cackled, seizing her other arm.
“You lads wont like whats coming,” Emily said flatly, buying time. “Theres another dog on the way. Best scarper while you still can.”
“What, another mongrel?” one sneered, kicking Bella aside before dragging Emily toward the car. “Come on, hope youre at least a laugh!”
“Reckon shell bite?” the other jeered, slapping her thighbut the fun ended abruptly. The next moment, he was sent flying as if hit by a battering ramRufus plowed into him at full force.
Emily had never seen him like this: eyes bloodshot, foam flecking his jaws, teeth bared like hed tear into flesh without hesitation. Before anyone could react, Rufus slammed into the one holding Emily, knocking him down and standing over him with a guttural growl, a four-legged mountain of fury.
The other lad scrambled back to the SUV, flung himself inside, and slammed the doorthe engine roared as they sped off into the night.
Emily pulled out her phone, stopped the recording, and dialed the police.
Meanwhile, the first attacker lay pinned under Rufus, drenched in drool, trembling in terror. The arriving officers found him exactly like that.
“Alright, Rufus, thats enough,” Emily said calmly, gently gripping his collar. “Ugh! Dont choke on that filth. Let him golet him stew in his pants.”
The officers hauled the man away by the armsand sure enough, dark stains blotched his trousers.
As Emily held Rufus, she knelt, one hand stroking his panting muzzle, the other wrapping around Bella, who still trembled, whimpering up at her as if asking, “Are we safe now?”
“Your owner said you couldnt even growl” She leaned closer to Rufus, then added softly, “Yeah, right. Thank you, my hero.”
October evenings grew colder. One such night, Emily took Bella to the lotbut Rufus wasnt there. Bella barked eagerly, as always, but no answer came. When they reached Margarets cottage, an ambulance stood at the gate. Margaret was carried out on a stretcher.
“Shes taken very poorly,” explained a neighbor standing nearby. “Been coughing for days, barely able to walk. Then today, Rufus started howling like mad. Hes a quiet onenever barks without reason. I rushed over and found her unconscious, burning up Called an ambulance straight away. Hope she pulls through.”
“She will. Ill visit tomorrow,”
