After we found out I was pregnant, my dog started acting differently. She would curl up beside me, resting her head on my belly for hours—but whenever my husband came near, she’d growl, bark, or block him from touching me. I thought she was just jealous. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Loki had been in my life long before my husband ever came along. She’d been there through heartbreaks and healing, through my engagement and our wedding. She wasn’t just a pet—she was my family, my closest friend.
My husband, however, never seemed to like her. He wouldn’t feed her, walk her, or even look at her most days. I told myself it didn’t matter—that some people just didn’t bond with animals. And besides, Loki had always had me.
But everything changed once I became pregnant. Loki became inseparable. She’d lay beside me every night, her muzzle pressed against my belly as if listening to the heartbeat within. When the baby kicked, she’d lift her head and wag her tail, eyes sparkling as if she understood.
But when my husband reached out to touch my stomach, Loki’s entire body tensed. She’d growl softly, then louder, warning him to stay away. Once, she even snapped at his hand. I scolded her for it, convinced she was being territorial or overprotective.
I had no idea she was trying to protect me from something I couldn’t see.
After my son was born, I found out the truth—the one Loki had known all along.
One afternoon, while my husband was in the shower, I picked up his phone to set an alarm. His screen was open to a text conversation with his mother. I wasn’t snooping—but when I glanced at the words, my stomach dropped.
“I don’t want this child. She’ll love him more than me anyway. Sometimes I wish he’d never been born. I hate him.”
I froze. My heart pounded in my chest. The man I thought I knew—the father of my child—had written those words.
And suddenly, Loki’s behavior made sense. She hadn’t been jealous. She had sensed the darkness in him, the resentment and rage I’d been blind to. She had stood between us—not to claim me, but to save me.
Now, when I see my little boy laughing as Loki curls up beside him, I realize just how much we owe her. Her instincts, her loyalty, her love—they kept us safe when I didn’t even know we were in danger.
Because sometimes, the one who can’t speak… is the only one who truly sees. 🐾💔
