Changing Paths-A Paw Patrol Story

Chapter Eight

Sweetie rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know who you are."

The Duke frowned. "What? No, I meant that I. . . you know what? Nevermind. I've come for the throne."

"Yeah, I know that too," Sweetie responded. "But you have to be more specific. I have tried multiple times and failed every time."

"But you've never tried with me," the Duke said.

"Yes, I have," she replied.

"Well, not twice," the Duke said.

Sweetie didn't want to fight with the boy more than she needed to do. "Okay, but you won't have my help anymore. You almost hurt the Princess. You do not mess with my owner and suddenly believe that all is well."

"I told you, that wasn't supposed to happen. The Princess sided with the Paw Patrol."

Sweetie scoffed. "Of course, it wasn't. And I should've "

"I'm not lying!" the Duke snapped. "Sorry," he said. He took a deep breath. "Look, Sweetie. You don't understand."

"Understand what?"

The Duke turned and faced the window. "After our failure."

"Your failure," Sweetie interrupted.

"Whatever. After the incident, I returned to Flappington. My people were not happy that I got defeated by a bunch of mutts."

"Hey," Sweetie said, offended.

"The Paw Patrol, I mean," the Duke reassured. "Anyway, they almost elected me out of my position. I was able to reserve my spot, but not without getting humiliated first."

"It was coming to you," Sweetie said, smiling. "Getting defeated by the cockapoo, Skye."

The Duke snarled. "Yes, it's unbelievable. But I don't plan on being humiliated like that. I have decided to take on a different approach. One not as loud and destructive." He turned to face Sweetie. "The German Shepherd, Chase. He's guarding the crown, isn't he?"

"Not this time," Sweetie corrected.

"No?"

"No. It's a newer member, also a German Shepherd. His name is Dom." Saying his name made Sweetie feel weird. Dom saw her differently from most of the others. He didn't see her as a friend, but not as an enemy either. He just saw her as another pup.

"Oh?" The Duke said. "Well, this changes things."

"How so?" Sweetie asked.

"Don't worry about it. Just play your role in my plan."

"No, I told you yesterday that I don't want to be part of this. I have a good thing going with the Princess."

"Then why did you return to me?"

"To warn you to leave before I inform the guards of your presence," Sweetie said.

The Duke laughed. "You won't be doing that. You know that whoever wields the crown rules the kingdom. At last, I will get my revenge on the Paw Patrol. Is that not what you want?"

Sweetie couldn't risk speaking and saying the wrong thing. Sure, they have foiled her plans multiple times. She has been humiliated by them. She was an evil pup to the team.

"See?" The Duke said as if she was reading her mind. "You have been humiliated as much as I have. Why not put them in their place?"

Sweetie thought about it. "The Princess won't get injured and hurt?"

The Duke put his left hand against his chest and right hand in the air. "Sweetie, she's my cousin. I promise that no one you care for will be hurt or injured. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Sweetie hesitated, but she reluctantly agreed. "Deal."

The Duke grinned wickedly. "Lovely. Now, go back before they get suspicious."

"You're not my boss," Sweetie grumbled. She walked out of the room and closed the door. Luckily, Busby was still in the corner where she put him. Sweetie activated the frog so that it'd follow her.

Sweetie made it back up the staircase without anyone noticing her. She walked back to the throne, where she saw Dom. He laid down in front of the crown, watching his surroundings. When he saw Sweetie, he smiled at her. Dom got up and walked up to her.
 
He frowned and tilted his head in confusion. "Something wrong? You seem sad," he asked.

"Just have to do something, though I'm not sure I want to or if it's the right thing," she replied.

"Well, just trust your gut," Dom advised. "It's usually not wrong."

"Usually?"

"We still make mistakes, Sweetie," he explained. "Just have to know how to fix them."

Sweetie looked at the crown. "So, you're still guarding it," she asked.

"Yeah," Dom sighed. "The only threat so far is my boredom." Sweetie laughed with a snort in between. If Dom noticed, he didn't show it.

It dawned on Sweetie how different Dom was from Chase. Chase wouldn't have given Sweetie a second thought. He came to guard the crown, not to make friends. Chase did it without saying a word about it. He did his job as best as he could. But with Dom, it was not like that. Dom was more let loose than Chase. Dom did his duty, but he enjoyed his time more. He didn't mind getting off track for a second.

Sweetie realized she was staring at Dom, so she looked the other way. "Well, I'm going to get going."

"Yeah, I think I have to get back to my post as well," Dom commented. They walked side by side towards the crown since Sweetie would pass it either way. Dom was an entire head taller than her, but she didn't feel uncomfortable.

A loud crash made Sweetie jump and Dom take a defensive position. They turned towards the noise where a tipped-over flower vase spilled dirt over the ground. Two kittens loomed over the vase, inspecting it like it was a giant yarn ball.

"Are those the Royal Kittens?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, they are," Sweetie said. She realized that she moved her side up against Dom's. Sweetie quickly moved away. She hoped that Dom didn't notice her blushing. "Sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Dom said. "It's okay."

Sweetie looked up at Dom, meeting his eyes. How did she not notice that he had one red eye and one blue eye? As Sweetie looked into Dom's eyes, she saw herself. She realized that Dom was here because he needed to prove his worth. And Sweetie could relate to him. She wanted to prove that she wasn't the evil pup they thought she was. 

Sweetie frowned to think about her conversation with the Duke. She was just proving everyone right. "I have to go," Sweetie said as she began to walk away.

"Oh, okay," Dom said from behind. "See you later, then."

Sweetie couldn't help but smile. Dom made her start thinking, what if she could change?