Chapter 2
Just then, a pale, slender hand reached out from a rusty cage and grabbed my sleeve.
I froze and looked down, seeing a pair of lead-gray eyes.
His rabbit ears were pressed flat against his head, trembling with fright.
The young male tilted his head up, his voice barely audible as he whispered, "Will you save me?"
Everyone knew were-rabbits were the most skittish of all were-creatures.
I crouched down and reassured him softly, "Yes, don't worry."
His eyes flickered with hope at my words.
He flashed me a shy smile and closed his eyes.
That was when I noticed his neck was riddled with tiny puncture marks.
Of all the were-creatures rescued, this were-rabbit was in the worst shape.
Since rabbits made the perfect lab animals, Garrett had probably pumped him full of who knew how many drugs.
The cost of the were-rabbit's treatment was way out of reach for the volunteer organization.
Without a second thought, I told them I'd cover everything myself.
"Miss Conolly, the auction materials have arrived," the bodyguard said, leafing through the booklet. "The main star tonight is a were-lion.
"There's also a keen were-wolf and a burly were-bear."
I cut him off. "That won't be necessary."
"What?" the bodyguard blurted out, clearly surprised.
"I'll take the were-rabbit we rescued today," I replied.
I glanced up at the observation room, my voice surprisingly calm.
"Picking a were-creature I rescued as my life mate? That's one hell of a headline," I said. "I'm bringing him to this year's charity gala."
The bodyguard was stunned for a moment.
Then he nodded respectfully. "Yes, Miss Conolly."
*****
Meanwhile, inside the observation room, the young were-rabbit suddenly looked up at the glass window, as if he sensed my presence.
His rabbit ears shot straight up with excitement, then quickly drooped back down, trying to look obedient.
When he saw me, he gave me a shy little wave.
I didn't respond to his bright smile.
I casually told the nurse to use the best medicine, then left.
Keeping him around was just a PR move for me. Every day he stayed by my side, people would remember all the messed-up things Garrett did.
I never counted on him to protect me.
Were-rabbits were timid. They couldn't even look out for themselves, let alone protect anyone else.
Because of my leg injury, I had to wheel myself around campus every day.
Whenever I had some downtime, I worked on my rehab with the doctor.
It hurt like hell, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through.
I had a whole future ahead of me.
No way was I going to end up as a loser.
As the days went by, I slowly forgot about the were-rabbit.
One day, when I got home from the hospital, the car door was opened for me.
Instead of the bodyguard helping me out, a pair of slender hands reached for me.
Long, graceful fingers slipped under my arms.
I was cradled me out of the car gently.
The sudden feeling of weightlessness made my heart skip a beat.
Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around the man's neck, holding on tight.
Now that he was so close, I caught a pleasant but unfamiliar scent of fresh grass.
I lifted my head in confusion, only to see a familiar young male standing there.
When he saw me staring, his fluffy rabbit ears poking out from his hair perked up and wiggled with excitement.
The tips of his ears turned a bashful pink.
He carried me into the living room, gently settled me back into my wheelchair, then knelt down in front of me, making sure my feet were comfortable on the footrests.
I looked down at him from above, watching his every careful move.
My tone was still cold.
"Why are you at my place?" I asked.
"The doctor said I'm almost fully recovered, so I can leave the hospital now," he replied, looking up at me with a bright, eager smile. "I'm your were-creature, so of course I'm here to look after you and keep you safe."
I went quiet for a second, trying to recall his name.
He seemed to be called Jacob Draper. Somehow, it suited him.
I shook my head.
"It's not safe around me. I need a were-creature who's actually strong enough to keep me safe," I said. "You're just a were-rabbit. You're not cut out for this.
"So all you have to do is come to the galas with me and play the part of a trophy."
Jacob blurted out, his lead-gray eyes wide with urgency, "I don't want that.
"I'm strong. I know your last life mate was a capable merman, but believe me, I'm not any weaker than he was."
At the mention of Allen again, my eyes went cold.
Not interested in hearing more, I steered my wheelchair into the elevator.
Just before the doors closed, I threw out a half-hearted reply to the rabbit. "Then prove it."