Chapter 3
The next day, I went to school as usual.
To my surprise, I ran into Allen and the impoverished girl, Cordia Muller, right at the school gate.
Cordia was dressed in a school uniform so faded it looked almost white, and her hair was clipped with a jasmine hairclip.
She lifted her chin, smiling brightly as she chatted with Allen.
Allen walked right beside her, holding her pink teddy bear backpack with one hand, quietly listening to her every word.
His gaze was gentle and warm, a soft smile lingering in his eyes.
And then he saw me.
The warmth in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by coldness.
I let out a wistful sigh.
How sad that Allen was still alive.
"Um... Eileen," Cordia called out to me hesitantly from across the crowd.
She stood off to the side, her voice reaching me over the heads of the other students.
"Thank you for freeing Allen," she said.
She was half-hidden behind Allen, gripping the sleeve of his school uniform with both hands, giving me a shy, nervous smile.
Instantly, every student around turned their eyes on me.
Words exploded before my eyes.
[The female lead is so brave. She actually went up and talked to the villainess herself. This is such main character energy.]
[Aww, I bet the male lead is totally shocked. He probably never thought the gentle female lead would stand up for him like that.]
[Hope the villainess get written out already.]
[Honestly, I feel like the female lead's words are kind of pretentious. Am I allowed to say that?]
Words were flashing before me, and everyone was staring at me in my wheelchair, whispering and giggling behind their hands.
It was seriously embarrassing.
But I kept my cool.
I lifted my chin and spoke to Cordia with cool confidence.
"I just tossed out some trash, that's all. If picking it up makes you happy, Miss Muller, knock yourself out," I said.
As I turned to leave, Cordia rushed over and stepped in front of my wheelchair.
"Eileen, are you upset with me?" she asked, her voice soft and a little nervous. "I just wanted to tell you, Allen's been so much more cheerful since you two split. He's always smiling these days.
"I'm really straightforward; I say whatever I'm thinking. Please don't take it the wrong way."
She was really acting out the innocent card.
I frowned and shoved her away.
Cordia stumbled back, falling into Allen's arms.
Allen pulled Cordia protectively into his arms, his eyes sharp with warning as he stared at me.
"Eileen, whatever your problem is, bring it to me. Don't you dare hurt Cordia," he said, voice cold and unyielding.
I was seriously speechless.
"Allen, maybe you should watch less drama," I said, my voice thick with sarcasm. "Or did Cordia pump air into your head instead of your fish tank? Did you see me picking on her?"
"Eileen, why do you always have to come at people like that?" Allen said, frowning.
But when he caught sight of my legs, weak and drawn up in the wheelchair, his attitude shifted and his voice softened.
"That day, I ran over to save Cordia because the ceiling beam was about to come down on her. I couldn't just stand by and watch her get hurt," Allen explained.
He lowered his voice. "After I left you, I didn't break our were-creature contract. I... I missed you so much."
I bit my lip.
My chest tightened, emotions swirling inside me.
After all, Allen and I had grown up together.
I opened my mouth, but hadn't said a word yet when I heard the roar of an engine. It grew louder, like a wild beast approaching.
I looked up.
A man dressed in black was racing straight at me on a motorcycle, a silver dagger flashing in his hand.
Frozen in shock, I heard Allen yelling at the top of his lungs, "Miss Conolly, get out of the way!"
Get out of the way?
I couldn't help but want to laugh. I was sitting in a wheelchair, and couldn't even stand up. How exactly was I supposed to move away?
Soon, the dagger was just inches away from me.
Suddenly, a figure darted out before me and with a clean, sharp kick, struck out at the attacker.
Bang!
The heavy motorcycle crashed to the ground with a thunderous crash.
The wheels were still spinning at full speed, while the attacker lay crumpled on the pavement, his helmet flying off and sending sparks as it slid across the ground.
The attacker sat there in terror, scrambling backward.
But it didn't help.
The tall, long-legged Jacob closed in on the attacker. He leaned down, pressed the blade to the attacker's throat, and drew a bead of blood.
Jacob's gaze was steely and his expression icy. Yet his tone was gentle, almost unnervingly polite.
"Sir, you shouldn't have touched her," he said.
I stared at Jacob, dazed.
In a haze, I remembered how stubbornly he'd said, "I'm strong."
Guess he really wasn't lying.
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd been played for a fool.
Where did my adorable, cuddly, super-shy were-rabbit go? How did he suddenly turn into a giant, Godzilla-level were-rabbit?