Page 64 of Scarred Savages
Then a button nose, pink as bubble gum, followed by wide eyes that seem to ask what exactly I think I’m doing, interrupting nap time.
I lower the book slowly, blinking.
“No way,” I breathe.
The bunny inches forward, fully emerging from the sheets.
A bunny.
In a wolf-shifter’s bed.
I stare.
It stares back.
The rabbit is small and compact, its fur rich and reddish-brown. It sits on its hind legs, front paws tucked against its chest, watching me.
I burst out laughing. The sound startles us both—the bunny’s ears flatten momentarily before perking back up.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I say, setting the book down and cautiously approaching the bed. “A rabbit? In a house full of wolves? That’s either the bravest or dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.”
The bunny’s nose twitches faster, taking a tentative hop toward me.
Something about that small gesture of trust makes my chest tighten.
“Hey there, little guy,” I murmur, my voice instinctively softening. “What’s your deal? Are you someone’s secret snack? A pet?”
I reach out slowly, giving the bunny time to retreat if it wants to. It doesn’t. Instead, it leans forward.
The fur is unbelievably soft beneath my fingertips, plush and warm. This isn’t some wild rabbit that snuck in. This little guy is cared for.
“What are you doing here, huh?” I ask, still stroking between its ears. “This has to be the most dangerous place in the world for something like you.”
To my surprise, the bunny hops forward, carefully sniffing my fingers. Its whiskers tickle my skin, and I laugh before I can stop myself.
“Brave little thing, aren’t you?” I whisper, something warm unfurling in my chest.
The bunny nuzzles into my palm, eyes half-closing in contentment.
It’s so small, so trusting.
“Is this Oli’s secret?” I wonder aloud. “A wolf with a pet rabbit? That’s… actually kind of sweet.”
The bunny twitches its nose as if responding to Oli’s name. It’s so expressive that I laugh again.
“You’re a cute little contraband, that’s for sure,” I tell it, stroking down its back. “Though I’ve got to wonder what the others think about this arrangement.”
I sit on the edge of the bed, and the bunny immediately hops closer, investigating the hem of my shirt with curious nibbles.
“Hey, watch it. That’s my favorite shirt, and I don’t have many.” I gently redirect its attention to my hand instead.
As it nuzzles against my palm, I feel something inside me shift. It’s been so long since I’ve had any gentleness in my life.
“So what’s your story?” I ask the bunny, who has now climbed partway onto my lap. “How did you end up as the secret roommate of a wolf?”
The bunny just looks at me, ears twitching occasionally, as if it’s actually listening. Its eyes are strangely intelligent, following my movements with more awareness than I’d expect from a rabbit.
“I should probably put you back where I found you,” I say, though leaving this small, defenseless creature alone makes me uncomfortable.
