Their reactions are… odd.
Ethan’s lips press into a tight line, his eyes widening fractionally before his expression smooths into careful neutrality.
Damien makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat, looking away quickly.
Axel turns abruptly, rubbing a hand over his mouth as if hiding a smile.
And Hudson simply stares, his expression shifting from surprise to what looks strangely like exasperation.
“Well?” I press, taking a step forward. “Someone wants to explain why there’s a bunny in Oli’s bed? In a house full of predators?”
The silence stretches with something I can’t quite identify. Then Ethan clears his throat, his voice carefully controlled.
“You… found that in Oli’s room?” he asks, each word precise and measured.
“Yes. Under the covers.” I stroke the bunny’s head, its fur soft under my fingers. “What kind of sick game are you all playing? Keeping a rabbit here is like keeping a steak in a lion’s den.”
Axel snorts, then quickly disguises it as a cough when Hudson shoots him a warning look.
“It’s not a game, Luna,” Hudson says, his deep voice revealing nothing. “The rabbit is safe here.”
“Safe?” I echo in disbelief. “We’re wolves. How is it safe?”
“We have better control than you give us credit for,” Ethan replies smoothly, though a twitch at the corner of his mouth seems suspicious.
Axel finally turns back around; his lips curve into a smirk that stiffens my spine. “Looks like you’ve made a new friend,” he comments, those intense blue eyes dancing with amusement. “The mothering type looks sexy as fuck on you.”
“I’m not mothering. I’m protecting. There’s a difference.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Axel hums, not bothering to hide his smile now. “And what exactly are you protecting it from? Us big, bad wolves?”
“Yes, actually,” I snap, tightening my hold on the bunny. It nuzzles against me in response, seeming completely at ease despite being the center of attention in a room full of predators. “Where’s Oli? Is this his pet?”
Another strange silence falls.
Damien suddenly finds the ceiling fascinating. Ethan coughs delicately into his fist. Hudson sighs deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Oli is indisposed at the moment,” Hudson says finally, his voice carefully neutral. “I’m sure he’s aware of the situation.”
“Indisposed?” I repeat suspiciously. “What does that mean? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Ethan assures me, his tone bordering on amused. “Just caught up in something he can’t get out of right now.”
Axel barks out a laugh at that, and even Damien’s scowl twitches toward something like a smile. I look between them, increasingly confused and irritated by their cryptic responses.
“What am I missing here?” I demand, my patience wearing thin. “Because you’re all acting weird, even for a bunch of overgrown dogs.”
The bunny shifts in my arms then, apparently deciding it’s had enough of being held in one position. It wriggles upward before I can adjust my grip, tiny paws scrabbling for purchase against my shirt. And then—in a move that makes my face flame instantly hot—it dives headfirst into my cleavage, burrowing down until only its fluffy tail and back legs are visible, sticking out from between my breasts.
“Oh my god,” I yelp.
The kitchen erupts.
Damien turns away completely, his shoulders shaking. Ethan’s carefully composed expression cracks as he presses his lips together, eyes crinkling at the corners. Hudson looks momentarily stunned, then closes his eyes as if praying for patience.
And Axel—Axel throws his head back and howls with laughter, the sound bouncing off the kitchen walls.
“Well, well,” he manages between gasps, pointing at my chest where the bunny has made itself comfortable. “Little guy’s really pushing it now.”
