Page 12 of The Rabbit's Foot
He chuckled. “Okay, you like those.” He went to his bag and pulled out the box of freeze-dried chips Lydia had given him and shook it. “Gee, I don’t know. There doesn’t seem to be many here. Maybe we should ration them. What do you think?”
The tiny ball of fluff bared his teeth, and Mal couldn’t help but laugh.
“Okay, no rationing the treats. Understood.” He pulled open the bag of freeze-dried berries and fruit chips, then reached in for the dried yellow treat. The moment he held it out, the rabbit snapped it away from Mal, then sat back and munched away. “Yeah, no way you like those, huh?” Mal sat on the edge of the bad and reached for the rabbit, who snarled at him. Mal arched his brows. “You did not just do that,” he said, his voice deep and growly. Fuck, he was pulling the First tone out.
The rabbit dropped the treat and shrank away. Mal picked up the half that was left and held it back out.
“I’m sorry!” he insisted. “I didn’t mean to do that, I swear. I have no idea what you’ve gone through, and I shouldn’t be so hasty and so much an asshole.”
The rabbit didn’t move, his gaze tracking Mal. He could sense the fear, and he hated knowing that he was the cause. He set the chip on the bed, then picked the rabbit up and snuggled him to his chest.
“Life is hard,” he said. “I left home because I didn’t want all the rules and shit that came with being a First. I ran away like a coward in the night, swearing I would never be a First. That I would never have a pack.” He nuzzled between the rabbit’s ears. “Then I met this bunny. Cute little thing. And I sensed his terror, and… I don’t know, it called to my wolf to protect it. For the first time since I left my pack, my wolf decided it wanted to be a First again, and it decided you were our pack.” He snorted. “I know how it sounds, but I swear it’s the truth. So, please, forgive me? I’ll do my best to just be Mal, and not let my wolf dictate what’s going to happen, if you’ll be patient with me.”
He retrieved the fruit and held it back out to the bunny, who eyed him for a moment, then gingerly took it from his fingers and went back to munching. Mal set him down on the pillow again, then drew the covers over him once more.
“After you eat, you’ll take a nap.” He winced at the order in his voice. What the hell was going on? “Sorry!”
The rabbit made a weird sound, but Mal knew what it was.
“You’re laughing at me?”
And though it should have annoyed him, Mal found it… endearing.
* * *
Alp was stuffed. Mal had given him a small alfalfa bale, some fresh water, and put out a box of straw for him to use to…. well, poop and pee. Back in the warren, such things were common, but for some weird reason, Alp didn’t want Mal seeing the droppings. He’d have to figure that out later.
When Mal told him about not wanting to be a First, Alp’s heart had quivered. Heneededthat. The direction, the feeling of safety. His own father, though a lovely man, was a rabbit through and through. They had no First, and it showed. Sure, the kids eventually came around, but, like Alp, they could be little shits until they matured. And parents accepted that from them. Alp needed Mal to not do that. He wanted him to be the First, to set the rules, because Alp’s awful choices had gotten him into this mess.
Mal snorted and rolled to his side, his arm thrown above Alp’s head. Though he knew he should stay where he was, Alp slowly rose, then gingerly made his way to where Mal slept. It had bad idea written all over it, but Alp needed his First. And wasn’t that a kick in the pants?
“You’re not sleeping,” Mal said. “Bad dreams?”
A big hand scooped Alp up and cradled him as Mal lay on his back and put Alp atop his chest.
“I want to make you a deal,” Mal said softly. “My wolf wants us to care for you. To make you our pack. Can we do that? At least until you’re healed up enough to go out on your own?”
Hell, yes! Alp moved up and put his head on Mal’s chin. When Mal again reached up and rubbed Alp’s ears, Alp was certain he died in the labs and now was in heaven.
Somewhere during the massage, Alp fell asleep.
It couldn’t have been long, but the rapping on the door jolted Alp. He sat up, his nose wiggling. Why wasshehere? Not that Alp wasn’t grateful for everything the vet had done, but why was she coming to Mal’s room?
Mal got up and put Alp in his cage. “Sorry,” he said, a frown marring his features. “Not sure why she’s here, but I’ll get rid of her.”
Well, that made Alp a little happier. He watched as Mal made his way across the room and pulled open the door. The vet stood there, beaming up at Mal in a way that Alp didn’t like. Mal washisFirst, not hers.
“I stopped on my way home to check on our star patient,” she said, breezing by Mal. She looked around, and her gaze came to rest on Alp. “Oh, you were right. He looks better already.”
“Listen, Lydia, I—”
She picked Alp up and turned him over to see his underside. She prodded the residual limb gingerly. “This looks good,” she said. “I can tell you cleaned it again. That’s excellent.” She gently placed Alp back in the cage, then turned to Mal. “Dinner?” she asked, giving him a smile.
“Hm? Oh, no thank you. I’m going to hang out here with the rabbit and—”
“I amnothitting on you,” she said, giving an exasperated sigh. “You’re cute and all, but you’re more my daughter’s age, and as much as I like animals, I have no wish to be a cougar.”
Alp slumped down. She wasn’t interested in Mal? That made him a little happier. Though why it bothered him so much that she might, he wasn’t really sure.
