All of us filed into the room. My bulk made it a tight squeeze, but I wasn’t about to leave Lucy’s side.
She set Blossom down on a towel and the bunny immediately hopped back to her. Mable and Iris exchanged a surprised glance.
“You’re okay, cutie,” Lucy crooned, gently stroking the bunny’s tiny ears. “James is just going to check your leg.”
But Blossom just burrowed closer to her.
“How long has she been acting like this?” Mable asked, eyes wide.
“Like what?” Lucy asked, glancing back at the women. Just then, Felix startled all of us by jumping onto the exam table. I hadn’t even seen him enter the room. The cat stood over Blossom, his fluffy paws bracketing her on either side.
“So…cuddly,” Iris said, bewildered.
“Oh. She’s been like that since I brought her home. But that’s not weird, right? Wouldn’t she want to cuddle instead of being alone?”
Iris squeezed past me so she could get closer. “It is rather odd, actually. Wild bunnies stay skittish around humans, even at our rescue. She actually might be a domesticated variety who got out. Sometimes it can be hard to tell them apart, especially when they’re little. Let’s take a look at her.”
Blossom was wrapped around Lucy’s wrist so tightly she had to be pried off.
“Well, it looks like her leg is much better.” Mable chuckled. She inspected the bunny until she saw something that made her eyebrows shoot up. “Well, that makes sense. Blossom here is indeed a wild bunny, but she’s exceptionally rare.” She handed her back to Lucy, who tucked her to her chest. “Blossom is an omega.”
Lucy’s jaw dropped. “What? I didn’t know bunnies could be omegas.”
“Most people don’t. The first research paper confirming the existence of omega designations in bunnies and rabbits was published just a few years ago.”
Mable’s eyes were bright with excitement. “This is incredible. We haven’t had a documented case of an omega bunny in New England because they usually die really young.”
“Why?” Lucy breathed, holding Blossom even closer.
“Wild bunnies tend to be pretty solitary, and omegas need packs. Luckily, Blossom found hers.” Iris looked between Lucy and Felix.
“We’re her pack?” Lucy’s scent was a riot of emotion, and I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arm around her shoulder. She leaned into my chest and her scent settled.
“It seems that way. What would you think about keeping her? If you can’t, we can still take her, although I worry that without a pack—”
“She’s staying,” Lucy blurted out. I hadn’t realized how much tension she was holding in her body until it released. Her shoulders loosened and a radiant smile spread across her face. “It sounds like you’re stuck with me, Blossom. Is that okay with you?” The bunny did a sleepy stretch and then flopped back down to sleep.
“This is amazing,” James said with a clap of his hands. “Could you show me how you identified Blossom as an omega in case I run into this situation again?”
Iris gently took the bunny from Lucy and launched into an animated discussion with James and Mable about the latest research.
“Are you happy now?” I murmured to Lucy.
She beamed. “Yeah.”
“She’s lucky to have you.” Fuck, I sounded like such a sap, but seeing Lucy happy was everything.
Mable and Iris gave Lucy instructions for the bunny’s care and promised to keep in touch. When we finally left the clinic, Felix purring as he strutted ahead of us, the energy couldn’t have been more different from our way there. Lucy was practically bouncing, her gold hair caught in the wind as she told Blossom all about the nest they would make for her.
When we got to her place, she hesitated as she glanced up at me. “Thanks for coming with me.”
When I kept standing in silence like an idiot, she continued. “Um, and you don’t have to clean my gutters. I’m sure you have lots to do. Are you working today?”
“No. My next stretch starts tomorrow.” I took a step forward.Slowly raised my hand. When she didn’t move away, I ran my fingers down her arm until I captured her hand. “I didn’t explain myself well yesterday. I need you to know I would have come to craft night if I could have.”
She squeezed my hand. Her blue eyes were equally stunning and piercing, leaving me with the distinct impression that she could see straight through me. This was when I should tell her everything about my diagnosis and why we could never be truly together like an alpha and omega should be, but the words got stuck in my throat.
“Wilder, I…”
