Cara Randall has dedicated her life to helping protect and save hybrids. Her hospital and shelter, Sanctuary, helps the injured or mistreated hybrids of Samta, New Kanoa. While she has success with her job, she's lacking the one thing she wants most...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Walking into Sanctuary the morning after being marked by my mate, I was met with knowing smiles from the hybrid staff that I encountered. Offers of congratulations flowed freely, each one making my skin burn a brighter crimson.
When did it become normal to congratulate people when they had sex and were marked by their hybrid mate?
I quickly made my way into my office, sighing in content as I sunk into the plush swivel chair. I stared out the window at the snow fluttering down, enjoying the peace as I followed particular snowflakes as they fell before swapping to another after I couldn't see them anymore.
I internally groaned as a knock on my seldomly closed door interrupted my tranquil silence. Swapping my frustrated grimace with a soft smile, I relaxed when three of my favourite hybrids sauntered in. Hobi, Bang Chan and Jungkook all sported excited and happy faces as they walked towards me.
"Holy shit! You smell delicious," Jungkook blurted, sniffing the air.
"Like a creamy strawberry milkshake," Bang Chan added, adorably grinning as he moved to sit in one of the two seats placed in front of my desk. Jungkook took the other, while Hobi came to hug me before perching on the corner of my desk.
Unlike other shelters and hospitals around, Sanctuary had a no scent blockers rule. While other places used the blockers so hybrids didn't get too overwhelmed by scents, Jin and I wanted the hybrids in our care to be able to smell the intentions in the staffs' scents. We wanted our hybrid residents and patients to understand that our staff were here to help them, and the best way to do that was to allow them to smell it through scent.
"So how was it?" the monkey hybrid asked, wiggling his eyebrows as a smirk grew. "Did he give you that good 'd'?"
"Hoseok!" I flushed a bright scarlet red; I knew the colour would seem brighter due to my fair skin. "I'm not talking about my sex life with you." The three hybrids whined, each trying to look extra adorable to make me cave into their guilt trips. "Ugghh, I can't with you three. All I'll say is that Yoongi made the night really romantic, and very memorable."
"Cat's got game," Bang Chan grinned, entertained by my embarrassed state.
The three hybrids stayed chatting and teasing me for another five minutes. I actually had to remind them that they were at work, not at my home where they could gossip all they wanted.
I was relieved to see that many of the hybrids in our shelter interacted with me more today than usual, particularly those who had come into our care because of abuse. One of the most stand-offish long-term residents, a Bengal tiger hybrid named Shownu, had actually not only come to engage in a conversation with me on his own volition, but had asked if I could stay and eat lunch with him.
During the meal, the tiger had apologised. He said that he didn't trust any humans after he'd been forced to perform in an illegal travelling zoo. When Shownu told me through large, fat tears that humans had beaten and whipped him whenever he didn't do what they wanted, my heart broke and my blood boiled. The tiger sitting in front of me wasn't dangerous at all; he was an oversized kitty just desperate for love and affection.
