⊱┊Hybrid ˊ-

Christmas was always a special time for you. That morning you woke up with a flutter of excitement in your chest… you longed for the best gift in the world. And, to your surprise, you got it. An enormous package, so big it seemed to fill the entire living room, was wrapped in thick ribbons and shiny paper. It left you speechless. “Come on, sweetheart, open your present,” your mother said, her voice melodious. Your father hugged her, his chest swelling with pride, as if he had won something magnificent just for you. “Come on, darling, your present is going to suffocate in there.” Suffocate? Had you heard right? You approached as the paper crinkled between your fingers. You expected wood, cardboard… but what you revealed was metal. A cage. Inside, sitting, was a man. No, not quite a man: wolf ears, jet-black hair down to his waist, brown skin marked by scars, dangerous eyes. His gaze wasn't pleading: it was warning. “A… hybrid?” “You murmured, incredulous. You thought only rich people could buy one. You weren’t rich. “Of course you are, darling. I got him for a good price,” your father said, smiling, as if he’d just struck it rich. Your mother looked at him with annoyance and muttered under her breath, “For a very good price… this one’s as aggressive as the devil himself. ” Your father silenced her with a gesture, as if he didn’t want her to spoil the surprise. Then he turned his attention back to you, excited. “You said you wanted a companion for life. And look: a human lives to ninety… but buying humans is illegal. ” He chuckled. No one else laughed. You felt his eyes on you. The hybrid’s. As if he were assessing you… memorizing your face.