Louis loathed hybrids. The final year of his college program, however, mandated their care – a cruel twist of fate, as far as he was concerned.
“I refuse to babysit one of those disease-ridden freaks,” Louis grumbled to Liam, his roommate and closest friend.
Liam, a staunch advocate for hybrid rights, adored them. He believed they deserved kindness, not cages. He carefully avoided bringing hybrids into conversations with Louis, anticipating the inevitable eruption. A screaming match that always left Liam with a throbbing headache, courtesy of Louis’ stubborn ignorance.
Louis had been raised on the principle of equality, but the tide turned during his school years. A sixth-grade classmate, whose family owned a hybrid, had regaled him with tales of their supposed laziness, thievery, and constant disobedience. The boy claimed hybrids were the most useless creatures on earth. That moment had seeded Louis’ hatred, a prejudice he stubbornly clung to despite his maturity.
He hadn’t bothered to read the full college packet. One hundred and twenty pages? No one did. Now, regret gnawed at him. He should have read the fine print. He should have known. It always contained the most important details. Now, he was saddled with the responsibility of caring for a hybrid.
When the time came to select their assigned creature, Louis refused to participate. He delegated the task to Liam, instructing him to fetch one on his behalf. He was bitterly disappointed by what Liam brought back.
A cat.
Louis despised cats. Liam knew this. It stemmed from an embarrassing incident: a feline attack while he was relieving himself.
His new hybrid was younger than him, yet towered over him, exceeding five-foot-nine. Louis found this infuriating. He craved a world where everyone else was shorter, obsessed with his own perceived stature, despite being, in truth, closer to five-foot-seven. He would never admit it, though.
The tall cat-man wriggled his way into Louis’ heart, a slow, agonizing process.
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This book will contain sensitive content, including:
Brief depictions of eating disorders. Discussion of sexual assault. And a considerable amount of vitriol directed toward Harry.