Page 15 of My Wild Pet

Minutes pass, and still, no bids.

She seems to sense her precarious position. If she can’t be sold, the Octopods won’t keep her. Airlocks are efficient, and I have no doubt they’ll use one.

Her desperation spills over as she drops to her hunches, gesturing toward me. Silently begging. Giving the impression we might have met before.

The crowd’s attention turns to me. My face heats with embarrassment. “I don’t know this human pet,” I announce, my voice calm but firm. “I don’t want her.” She’s not what I came here for. I need a show-quality pet, not one with a tarnished past or, worse, unpredictable mental instability.

The auctioneer clicks sharply, clearly eager to make a sale. “Five hundred UCs for the Imperial man,” he offers.

I barely suppress a scoff.Cheap,I think, but then again, she’s “defective.” I raise a hand, giving the galactic gesture for:Not a chance in a blackhole.

She sees it. Her gaze meets mine briefly, and I catch the spark of realization in her eyes. She knows I’ve declined. Her eyes narrow, the fire within her unmistakable. A faint smile tugs at my lips.Yes, Wild One. Keep that defiance. You’ll need it if you survive another hour.

Wild One continues her slow rotation on the platform, her eyes scanning the crowd, but no one bids.

The auctioneer tries again. “Four hundred UCs, and a hundred UC discount on another human.”

Now they have my attention. I lean back in my seat, considering. I raise a hand, gesturing for a counter offer.

“Fifty for Wild One,” I reply coolly, “and a hundred and fifty discount on another human female.”

The auctioneer clicks and hisses in negotiation. Finally, after a few more rotations of Wild One under the spotlight, and no other bids, he agrees to my exceptionally low offer.

It’s clear she doesn’t realize I’ve purchased her. As the handler approaches to retrieve her, she narrows her eyes at me again.

Yes, Wild One. Hang onto that spark—I’m not going to be easy on you.

Now she’s mine. I’m going to double my odds by training her and another human female I buy today.

Before the next human is brought out, my IC buzzes. It’s Kaelin.

“Did you really just buy a flesh-eating human?” his voice is sharp with disbelief.

“We’ll muzzle her until we know she’s safe, and then train her,” I reply evenly.

“But why?”

“She’s gorgeous.”

“And dangerous.”

“They were practically giving her away,” I counter, hesitating before adding, “She begged me, Kaelin. As if she were almost Imperial.”

“What if she takes off Ember’s penis with her teeth?”

“I highly doubt Ember is going to forcibly put his penis in her mouth. And we don’t know the full context of the video. We’ll figure out how to handle her. She might be just the right kindof pet for Ember to bond with, igniting his loyalty rather than smothering it. And she clearly has a mind that adapts under pressure and a physical body that can endure the challenges of the pet games.”

“If she eats any of the males’ penises on board, it’s on you.”

“I know,” I say firmly. “It’s my outfit. My responsibility.”

“If I were you I would have held out for something normal.”

“Wild One was so cheap I’ll buy the best female here as well. Don’t worry. We’ll train them both.”

I close my IC as the next human is presented.

A human female steps onto the platform, her hair is the perfect shade of pale yellow and her cream-colored skin glows magnificently under the lights. But she’s small and fragile, her shoulders are hunched over as she stares at her feet and tears are streaming down her face. She’s weak. Useless. She could never be a show pet.

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