Page 98 of My Wild Pet

“Master Aefre? What are you doing here?”

Aefre doesn’t answer. He takes a step closer, his green eyes locked on me.

My mind races with possibilities.Is this another illusion?Maybe something is wrong with the challenge?

“You’re not supposed to be in the female’s individual challenge,” I say. “This has to be a trick.”

“A trick?” he echoes. “You’re the one who’s been tricked, Ash. Look at you—bleeding, trembling, and doubting yourself. I came to collect you before you fail this challenge and die.”

His words hit me like a punch. That calm and condescending tone. It’s exactly how he’s reprimanded me before. It’s so authentic, so hurtful, and real. I doubt my own senses for a second, but then I say, “Stop. Please move. I need to get the orb.”

He takes another step towards the orb like he’s going to take it himself.Could it really be him?

I make a fast move trying to grab the orb to end the challenge. Then I’ll know what’s real and what’s not.

Aefre lunges and manages to strike me. Pain explodes across my ribs as I stagger back, away from the orb.

“Think carefully, Ash. If you fail this challenge, you fail me.”

I’m struggling to stand up straight. My mind is reeling.Is he real?

Aefre strikes again, a move he taught me himself. A kick at my Achilles tendon. I barely move away in time or else I’d be on the ground right now.

My heart is beating so quickly I can hear it in my ears.It isn’t him.It can’t be.

Butam I sure?If I strike a trainer in the Grand Championships, I’ll probably be put to death.

Before I can think about it further, Aefre rushes me so fast I don’t have time to defend myself.

I let out a strangled cry from the hit. Tears begin to blur my vision. I remember Gabriel reminding me that illusions can kill here if I let them. This is no harmless nightmare. Even if this is a hologram, my death will be real.

I muster the last bit of strength I have and attack Aefre with another move he taught me. I was never a fighter before I became a pet.

Aefre staggers for a second and I reach for the orb but he quickly blocks me and pushes me to the ground.

My lip is bleeding. I look up at him. His eyes are narrowed in a savage way I’ve never seen before.

Aefre surges forward, a vicious strike that leaves me struggling to catch my breath.

“I can’t do this,” I gasp. My vision begins to black out at the edges. “Please Master Aefre…”

His face contorts with something like triumph. “You never were worthy to be partnered with Ember.”

A wave of heartbreak floods me. Is that something Aefre might actually say?

“I know from the collars that Ember imagines Fifi when he’s fucking you.”

Fury gets me to my feet. I make eye contact with Aefre. I drop into a low stance. My muscles protesting with every move I make, but I have to fight.

The orb gleams just beyond him. But that’s not what I’m thinking about right now. Lunging forward with all the strength I have left; I sidestep his incoming blow and drive my elbow into his sternum.

He reels, but not enough. Aefre retaliates by gripping my wounded arm and twisting it until intense pain explodes.

I bite down on my scream, driving my knee upward into his gut.

Aefre stumbles and releases me. When he catches his breath he says, “I wish you would have been the one to go out of the air lock on Abyssal Nexus. I never wanted you.”

His words hurt me so much whether he’s real or a hologram I’m going to kill him. I put my entire body weight behind a final strike to his temple, the move Aefre taught me specifically for subduing monstrous creatures. The irony. The blow connects with a sickening crack.

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