Page 102 of Owned By the Hvrok

She let that sink in. The weight of his words. How lonely that must have been.

"Why did you buy me?"

He shrugged, unapologetic. "A whim. I thought you were beautiful. I wanted to have you."

"Oh." It stung. The simplicity. The selfishness of it.

"And you are going to keep me… as your creature, for your amusement."

He met her gaze steadily. "That was the beginning. But it has changed. I see what you are now. You are precious. I will never let you want for anything. You will be safe. Pleasured. Cherished. You will be my queen."

"What if all I want is to go home?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

For the first time, his expression shifted.

Crestfallen.

And gods, it tugged at her heart.

"You cannot have that," he said quietly. "But I can give you contact. With other humans. Even visits, if you wish. I will accompany you. Guard you. I will use a holographic disguise. There are humans scattered across the stars—taken, like you. I can find others. You will not be alone."

Her world tilted.

Others?

Her mind reeled. And yet… she believed him.

She also knew, deep down, there was no going back. Not really. The beach. Her job. The monotony of her old life. She wasn’t the same.

She would never be the same. She could never go back to what she had been.

But she could keep those bonds, those links with her past… if he allowed.

"Then promise me," she said. "That I’ll see my people again. And that I won’t be a caged pet. I need a purpose. Something real. I won’t exist just to please you."

He leaned forward, voice low. "What if I wish to exist just to please and protect you?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came.

Only her body answered, heat blooming deep within, betraying her.

She shook her head in exasperation.

Again, that thought swirled through her: of being his.

And again, she didn’t hate it.

He gestured lightly to the collar still circling her throat.

"Shall I remove it?"

Her fingers lifted, tracing the cool, jeweled surface.

Priceless. Alien. A symbol of his claim.

"No," she whispered, meeting his gaze. “Leave it. It’s mine now."

CHAPTER 48

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