Page 120 of I'm Not Your Pet

A large gathering of aliens of all sorts stood between me and the stage. Creatures of all shapes and sizes—smashed close together, as though they were here for this event specifically. I wasn’t an idiot. I could guess that what was happening was bad—based on Roark’s reaction alone.

I didn’t speak Common—the language most at these ports did—but Roark did.

Without thinking, I released Roark’s arm.

It was like everything in me broke.

My ears were ringing, my head was swimming.

What were they doing here?

What was going on?

Before I knew it, I was somewhere in the middle of the crowd, and Roark was lost behind me. I hadn’t meant to leave him. For a moment, it had almost felt like I’d blacked out. Like I wasn’t in control of my body at all.

My vision swam as I took in the line of human captives from a closer vantage point.

There had to be at least fifteen of them—all with matching collars just like the one I’d just had removed. Despite my emotional exhaustion, I still managed the lurching in my stomach as I stumbled to a stop ten feet away from the stage itself, my eyes wide. A few aliens had jostled me as I’d moved, but I hardly felt their touches.

Like ice had filled my body.

Like I wasn’t me at all.

What was this?

Was this…

“Ah,” A low, sultry, masculine voice hummed behind me. “First auction?”

First—

It took me a second to realize I’d been spoken to in English.

I whipped my head around to face the newcomer, only to be distracted when I saw a frantic pink shark-man a dozen or so feet near the back of the crowd. I could hear his thudding elephant feet as he forced his way through the other aliens toward me.

I hadn’t realized till that moment what I’d done, leaving him behind. But my head was still swimming. And I couldn’t get a full breath in. And in a way, it felt like I was dying.

Shit.

I’m an asshole.

I bet he’s freaking out.

I’d seen humans and I’d…fuck. It’s like my brain went completely offline.

My mouth was dry as I addressed the person speaking. When my vision focused, I was startled to realize that I’d just come face-to-face with the same white-haired human I’d seen at the ball.Holy shit. What are the chances of that?I blinked, surprised.

Acid swam up my throat.

Don’t throw up.

Don’t throw up.

“First…auction?” I repeated hoarsely, unable to stop staring at him.

He had snowy white eyelashes and skin as pale as his hair. Paired with the lilac color of his eyes, and the pointy ears on his head, it was difficult to believe he was actually human at all. On his back sat a pair of wings, they were gorgeous and snowy, made of downy feathers that glittered in the light.

It gave him the appearance of an angel.

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