Page 121 of I'm Not Your Pet

“They happen every once in a while,” the other human shrugged. His wings fluttered behind him, catching my attention for a moment. My stomach churned when I realized they were far too small for him to ever achieve actual flight. So why…did he have them then? “It can be jarring the first time, but you get used to it.”

“You live here?” I asked, so distracted by him that I barely registered Roark coming to a halt behind me. He was panting, a stressed little whine escaping him. Though I was still reeling, it felt second nature to lean back against his chest to comfort him. His tendrils shot out, sucking at me almost desperately—like he wanted to pull me inside himself so I couldn’t disappear again.

“I’m sorry,” I glanced up at Roark apologetically, my fingers tangling with the tendrils that wrapped around my body. They curled around my fingers, almost like a glove. Similar to the way I’d seen his tendrils mesh with Mala’s before when they were play-fighting. “I’m okay. I’m sorry. I’msosorry.”

“Is he bothering you?” the other human asked curiously. He didn’t sound alarmed, his tone scarily neutral. “Your owner?”

“Ah…no.” I flushed, feeling the weight of the glittering necklace that sat around my neck settle. “He’s my…” I licked my lips. Roark rubbed his cheek against my hair to self-soothe, the protective bastard. “He’s kinda my boyfriend?” That seemed wrong. “Space-boyfriend.” That also seemed wrong. “Lover-beast. Almost-husband. Mate.”

The other human snorted, lips twisting into a serene smile. “I see.”

“We’re just visiting.”

Roark had informed me that this was our last stop before we reached his planet. I’d actually laughed out loud when he taught me its name, “Osheania.” Seemed God had jokes, even this far out in the galaxy.

“How did you manage that?” Blondie lifted a pale brow. There was hunger in his eyes—though his expression remained serene.

“How did I manage…getting a space-boyfriend?”

“No. How are youfree?”

“Oh.” I glanced up at Roark, then the platform full of humans, then my new cat-like bird-buddy. “Um.” Something moved behind him, and I flinched—before I realized it was the tail I’d seen earlier. Because apparently the wings weren’t enough. “I was a slave on F’ukYuu and he bought me. But then…” my eyes stung a little. “But then hefreedme. So I’m just…”

“How do youknowyou’re free?” He cocked his head. I knew he wasn’t trying to be mean. Well, actually, I didn’t know that. But I hoped. “He could be lying. Did he tell you explicitly?”

“He didn’t have to.” There were a lot of things I didn’t understand anymore. A lot of things that made me shaky and scared—that made me feel like I was stuck in a car with a baddriver at the wheel. But this wasn’t one of them. I stood firm, defending Roark to this perfect stranger as he watched me, eyes flickering with emotion. “Roark is agoodperson. Noble.”

“You are…fortunate,” blondie responded. “Far more fortunate than anyone else I know.”

“I am,” I agreed, rubbing Roark’s tendrils as he watched the two of us interact. I could tell he was two seconds from bolting. From taking us back to the safety of the ship where no one could touch me. Where I couldn’t be sold like cattle—or even have toseeit happen to anyone else.

I knew for a fact that Roark would’ve preferred I hadn’t seen this.

But I was glad I had.

“What’s your name?” the human asked.

“Hugo.”

“Interesting.”

“What’s yours?” I wasn’t sure he’d give it, but I hoped he would.

“Briar.”

Briar. It suited him. As beautiful as he was—and hewas, Jesus Christ, the most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my entire fucking life—I could tell he had thorns. Something twisted and scared lurked behind his eyes, his serene smile nothing but armor.

What had he lived through that had taught him to hide like that?

I could see the envy bubbling behind his gaze as he watched me and Roark. The longing. The desperation.

“Do you want to stay here, Briar?” I asked, though I got the feeling I already knew the answer. Roark had asked me that same exact question a lifetime ago.

“Why wouldn’t I?” He smiled, wide and bright. “It’swonderful.”

“I…” Didn’t know what to do. He was lying. He was so clearly lying. I peered up at Roark and he rumbled quietly back to me to reassure me. He said something in his native tongue, but I couldn’t understand.

“Tell your friend to stop worrying,” Briar rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you—convert you—adopt you, or enlist you.”

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