Page 32 of I'm Not Your Pet

I needed answers. Needed to speak to someone, get these feelings out—and figure out a battle plan moving forward.

As I brushed my teeth, a memory surfaced. It’d been one of Huu-goh’s first days on board and I’d been giving him a tour of the rooms, the bathroom included.

After I’d seen his initial excitement I’d taken to showing him every single facet of the room all the way down to the way the nanobots cleaned up when shower water spilled upon the tile, or the automatic dispenser for toothpaste, mouthwash, and soap. All you had to do was press the correct button and the fluid the device expelled would change.

Don’t ask me how it kept itself clean, but I’d never in all my years as captain tasted soap when I was expecting mouthwash.

Huu-goh was fascinated with everything, he pushed every button, he celebrated the steady stream of toothpaste with obvious delight—stuck his finger in it—and licked it with his tiny pink tongue just to test.

“Toothpaasteh!” he had crowed in triumph, waggling his damp finger at me. “Wut the fuhk.”

I’d grinned, and he hadn’t been frightened of my teeth. He never had.

The memory faded as swiftly as it had come.

And my worries came back as my gaze met my own reflection. I tried to make sense of what was going on inside my head so that I could get proper advice. Foam coated my lips as I scrubbed and scrubbed, thoughts spinning.

I was and had always been a traditional Sarhk. Many had teased me for my behaviors in the past, though I’d never let it bother me as their jabs had been good-natured. In all my four decades, I had never been interested in looking at one of the creatures so freely offered on the planets along my route. Never glanced at the pleasure houses. Never entered one.

Sex was for mates.

And I’d never been interested in mating.

Until I’d met Huu-goh.

Huu-goh who was as intriguing as he was delightful. Huu-goh who was not afraid to get angry with me when he was upset despite our size disparity. Huu-goh who was clever and quick on his feet. Huu-goh with his dark eyes, and his pretty orange fur. Huu-goh whose eyes were full of wonder despite the horrors he’d survived.

Huu-goh who was not afraid of me, even though he had every right to be.

He slept just as peacefully now as when I’d left to get ready for the day. As I passed by him on the bed, warmth burst inside my hearts. My mate was a tiny man-shaped ball, the blankets we’d shared bunched around him like a cocoon. The most adorable droning snore escaped him as he slumbered. It was a noise that I’d quickly found I liked. It allowed me to know that he was resting, even when he had been in his bed across the room. It was reassuring.

With a sigh, I left him to continue to sleep, careful to shut the door gently so the sound would not wake him.

I liked to think I was self-sufficient. That I could take care of my own feelings and needs and that I did not need anyone. But that was a lie.

My surface felt icy as I made my way down the hall toward the sparring rooms. I knew Mala would already be there. By the time I arrived most mornings he’d already been exercising for a good few hours. I had no doubt that he’d be surprised to see me so early—but I needed him.

I needed afriend.

And it was early enough we wouldn’t have to worry about the others that occupied the ship interrupting our discussion.

I had a lot of thoughts to work through.

Like the fact that now that I’d touched him once, when Huu-goh was around all I wanted to do was shove my tentacles all over him and watch him hump my leg again. Breathing inthrough my nose to calm myself, I did my best to force away the tantalizing thoughts.

At first, I’d thought my mate innocent, but I could see now how wrong I’d been.

And how grateful I was that he’d made a move when he did.

I had begun to lose hope that a creature as brilliant as he was would be interested in a beast like me. I was his senior by…too many years. I was jaded in a way that he was not—despite all that had been done to him. And though I’d seen many things during my time traveling the stars, I had never seen anyone as tantalizing as Huu-goh.

He wasresilient.

Petulant at times, yes, but I did not begrudge him this. He’d had much taken from him. Everything. Now that he was free it would take many moons for him to feel in control of his life once again—if he ever actually did.

The fact he’d chosen me meant more than he would ever know.

I didn’t want to mess this up.

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