Page 64 of I'm Not Your Pet

“Safe,” he commanded, the word a bit garbled. I wasn’t surprised he’d made Ushuu teach him that one straight away.“Huu-goh safe.” I studied him, warmth tingling all over as I caught the very real fear in his eyes. “Huu-goh safe or I come.”

Another full sentence!

“Okay,” I agreed eagerly. “Safe,” I cupped his cheeks in my hands, never more aware of the difference in our size than I was when we were pressed close like this. “I’ll be safe, I promise.”

His spots stayed that same worried gray shade as I planted a kiss on his snout, backed off his lap, and launched myself at the door. Because I rarely thought things through all the way, I typed in the code to the door while he watched, and eagerly bounced on my heels as it opened with a faint hiss.

It took me a second to realize what I’d done, and when I did, I turned around slowly, ready to be reprimanded for memorizing his password without permission. However, all I saw on Roark’s face was affection and amusement as he shook his head and closed his eyes again.

“Huu-goh safe!” he reminded me sternly, eyes still shut.

“Yes, sir!” I called back, bursting out the door and practically skipping all the way to the cafeteria.

It was fairly quiet, but there were enough Sahrks present that I didn’t feel alone. It took me a second to figure out how to get the fridge open on my own, but I managed, only to remember belatedly that I kinda needed to get plates first.

Everything here was so unnecessarily…complicated. Cupboards didn’t have handles, and the buttons that opened the drawers in the kitchen were as invisible as the ones in the hall. I quite literally had to molest the cabinetry just to get them open. Unfortunately for me, no plates were located on the bottom half of the shelves, which meant I’d have to get the ones up top that Roark usually grabbed.

I’d hoped they wouldn’tallbe up there.

I’d hoped in vain.

So I hiked a knee up onto the counter and struggled onto it. Safe. I’d promised to be safe, so I’d move nice and slow and easy.

There was an anxious murmur behind me, and as suddenly as I’d climbed up, I was yanked back to the floor with gentle hands. When I glanced over my shoulder I realized the person who had cupboard-blocked me was the same blue shark I’d met the day Roark had taken me aboard—his friend, Mala. Roark had said his name enough times I’d caught it, even without a formal introduction.

Mala emitted a short barking sound of amusement—like an asshole—as he shook his head, opened up the cupboard I’d been trying to get into, and pulled down two plates.

When I snatched them from him, he just laughed some more.

To my annoyance, Mala watched over me as I piled our plates high with the same bark stuff we always ate, grabbed utensils—located in the bottom drawer, thank goodness—and headed toward the doorway.

“Huu-goh,” Mala called my name before I could leave. I turned around and he beckoned me closer. It made me a bit nervous, but only because I didn’t know him as well as I knew Roark, and we’d never been alone together.

Mala pulled the fridge open while I watched. He rustled around for a moment, gesturing for me to hold still. When he was done, he had a bunch of drinks and what looked like a box full of donuts. My stomach rumbled and I gaped at him, before he jerked his head toward the door and led the way down the hall, his arms full.

When we made it back to the room, Roark looked alarmed when he saw his friend enter first. However, he relaxed the moment Mala stepped aside to reveal me standing behind him.

“Mala,” Roark greeted the other shark with a grin. He sat up straight, and with remorse I watched as my plan for a lazy night in bed went up in smoke. I huffed at the blue shark whobarked out another laugh and gestured at me with one drink-laden hand. He said something to Roark in sharkish that had him laughing as well.

Okay.

So they were actually friends, then.

And if the way Mala collapsed onto the bed beside Roark and passed him a drink was any indication, they were close. I didn’t know what to do, since I’d never really had friends like that before. And also because Mala was kinda inmyspot. And my hands were full. And he’d never been in our room before. So I kinda wanted him out.

Maybe it was a primal thing.

I had no idea.

He and Roark spoke for a few more seconds as I wobbled, trying to decide if this meant I should go back to my doggy bed or sit on Roark’s other side. It was a big bed, but the sharks were big too. And even though Mala’s body language screamed casual, I still floundered.

Roark, bless him, noticed.

His gaze snapped to me and he said something quietly to his friend before he held a hand out for me. I wasn’t sure what he wanted. The food maybe? Cheeks burning, I handed him his plate and bit my lip.

He frowned down at the plate for a moment before placing it gingerly on the nightstand and held his hand out again.

Okay, now I was confused.

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