Page 115 of Pet: Genesis

I tense when I feel his presence. I know now that it is the bond between us. The emotions I felt in the resistance were his. The headache and pain I felt were because his essence was running rampant through my body without its owner to calm it down. And now, as he comes near me on the wooden deck, I feel somewhat at ease. Remus silently sits next to me, reaching for my hand. He gently pulls the pendant from my grasp, looking at it.

“You kept it,” he says. I nod my head. At the time, I felt such heavy guilt for what I thought had killed him. Now that he is back, I don’t know what to feel. Even his reaction to me is throwing me off. He refuses to punish me or at least be angry. He’s calm and patient.

“If I choose you, does that make me a traitor?” I ask. Remus laughs next to me, pulling my attention. He’s looking at the pendant in his hand with an actual smile on his lips. His gaze shifts to focus on me as he speaks.

“You’ve done this from the moment I met you, you know,” he says in amusement. “You think choosing to give in to your true desires places you on a side. Life is not black and white, Iris. It is gray. It is deeper than gray. It is a tumultuous mix of the colors not once solidifying to form a permanent one. Nothing about it is certain. I’ve told you this before. Admitting your planet is beautiful does not put you on the Leviathan side. Enjoying the pleasures of sex does not put you on the Leviathan side. Choosing life over an empty existence does not make you a traitor. If you think choosing me will mean you turned your back on your planet, then don’t choose me.”

Remus’s expression shifts as he reaches for my face. His knuckles gently brush against my cheek as he admires my features.

“Choose life,” he whispers.

“You fought for them, you sacrificed for them, and you were betrayed by them. You have done everything you possibly could for them. What is this guilt that clings so heavily to you?” he asks. “When will you make a decision that makes you happy?”

I know now that he is genuinely confused by my emotions. The day he bonded with me, we sat inside and he explained that he never understood me. It was something that drew him to me.

“I can give you life under an inhibitor. If you wish to drift into nothing for the sake of a race that doesn’t even know your name,” he says.

I shake my head in confusion.

“Why would you do that for me? Why wouldn’t you just... force me to stay by your side? Why do you want me to make this decision?” I ask. Remus pulls his hand away from my face, seeming to think about what it is he’s going to say next.

“You will continue to fight me if it is not what you want. I see that now and do not wish to force you.”

“And if I choose the inhibitor?” I ask. Remus studies me heavily before he leans close to me, pushing my hair aside. He gently places his lips against mine, his thumb lightly moving across my cheek as he kisses me.

He pulls away, his purple gaze vivid as he looks at me. “Then I have genuinely enjoyed our time together, Iris.”

He holds his hand out to me, and I look down to see the inhibitor in his hand. It’s strange something so small can control my entire being for the rest of my life. My fingers tremble as I reach for the silver dot in his hand. It’s so small, so light. My gaze shifts to Remus. He is once again focused on me, intensely studying me so that he can somehow understand me and my reaction.

My head is spinning as I try to make a decision—a decision for myself. Will I truly be happy by his side? Will I truly be happy letting go of my race? Can I live with myself?

I suck in a deep breath, finally coming to a decision.

Chapter Forty-Three

Remus

There are many ways to take over a planet. You can do so by infiltrating the society and collapsing it from within. You can wipe out its inhabitants by unleashing a disease or even a cleanse that will destroy its occupants. You can wage war. Or you can ask politely and wait for it to collapse into chaos.

When I made my decision to infiltrate Earth, I never considered adding one of its inhabitants to the equation. How would she handle the loss of her planet? How would she fight for it? How would she feel about the way her people are being used? The humans of this Earth have such a short lifespan that they don’t see the bigger picture when it comes to their planet. They plan for their lifetime, not caring how it affects future generations.

Of the planets I have conquered, Earth is among my favorites. It’s naturally beautiful. It’s as if the planet itself is a living entityhellbent on painting a vivid picture that its inhabitants refuse to acknowledge. It sits alone in its star system with no neighboring life to destroy it. I am glad that I discovered it before a more vicious race did. It is one of the most self-sufficient planets, creating millions of resources for its inhabitants to survive. And yet, they chose to harm it rather than nurture it.

I have enjoyed my time here, bringing the planet back to its former glory, much more so because of the one inhabitant who somehow captured more than my attention. When I think of the moments Iris and I first encountered one another, I find myself constantly looking for reasons as to why I didn’t kill her at that moment or even after. I meant what I said to her; I do not regret my decision to bond with her. Iris has shown me she more than deserves not only an extended life but a chance to see life beyond her world. She deserves to see the endless possibilities out there. The being I was when I first arrived on this planet and the being I am now are very different. She’s changed me in ways she will never know.

I find myself looking for ways to ease her pain and suffering, including this very moment. I silently push open the door to the room that holds prisoners of war. Iris’s brother sits silently atop the bed, his gaze rising to meet mine.

I’ve been watching his movements from the moment I discovered his existence. When Iris first came to me, I took blood and tissue samples not only to find any underlying disease but to detect any living family. It was sheer luck that the family I discovered was a key component in the resistance. I watched her risk her life onseveral occasions trying to save him, and not once did he care more for her than for his lost cause. He even let Iriel cart her away upon our arrival. I force the rage I feel down as I take a seat. The only reason I spared his life is because of her, but somehow, I don’t think he will be appreciative of that fact.

He silently sits in front of me, failing miserably to keep a calm façade. I can hear the sound of his heart beating and the slight tremble of his fingers as he sits across from me. Even the small dilation of his pupil is blatantly visible to me. I laugh as I take him in.

“I wouldn’t think someone so dedicated to his cause would be so fearful of my presence,” I say, studying him.

“Are you here to kill me?” he asks. I shift my gaze to the window, taking in the rugged rock formations of the desert. The mix of similar colors is fascinating.

“Of course not. I don’t think your sister would forgive me if I ever did such a thing,” I say absentmindedly. I look away from the window facing him, and he’s watching me with a strange expression.

“She’s alive?” he whispers.

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