Page 13 of Primal Call

All around him, the raucous crowd jostled and leered, foul breaths hot on his face as they shouted out their bids with sickening relish. Jasper trembled, digging his nails into his palms until they bit through skin, the sharp sting grounding him against the rising tide of panic.

He could endure this. He had to. Giving in to despair now would mean relinquishing the last shred of defiance he could cling to in this waking nightmare.

So Jasper held his head high, fighting to keep his breath slow and even as the numbers continued to climb. He refused to crumble before their stares, refused to surrender his pride and dignity even as their vile words threatened to strip it away.

A new voice, deep and authoritative, cut through the frenzied bidding.

"Eight hundred."

Jasper's head snapped up, breath catching in his throat as his gaze collided with the Borraq hunter's piercing stare. The Borraq's expression was unreadable, but there was a weight behind those two words.

Rivek blinked, clearly taken aback by the commanding bid. His beefy hand tightened in Jasper's hair as he leaned in, cruel amusement twisting his features. "Well now, looks like this one really caught your eye, eh?" He gave Jasper a callous shake, baring his teeth in a mocking grin. "Can't say I blame you. He is a pretty little—"

"I want his medical expertise," the hunter stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Nothing more."

An incredulous silence answered him. Jasper's brow furrowed, his racing heart stuttering at the unexpected claim. Medical expertise?! He searched the hunter's face for any hint of deception, but it remained an impassive mask, betraying nothing.

Rivek was the first to recover, throwing back his head with a bark of laughter. "His medical expertise? This scrawny human?" He sneered at Jasper in disdain. "There are much better uses for those soft hands than—"

"Eight hundred," the hunter cut him off, flat and final.

The slaver's crass mirth died on his lips. His small, greedy eyes narrowed as he studied the unwavering Borraq, weighing the sizable bid against the lure of further entertainment at Jasper's expense.

Greed, unsurprisingly, won out. "Going once at eight hundred," Rivek growled, nostrils flaring. "Any other takers?"

A low rumble of muttered curses answered him. The hunter remained stoic and silent, holding Jasper's stare with an inscrutable intensity that made his pulse pound.

The other Borraq were clearly put off by the abrupt shift in tone, their lewd enthusiasm dampened by the hunter's calm resolve. One by one, the other bidders backed down with sullen grumbles and averted glances.

Rivek sneered, but gave a curt nod, clearly recognizing when he was beaten. "Sold for eight hundred!" he barked, dragging Jasper forward with a vicious yank.

He shoved Jasper towards the hunter with a look of disgust. "Medical expertise, pfah. You liar. He's all yours, for whatever perverted needs you've got planned."

Jasper stumbled, catching himself just before colliding with the hunter's powerful frame.

Up close, the Borraq's sheer size and physicality was even more overwhelming, all sinewy muscle and primal strength barely leashed.

But it was the eyes, boring straight through Jasper with that same indefinable intensity, that held him immobile, rooted to the spot. There was something there, lurking beneath that stern veneer.

"Let's go," the hunter said.

Chapter six

Kyral stood on the ridge, the chill of the polar wind biting through his coat. He squinted into the horizon, gauging the weather. Zee sat by his side, her scales shimmering in the weak sunlight.

There was no snow yet. That was good. He'd be able to make good time today.

Or maybe not, considering the reckless thing he'd done last night…

He glanced back toward the frontier outpost. He still couldn't believe he had bought the human. All his savings, the coin he'd scraped together for this quest… gone in an instant.

"Foolish," he muttered to himself, rubbing his temple. Another wave of pain threatened to surge. Zee whined softly, sensing his discomfort.

He couldn't think about why he saved Jasper. He wouldn't let himself dwell on it. Jasper was a medic, that's all. A practical decision. With his pain, having a medic around made sense.

Kyral ran a hand over Zee's head, seeking comfort in her steady presence. The zytha's warmth seeped through his gloves, grounding him in the moment.

"Just a sensible purchase," he told himself.

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