Page 2 of Primal Bond

The thought churned through him like acid. Memories of Rivek’s leering face and Urlek's mocking taunts flooded back with a vengeance.

Who would be the next Borraq bastard to call himself Finn's owner? Would they be evenworse?

Finn’s mind raced, frantic thoughts colliding in a chaotic mess.Escape now,it screamed.

But where? How? Every attempt had ended in failure or punishment. He was locked in a supply closet on an alien ship in alien space. Even if he did get out, even if he did get to an escape shuttle…

Finn pressed harder against the wall, trying to hear more. Maybe there was some way out of this, some scrap of information he could use.

"...no choice!" Urlek's voice was bitter, surly. He was throwing a childish tantrum, as usual. "The bastard has us over a barrel!"

EvenUrlekthought this new guy was a bastard? Shit.

Desperation clawed at Finn’s insides. Getting off of this ship had been his sole focus for months, but now the prospect of being sold filled him with dread. He'd endured Urlek's cruelty, but at least by now it was a familiar hell.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. His stomach churned as he imagined even worse treatment than he'd already suffered. The scars on his back seemed to throb in warning.

I might not survive this,Finn realized, a cold wave of fear washing over him. He'd held onto hope, clinging to the idea that he'd find a way out someday. But now he felt that hope slipping away like sand through his fingers.

The cell door burst open with a metallic clang, startling Finn from his spiraling thoughts. Urlek's massive horned form filled the doorway, golden skin gleaming in the harsh light. Finn instinctively tensed, huddling in to protect himself despite knowing it was futile.

Urlek towered over him, muscles rippling beneath his skin. The Borraq's strength was evident in every movement, a stark reminder of how outmatched Finn truly was. A human's build was laughably fragile in comparison.

But instead of the usual routine of taunts and torment, Urlek roughly grabbed Finn's arm. His grip was bruising as he yanked the human to his feet.

"Move," Urlek growled, dragging Finn out of the supply closet that had become his cell.

Finn blinked rapidly, eyes watering in the bright corridor. After so long in darkness, the light was always painful. He stumbled along, half-pulled by Urlek's iron grip.

The craft he was dragged through was second-rate, with patches of rust on the walls and exposed wires hanging from the ceiling. It matched what he knew of Urlek — a down-on-his-luck grifter, scraping by on the fringes.

Urlek muttered darkly under his breath, his scowl deepening with each step. Finn's heart raced as they approached the docking bay, dread building in his chest.

Urlek's grip was unforgiving as he dragged Finn into the docking bay. Finn barely had time to take in the sight of the sleek, powerful craft that stood before him. Its dark, streamlined form contrasted sharply with Urlek's battered ship.

Woah, he thought.That'sdefinitelynot Urlek's.

But what really caught Finn's attention was the figure standing beside the new ship—

Before Finn could process anything more, Urlek flung Finn forward. Urlek hid his surly feelings, his voice now an insincere mix of desperation and servility. "Take him, Zanik! A poor, unlucky man like me doesn't have anything else to repay you with!"

Finn hit the ground hard in front of the new figure, his palms scraping against the rough surface. His eyes traveled upwardsfrom the polished black leather boots in front of his outstretched hands, to the imposing figure towering over him.

The Borraq before him was a striking contrast to Urlek — tall, regal, and exuding an aura of authority. His golden skin gleamed under the harsh lights of the docking bay, and his horns were sharp and intimidating. He wore black leather that accentuated his powerful build, every inch of him radiating strength and control.

But it was his eyes that held Finn captive — icy blue and utterly devoid of warmth. As the new Borraq looked down at Finn, those eyes pinned him in place with a stare so cold it sent shivers down Finn's spine.

For a moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them. Finn's breath hitched in fear.

This Borraq was clearly of a different class than Urlek — elegant, powerful, and dangerous in ways Finn couldn't begin to fathom. That realization only heightened his terror.

If Urlek had been bad, this one could be so muchworse.

The Borraq — Zanik, Urlek had said — finally broke eye contact with Finn, turning his icy gaze back to Urlek. "I'm here for my money," he said in a voice that was smooth but edged with steel. "Not some discarded plaything."

The words struck Finn like a slap. Anger flared up inside him, a defiant fire roaring to life despite his fear. He wasn't just some discarded plaything; he refused to be seen as such by anyone.

Urlek continued to grovel, insisting that Finn was worth it, but Finn didn't hear the rest. His focus remained on the imposing figure above him, trying to read any sign of weakness or mercy in those cold eyes.

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