Page 64 of Primal Bond

Zanik stepped back, the weight of his victory heavy in the air. He had done it. He had taken down the man who had hurt Finn, who had ruined so many lives.

“Finn!” he called out, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The air was thick with blood and sweat, but Finn's scent was there, near him. Zanik needed to find him, to hold him close—

Zanik reached out into the darkness, his hand brushing against warm skin. He pulled Finn into his arms, relief washing over him as they clung to each other, breathless and trembling.

Finn fit perfectly against him, their bodies melding together as if they were made for one another. Zanik felt the softness of Finn’s frame, the way he melted into Zanik's strength. It was a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them, a calm in the storm.

“We did it,” Finn admitted, his voice shaky. “You found me.”

“Always,” Zanik promised. A fierce protectiveness surged through him, but also something deeper — something softer.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you again,” Zanik vowed, holding Finn tighter, as if to shield him from the world.

Rivek's pained moan cut through the darkness, interrupting Zanik and Finn's moment. Zanik's muscles tensed, his grip tightening on his blade. He turned towards the sound, ready to finish what he'd started. "Step aside, Finn."

But Finn's hand wrapped around Zanik's wrist, halting his movement. "Wait," Finn said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "Don't."

For a heartbeat, confusion and betrayal flashed through Zanik. Did Finn really want to spare Rivek after everything?

But then Finn's hand moved to the blade, his fingers brushing against the cold metal. "Let me do it."

Pride swelled in Zanik's chest, fierce and overwhelming. His clever, tenacious little human never ceased to amaze him.

Zanik's larger hand enveloped Finn's, guiding it to the proper grip on his ancestral blade. "Like this," he murmured, his voice a mix of tenderness and instruction.

"Whatever you want, you can take," Zanik said, the words heavy with meaning beyond just this moment. He wanted to give Finn everything: comfort, safety, a future.

But right now, revenge — and freedom.

Together, they sank to their knees beside Rivek's prone form. Zanik's body curled protectively around Finn's smaller frame, shielding him even now.

Finn paused, his hand steady on the blade. "Aren't you going to try to talk me out of it?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his voice.

Zanik chuckled softly. "I know you well enough by now. That's not going to happen." He wrapped an arm around Finn, holding him close. "This is your choice."

As they knelt there, poised on the edge of this moment, Zanik's thoughts raced. He marveled at Finn's strength, at how far they'd come together. This wasn't just about revenge anymore — it was about Finn reclaiming his power, taking back what Rivek had stolen from him.

Rivek's voice rasped through the darkness, filled with venom. "I recognise you now…" he grated out. "An offcast. A toy that wore out its welcome. You're nothing but a plaything, a hole to fill—"

His words cut off in a wet gurgle. Zanik felt Finn shift in his arms, heard the fierce joy in his voice as he spat back, "You want a hole, huh?"

Pride surged through Zanik, fierce and primal. He tightened his grip on Finn, holding him close over Rivek's downed form. The air was thick with the scent of blood and sweat, but all Zanik could focus on was Finn's rapid breathing, the way his smaller body trembled with a mix of adrenaline and triumph.

This was their moment of victory. They'd done it together, taken down the monster that had haunted Finn's nightmares. Zanik's heart raced, a dark joy flooding through him. He'd protected what was his, and now Finn had claimed his own vengeance.

Suddenly, harsh light flooded the room. Zanik blinked, momentarily disoriented. Heavy footsteps marched in, the unmistakable sound of military boots on metal flooring.

"Everyone on your knees! Now!" a gruff voice commanded.

Squinting in the light, Zanik could see that the only people left in the club were Zanik, Finn, and the humans that Finn had managed to sneak away from their owners. All the otherBorraq masters had already fled in the confusion — right into the military's waiting arms.

Zanik's eyes adjusted to see General Terek leading a squad of armed soldiers into the club. The general's gun was raised, his posture ready for command. Unlike in his secret dealings with Zanik, his face was now a mask of stern authority.

Instinctively, Zanik bristled at the order. Every fiber of his being rebelled against kneeling, against showing submission. But he knew this was part of the plan.

He grit his teeth and slowly lowered himself to his knees, guiding Finn down with him. As he knelt, Zanik's mind raced. This was the endgame they'd planned, but the reality of it chafed at him.

He'd asked Kelara to call in an unprecedented favor. He'd let General Terek know about a hive where criminals gathered, a pile of bounties all in one place for anyone fast enough to gather them.

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