Page 27 of Primal Bond

He forced himself to believe it, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach.

Footsteps echoed through the bay, pulling Zanik from his thoughts. He turned, and his breath caught in his throat.

Finn stepped into the docking bay, his usual oversized borrowed Borraq clothing replaced by something else entirely. The silver collar around his neck glinted under the harsh lights, and the scanty clothes left little to the imagination.

Zanik’s eyes traced the lines of Finn’s lean body, the exposed skin stark against the backdrop of the cold metal bay.

A strange mix of anger and desire flared within him. Anger at seeing Finn in such a vulnerable, degrading state — and desire that he struggled to push down, a primal instinct that had been simmering ever since Finn first defied him.

Finn’s expression was a mix of embarrassment and defiance. His cheeks flushed a deep red, but his eyes held that familiar spark of challenge. The human’s lips curled into a forced grin.

“Well, don’t I look fetching?” Finn’s voice was light, teasing, but Zanik could hear the strain beneath it. “Think they’ll buy that I’m your helpless little slave?”

Zanik swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. He couldn’t let his thoughts wander, couldn’t afford to lose focus. But Finn’s presence, the way he looked, made it nearly impossible.

“You look…” Zanik’s voice was rougher than he intended. He cleared his throat. “Like you’re ready to play the part.”

Finn’s grin widened, though his eyes betrayed his unease. “Good. Just don’t get too used to it, alright? I’m still me under all this.”

Zanik nodded, forcing himself to maintain his usual stoic expression. He couldn’t let Finn see the effect this was having on him. The human’s resilience, his spirit, had become a source of begrudging respect.

But now, seeing him like this, that respect mingled with something far more dangerous.

Kelara's voice crackled over the comms, cutting through the haze of his thoughts. "Boss, are you good to go?"

The sudden intrusion jolted him back to reality. He glanced over at Finn, who was still standing there, looking far too vulnerable and exposed for Zanik's comfort.

Shaking his head, he replied into the comm. "We're ready," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. He motioned for Finn to follow him into the shuttle.

They boarded the Ironclad's shuttle, a compact vessel barely large enough for two. Zanik stepped into the small cockpit, the cramped space making Finn's presence even more palpable. He could feel the heat radiating from the human, the scent of his skin distracting in ways he didn't want to acknowledge.

"Sit down," Zanik ordered, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Finn dropped into the co-pilot's seat, the movement making the silver collar around his neck glint in the dim light. Zanik focused on the controls, determined to ignore the way his peripheral vision kept drifting to all that bare flesh.

Finn's voice cut through the tense silence. "We're gonna break this club wide open, you know. Rivek won't know what hit him."

Zanik grunted in response, eyes fixed on the readouts in front of him. He activated the thrusters, feeling the shuttle hum to life beneath his fingertips. He brought up the navigation, plotting their course.

Finn leaned back in the co-pilot’s seat, eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and nerves. "We’re going to break his trafficking ring wide open," he said, voice filled with bravado. "Rivek won’t know what hit him. We'll get in, take him down, rescue the human, and be out before anyone else even realizes what’s happening."

Big words, but Zanik could see through Finn's bravado.

The kid was scared.

Zanik didn’t blame him. This mission was risky, and failure meant more than just their lives. It meant staying enslaved — or worse.

But Zanik had never been good at comforting words. So he just steered the shuttle out of the docking bay. The hum of the engines filled the silence that stretched between them.

Finn’s eyes darted to Zanik. "Are you even listening to me?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice. "We need to be on the same page here."

Zanik kept his eyes on the viewport. "I’m listening," he replied curtly.

Finn huffed, clearly dissatisfied with Zanik’s nonchalant response. "You’re ignoring me."

Zanik didn’t reply, flipping a few switches as he set the shuttle on autopilot. With the shuttle finally cruising on its own, Zanik leaned back in his captain's seat.

He was just starting to relax when he felt a sudden weight in his lap.

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