Page 36 of Primal Bond

Finn looked up at him, uncertainty flashing in his expressive eyes. Zanik sensed the tension between them, the unspoken connection that pulled at his resolve. He couldn’t let that affect him. Every time he thought about the danger Rivek posed, the memory of Finn’s vulnerability pushed back against the heat building inside him.

Zanik’s jaw tightened as he led Finn through the thrumming chaos of the club. The memory of their last visit nagged at him, unrelenting.

He had watched Finn slip into a haze, the light in his eyes dimming as the ghosts of his past took him. Zanik remembered how Finn had trembled, the way his breath had quickened, the panic rising like a tide, threatening to drown the fire that had initially drawn Zanik in.

It had felt like a knife twisting in Zanik’s gut, knowing he had to maintain his facade. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t let Finn be scarred by this mission. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him, reminding him that he had the power to shield Finn from the horrors of their world.

Zanik would do anything to protect that spark — the fire that ignited his curiosity the moment he'd first laid eyes on Finn. He wouldn’t let the darkness consume the boy who had managed to pierce through Zanik’s own hardened shell.

Rivek needed to be taken down, not just for the sake of control over the sector, but for Finn’s revenge. Zanik tightened his grip on the leash, reminding himself of the stakes.

They had to succeed.

He felt the weight of eyes upon him as he led Finn by the leash. Each step was a reminder of the role he had to play. He couldn'tglance back, couldn't let his gaze linger on the boy following one step behind.

It cut at him. No-one told him what he could and couldn't do.

A club server rushed over, her expression shifting from surprise to a practiced smile as she took in the sight of Zanik and his pet. Clearly, the staff had been instructed to give their new patron the red-carpet treatment. “Welcome, sir! There's a table for you this way.” She gestured for Zanik to follow, guiding him through the raucous crowd toward a table nestled in a private corner.

Zanik settled into his seat, his posture relaxed yet alert, keeping his senses tuned to the ebb and flow of the club. He ordered a drink, his voice steady, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Finn lowered himself to the floor beside Zanik's feet, a position that at first had felt degrading — but now simply felt tactical.

As he sipped his drink, Zanik surveyed the club. Rivek was…

Not here. Finn's body language mirrored his disappointment. Zanik could read it without needing words. The way Finn's shoulders sagged slightly, the flicker of his gaze as he scanned the room — it all told Zanik that Finn shared his frustration.

Another wasted trip, another time putting Finn at risk by exposing him like this.

Where was that bastard hiding?

Zanik sat back, feigning nonchalance as he surveyed the room. His muscles tensed slightly when Yaren approached, the other Borraq’s gaze sharpening as he spotted Zanik. There was a flicker of suspicion in Yaren's eyes that set Zanik's instincts on edge.

“Zanik,” Yaren greeted, his tone smooth but edged with curiosity. “I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”

Zanik nodded, keeping his expression cool. “Business is business, Yaren. You know how it goes.”

"Business is business, yes," Zanik repeated, his tone casual.

Yaren's eyes lingered on Finn for a moment too long.Damn. He must have noticed why Zanik had left last time.

Zanik's grip on the leash tightened. He knew what Yaren was thinking. No true owner would care about their pet being scared. If Zanik had truly been one of them, he wouldn't have spared a single thought for Finn's wellbeing.

But Yaren had clearly seen something in Zanik's demeanor. It made Zanik's fingers twitch with the urge to break the other Borraq's neck then and there.

Yaren strolled past Zanik and Finn, a confident smirk on his face and his own human pet trailing behind him like a shadow.

Zanik’s gaze sharpened as he caught sight of the other Borraq's companion. The human moved with a deliberate grace, but Zanik recognized a subtle hitch in his posture — the way the human's foot turned just slightly…

As the slave walked past Finn, he tripped, crashing to the floor. Heads turned at the sudden movement, the club's guests craning their necks to see what happened.

This was a rookie ploy. Too obvious, too banal. Zanik rolled his eyes in irritation.

“Careful there!” Yaren exclaimed, turning to Zanik with a mocking grin. “Your pet tripped my slave. You'd better keep him in line!”

Zanik opened his mouth to cut Yaren down — but before he could, disaster struck.

Finn looked indignant, the fire in his eyes flaring. “I didn’t do it!” he blurted out, his voice cutting through the murmur of the club.

Zanik's heart raced. He felt the weight of every gaze in the room shifting toward them.

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