Page 113 of Pet: Genesis

“Breathe,” Remus commands. He inhales, coaching me through the process as I finally come down from my panic. The sound of waves fills my senses, and I immediately look around, recognizing where we are. We’re on the beach. It’s the same beach I was brought to after the resistance attacked and almost killed me. Where Remus consoled me about my brother and professed his feelings for me, that he would never let humans have me.

We’re sitting in the living room, the floor-to-ceiling window open to reveal the peaceful shoreline. I note that my body has been fully healed. There isn’t even an ache or soreness from my injuries. Remus has healed me during my time under the inhibitor. My gaze shifts to the waves that touch the sand lightly before dipping back into the ocean, letting it calm me before I find the courage to look Remus in the eye. Discomfort coils deep in my gut as I take him in. He’s wearing light clothing that matches the climate, his white hair pulled high away from his face. His face is as perfect as I remember, not a blemish in sight on his smooth skin. Not even a bruise from battle. He’s very much alive and in front of me, watching me with a strange expression.

“You scared me for a moment. I thought you weren’t going to come back to me,” he says softly. I don’t know if he’s referring tothe inhibitor or my escape into the resistance. I can’t even tell if he’s angry. He’s terrifyingly emotionless as he looks at me. I know he should be filled with rage from my blatant betrayal and everything I’ve done, but he doesn’t seem to be displaying it as he looks down at me.

“Does the reality of the world terrify you that much? That you would hide behind an inhibitor you once loathed?” he says as his thumb runs over my cheek comfortingly. More tears pool in my eyes, but I blink them back as he watches me.

“You were dead,” I say. He stops the comforting motion, pulling his hand away from my face as he considers how to explain his miraculous survival to me.

“I was never dead. But you did force me to realize something when you fired that weapon. You weren’t going to take my words into consideration about the freedom you seek and the people you tried to save. I needed to let you see it for yourself,” he scoffs. “I assume you saw more than you needed for you towantan inhibitor.”

I look away, unable to face him. Jude’s death still weighs heavily on me. I don’t know the condition of my brother and after he let Iriel take me away, I don’t care. The humans that were hiding away in that cave planned to let us all die on the outside and attempt to take the planet once the population had been thinned. Jude and I risked everything on the outside on multiple occasions, enduring hell so that the world could be free. And the people we risked it for never meant to bother. They used us. We were only disposable rats for them. Even my rescue was to protect themselves should theirplans go south. The bitter reality is that human nature is vicious. And Remus let me have a front-row seat to it.

“How did you survive the weapon?” I whisper, trying to change the subject.

“I already told you, Iris. There is nothing on this planet that can kill me. Was it worth it? Your betrayal, your fight, your sacrifices? Were they all worth it?” he asks. I look at him now that his tone has shifted. His eyes show anger as he studies me, and I suddenly realize what he means by my betrayal. He isn’t speaking of my attempt to kill him.

He’s speaking of Jude.

“How do you—”

“Do you remember that day in the mountains? When you tried to end your life?” he asks. His voice is gentle as he speaks. I slowly nod my head, the events of that day playing back as if on cue. It was raining... he lost control and bit me.

“I didn’t just lose control with you.” He reaches up, pulling the collar of his shirt aside to reveal the pulsating symbol on his chest. My eyes widen as I take it in suddenly remembering the events right before he showed up, including a similar marking showing up on my skin.

“We are bonded.”

I blink in confusion, the room suddenly feeling less comforting as he watches me.

“What does that mean?” I ask in a shaky whisper.

“When I bit you, I bonded you to me. Not only did I give you my essence, but I put it in your bloodstream. You now share my life.”

I suddenly feel lightheaded as millions of questions hit me.

“When you first awoke in the resistance, did you feel sick? Uneasy? Emotions that did not make sense to you?” he asks. I slowly nod my head, unable to form a response.

“Initially, I embedded your marking and closed off our existence from one another. I planned to tell you about it once you were better adjusted to being by my side. But with the attack and the weapon, I was weakened and not in control of the bond, hence my emotions filtering into your mind.” Remus continues to explain, but I find myself slowly losing my grip on reality as he speaks.

“You... were in my head the whole time?” I ask. Remus laughs, shaking his head.

“Not in the way you think. I cannot roam in your mind and sift through your memories and thoughts. I can, however, feel what you feel, including your misplaced lust for another. For you, the bond is a one-sided pact. Since you are human, you only receive the benefits of it—”

“Is that how you knew where the resistance was? Because of the bond?” I ask. Remus nods, once again gauging my reaction. I’m partially grateful he doesn’t just use the bond to invade my emotional space. He seems content to figure me out on his own. Suddenly, Ezra’s reaction to my presence comes to mind.

“Is that why Ezra was confused about my presence?” I ask in horror.

Remus once again nods his head.

“You carry my essence within you now.”

“But Iriel didn’t sense it,” I say in confusion.

Remus chuckles. “Essence is only something my siblings and I can sense. It is not a Leviathan trait. Iriel damned himself the moment he brought you back.”

I shake my head in disbelief. Remus bonded to me? I’ve never even heard a term used in such a way, and Remus did it to me. Panic begins to settle in as I consider what this entails exactly.

“Why would you do this to me... you hate me!” I shout.

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