Pet: Genesis - Chapter 35 (Patreon)

Remus

Conquer.

That’s all I’ve ever known. War, battles, and protecting my people have always been at the front of my mind. Being a leader has always been my main priority. Until she came along. I wonder how different things would have been if I had never laid eyes on her. Seeing her there, clearly frightened and outmatched yet still risking her life for others piqued my interest. But I should have just killed her or added her to the slaves where I would never have seen her again. I never should have taken her in.

Iris is asleep in my bed, her features lax of any emotion. Her body gave out from the amount of energy it was taking in. And up until an hour ago, it didn’t look like she was going to survive the transfer of my essence.

I bonded her to me. I hadn’t meant to, I understood her frustrations initially. She’s always been very vocal about her attachment to her planet. I expected her to give me pushback when it came to leaving. But when she tried to take her life instead of taking the one I had offered her, after everything we’ve been through… I snapped. She would still choose humanity who has offered her nothing but disappointment over me. And I couldn’t take the thought of her life being so fickle any longer. Nothing mattered other than claiming her.

My gaze shifts to her throat. Even now I can see the puncture wound. It won’t heal until her body is fully coded to my DNA. Already the symbols that belong to me are beginning to form on her body. Bonding is a very intimate act only my siblings and I can perform. It is something that was passed onto us from our mother to allow our lifemates to share our lives because not every species lives as long as we do. I can already sense the change in her bloodstream as her body begins to fit mine.

The last thing I wanted was to bond with Iris. She’s always been a distraction, but now she will be even more so, her emotions visible to me in our new shared state. It is something I’ve both admired and disliked about her, her ability to let her emotions rule her. I’ve been alive long enough to understand the negative impact being emotional can cause. I’ve learned to tamp down my emotion and live logically. But somehow she has awakened that side of me each time I’m in her presence.

What began as a curiosity has grown into something I can no longer control.

I take a seat next to where she lays admiring her. Her hair has grown significantly in our time together. When I first found her in that waste I had to remove it because of the heavy damage of living in those conditions. But now, it's beginning to grow past her shoulder blades.

I reach towards her face pushing her hair aside and she doesn’t stir. The slow rise and fall of her chest lets me know just how deep of a sleep she’s in.

“What do you want me to do?” I murmur as I study her.

Humans are a valuable resource among the galaxies. Though the humans of the solar system are unaware, their kind exists in other star systems. They are intelligent, and their bodies are compatible with most species that exist. Finding a planet-full so far behind in their evolution was disappointing, but the fact that they’ve managed to put up this kind of fight for so long is impressive.

However, my patience has run out for both sides. I know Iris will be disappointed if her brother gets caught in the crosshairs, but I’ve put it off long enough because of her. Clearly, I can’t control myself when it comes to her, so it’s time to put an end to this. The percentage of humans that are hidden within the resistance living as not only rebels but refugees is astounding. They’ve managed to create a society wherever they are hidden giving a large percentage of humans freedom. And if not taken care of immediately could lead to an uprising in the future. I can’t be here forever, and now that they have access to weapons that can harm the Leviathan, they are to be taken much more seriously.

I’ve treated them with grace long enough.

I look back at Iris when I notice a shift in her state. Bonding is an intimate act between us and our chosen. I should be excited for her to awaken and explain to her everything that this means, showing her the newest state of her body, but I’m not. I know that once she awakens there will be hell to pay. I eye her form, watching closely as my essence within her begins to form physically atop her skin.

I find myself smiling as I watch the process. The energy is forming my mark on her throat where I initiated the bond. It slowly appears as the puncture wounds heal, traveling across her collar bone before dipping under the thin shirt she wears. It’s done. Already I can feel her emotion weighing on me.

I also feel my own anger with myself for doing something so immature in a fit of rage. But it’s done now. I silently place my palm against her throat, focusing on the energy. She won’t like this once she awakens. When I remove my hand the symbol is gone; embedded under her skin until a time I feel is right to let her know what has happened and what it means for her life.

Taking in her sleeping form one last time, I stand to make my way into my office. Already the screen is flashing with a transmission. The screen flashes and Xion appears smiling back at me. I barely get a greeting out before she launches into how much she misses me and Ezra and everything that’s been going on at home. I smile as I take in her features, listening to her stories. I missed her. It’s nice to see a face that is excited to see me and speak with me after all this time.

I’m pulled from my musings when I pick up something that she said.

“Wait. You said Ezra contacted you?” I ask. She nods her head, visibly noticing my concern.

“When?” I ask.

“Just last week,” she says. I feel slight irritation but hide it.

“What did he say, exactly?” I ask.

“Just that he was on a mission and not to worry…” Xion takes in my silence, her mood shifting.

“Remus… is something wrong?” she asks. I mull over my options for a moment before responding.

“How would you feel about visiting this planet soon?”

Iris

Something is pulling me out of my sleep. It smells… sweet… mouthwatering. It calls to me. I’ve never smelled it before, but as I do I can only wonder how I ever lived without it. As my unconsciousness wanes, my senses come back to me. There’s a dull throb on the side of my throat and I open my eyes to reveal the familiar ceiling of Remus’s bedroom.

My mind slowly drifts to the cause of my pain. The ship, the mountain, my leap to death, and Remus’s reaction to it. I sit up in bed, my hand flying to my throat as I try and rationalize what happened. The room around me sways as a wave of nausea washes over me and I cry out softly from the pain on my throat.

“You shouldn’t be moving so much.”

I tense following the sound of Remus’s sultry voice. He’s standing in the doorway, his stark white hair falling carelessly over his face. There’s nothing holding it back or away from his features. He’s also wearing black for once, a stark contrast to the hue of his hair. I find myself warming at the sight of him, his appearance breathtaking.

Remus gracefully begins walking towards me like a predator towards his prey, his gaze studying me with a strange expression. He silently sits on the edge of the bed taking me in and when I look into those eyes, I feel all my resentment rushing back to the surface. All the suffering he’s caused this planet and its people. All the pain and torture he’s caused me rush over me in a blur, but even as I recall these things I can’t bring myself to move away from him. His scent is like a drug to me and I want more than anything to be close to him.

He places his hand against my cheek using his thumb to leave a warm trail across my skin. I don’t have the strength to push him away.

“What did you do to me?” I whisper. Tears spill down my cheeks as my brain fights with my body. Physically, I want him. But mentally, I despise him. And I can’t seem to get my body to understand that. Something isn’t right. Remus’s hand gently falls to my throat, exactly where the pain is and I shiver in pleasure when I feel the warmth emanating from his palm. It soothes me and dulls the pain. My hand instinctually lifts to rest over Remus’s enjoying the feel of his skin against mine and he notices, smiling to reveal those sharp canines.

I shudder as I recall the feel of those piercing my flesh. So it is a trait for something specific.

“I lost control...,” he trails off as he seems to be thinking about his next words.

“I lost control and I almost killed you,” he says with a straight face.

“… You bit me,” I say. It’s strange hearing those words aloud. But not as strange as enduring the act. I expect him to explain the foreign action like he normally would, but instead, Remus’s eyes twinkle in light amusement.

“Yes. I did.”

“Why?” I ask. He doesn’t respond, his eyes sweeping over me. He’s having an inner battle with himself and finally comes to a decision. His amusement vanishes as he focuses on me.

“Don’t toy with your life again Iris.”

The way he says the words are almost like a physical entity in itself. Something inside of me is convincing me that his concern is genuine and that he’s really worried about my life but as quick as I feel it, it disappears and I’m left with a cold emptiness.

My grip tightens around his before I gently pull his hand away from my body. And he lets me. He’s somehow different with the way he interacts with me. It sets me on edge.

“Don’t you see? I would rather die than spend another second with you,” I whisper. Even as I speak the words, my tongue feels heavy from the lack of conviction I feel.

“Congratulations, Remus you did it. You broke me… isn’t that what you wanted? To break me?” I ask. Tears spill down my cheeks as the words spill from my lips and Remus still has yet to respond. He’s only watching me and for once, I can read him.

“I don’t value life anymore. I have nothing to live for… nothing,” I sob.

Remus is silent and suddenly I feel his hand rubbing comforting circles around my back. I feel emotions that are hard to decipher wash over me and the moment I acknowledge them, they're gone. Remus is keeping something from me. I feel strange ever since I woke up.

“You have me now, Iris. I am your life now. As you are mine.”

My eyes widen from his words. Is this his way of professing his feelings for me? I shake my head, looking at him in confusion.

“No. You don’t mean that,” I say. He chuckles softly raising a brow at me.

“I don’t?” he asks in amusement.

“If you really felt that way, you wouldn’t force me to leave my planet, you wouldn’t do everything that you have done to me-”

“Those are humanity’s ways of living Iris. I am not human. Nor do I share an ounce of your traits and strengths. I do not need to adhere to your silly morals built for a seventy-year lifespan,” he snaps.

“And what about me? What makes you think I have to follow your morals?” I ask. He laughs again, putting me on edge.

“You don’t have a choice.”

Rage festers in me and my body is moving before my mind. I immediately move to slap him, but he catches my hand, his amusement still visible.

“What is it you want from me, Iris? You wish for me to abandon this planet and give up my search for my brother?” he asks.

“Yes! Your problems are not mine,” I growl. Remus narrows his gaze and his grip on me loosens.

“How about, we compromise?”

“Compromise?” I ask. Remus nods his head.

“I give you what you want, and in return, you give me what I want. While also, sacrificing.”

I vaguely register Remus moving closer to me, but my body yearns for it.

“You asked me why I wouldn’t just kill your people and take your resources. And I think you are ready for the answer,” he murmurs as he places a soft kiss along my throat. My heart begins to speed up from arousal or fear, I don’t know.

“You are unaware of this, but humans exist outside of Earth. They have different names for themselves of course, but the genetic makeup you share is exact. Humans' biological makeup is universally suitable to other species. You are a rare form, but very valuable because of your universal compatibility. To your earlier point of asking why I haven’t just killed all of you, the resistance has a lot of humans in its care. Enough that if I left this planet alone, it would combat the population I would like to have numerically. Thus, affecting the purpose of keeping humanity alive.”

Remus watches me carefully as he explains and the more he speaks the heavier my chest feels as my brain tries to figure out just what it is he is telling me.

“Your planet is abundant in resources that we know how to properly harvest without damaging the planet itself, unlike its inhabitants. Because your kind lacks any spectacular traits, your bodies are suitable for breeding outside of this planet. And as most of my empires inhabitants life spans exceed that of yours, the lack of repopulation-”

I shove away from Remus as panic sets in, my eyes traveling over his face.

“You want to breed using humans…”

I watch Remus in horror but he doesn’t seem to understand exactly what it is he is saying.

“Breeding wouldn’t be the only use, but it is the reason I cannot let the resistance continue to thrive and build a society on this planet.”

“Are you insane?” I whisper. Remus is calm though, watching me expectantly but I can’t find the words to express my anger. I think back to his earlier words as a headache begins to form.

“What kind of compromise do you think I would ever agree to that would allow you to do this?” I ask in horror. Remus silently pulls the pendant I almost threw into the ocean out of his pocket. He still doesn’t speak as he holds it out to me, his eyes never leaving mine. My hands are shaking as I take the pendant from him and we both know that he has me.

“Your life holds more value than you know. I suggest you figure out what is more important to you. Your life, or your brother’s?”