Page 5 of Primal Bond

Zanik's eyes narrowed as he led Finn through the ship's corridors. The boy’s defiance reminded him of someone he hadn't thought about in years: himself, when he was much younger. The same burning need to resist, to fight against the chains binding him…

He had been like that once. Before everything went to hell.

A memory surged up, unbidden and unwelcome: Airen’s laugh echoing through the training grounds, a sound that had once brought warmth to Zanik's heart. Airen had been his closest friend, his confidant. It was Airen who had coaxed him out of his shell, who had seen potential in him when no one else did.

Airen's voice still rang in his mind after all these years, clear and vibrant. The two of them sparring under the blazing sun, their laughter mingling with the clash of weapons. Airen’s encouraging words and infectious spirit had made Zanik believe in himself.

Then came the frontlines. Airen had stood beside him on that fateful day when everything shattered.

Zanik had stumbled. Airen had paused to help him up.

That had been enough time for the human aiming the gun.

Zanik squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, forcing the memories away. He had replayed that moment countless times in his mind. The pain was a familiar companion now, an old wound that would never heal.

His decision not to return home after the war was one made in agony and shame. Facing his clan without Airen by his side seemed unbearable. He couldn’t look into their eyes and see the judgment, the guilt mirrored back at him.

So he'd stayed out in space, carving out a life as a smuggler instead. It was a life of constant motion and danger — a way to keep the ghosts at bay.

As they reached the bridge door, Zanik took a deep breath, pushing down the dark emotions swirling inside him. He couldn't afford to let them surface now — not with Finn watching his every move with those surprisingly sharp brown eyes.

He straightened his shoulders, regaining his composure. This was the life he chose — the only life for him now. There was no going back to what once was.

He glanced back at Finn one last time before opening the bridge door. "Keep up," he ordered curtly.

Finn followed without a word, but Zanik could feel the tension radiating off him.

Good. There was no room for weakness here. Only strength would do.

The Ironclad was a sleek, predatory beast. Zanik had invested years molding it into the perfect vessel for his needs. Streamlined for speed, its matte black exterior blended into the surrounding darkness of space, making it nearly invisible to prying eyes.

It was lean and mean, capable of running with just two crew: Zanik, and...

Kelara appeared as if conjured by his thoughts. Her tall frame moved with a mercenary efficiency, her sharp horns catching the ship lights. "Zanik, I have the latest from Delta Station—"

She halted when she saw Finn, her sharp eyes widening in surprise. “What in the lowest hells isthat?”

Zanik ground his teeth, the memory of Urlek's smirk fresh in his mind. "Urlek paid half his debt," he said tersely. "And that half now needs feeding and shelter."

Kelara's disdain was palpable. "That gutter scum," she muttered, her lip curling. "Always finding new ways to sink lower."

Her gaze shifted to Finn, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "It's a strange looking thing, isn't it? I've never seen a human in the flesh before."

"You're lucky," Zanik replied grimly. His icy stare shifted from Finn to Kelara. "What do you have to report?"

Kelara straightened, her expression snapping back to professional. "Rival smuggling lines near Delta are crossing ours," she said. "He's encroaching further into our territory."

The thought of his rival made Zanik’s blood boil.Rivek. A ruthless and dangerous rival, more snake than Borraq. He had no sense of honor, only a voracious appetite for power and wealth.

Zanik's fingers curled into fists at his sides. The rivalry with Rivek was a festering wound, one that seemed to grow deeper with each passing day. Both of them were gunning to be the sector’s top smuggler, and the stakes were getting higher.

The winner was going to take all. And the loser…

Well. Zanik would make sure that that wasn't going to be him. "What kind of activity?" Zanik's voice was cold, controlled.

Kelara glanced at Finn, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "He’s been intercepting our shipments, bribing our contacts. It’s getting bolder, more coordinated."

Zanik gritted his teeth. Every intercepted shipment was a slap in the face, a direct challenge to his authority. Rivek wasn’t just trying to expand; he was declaring war. "He's testing our lines."