Taming Beasts | MxM | Petshop

Part 4

It became part of Ross' daily routine to eat in front of my cage, and he always kept a bowl filled with raw meat around. My sense of smell was ensnared not only by horse but also exotic flavours like ostrich and antelope, which Ross mentioned as if it was some negligible detail.

I cracked on the third day.

He'd just finished his breakfast and picked up the bowl to remove it from the bedroom, something he hadn't done at all since I arrived. Weirdly enough, having the food around provided some comfort for my starved body, deluding it into thinking that I might be fed any time. When Ross threatened to take that away, a pleading mewl slipped from my lips.

We both stared at each other, neither moving more than necessary to breathe. I couldn't say who reacted first. His lips pulled back into a smirk the same moment my ears pushed back against my head. While I was tempted to snarl at him to prove my point, starvation had succeeded at turning me a tad docile.

"Yes?" Ross asked, raising his eyebrows.

My tailed whipped left and right while my ears stayed glued to my scalp. I was hungry, so damn hungry and the bastard was starving me. Then again, he wasn't exactly going to let me die, was he? I debated the issue, desperate to get my hands on that meat.

In the end, I concluded that he had made it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to submit to me, leaving me no choice but to follow his commands lest I intended to starve. After all, he had been able to afford to buy me, so he had enough money to care very little if that investment went awry.

I meowed quietly, hoping he'd get the indication.

Ross sighed. "Moondrop, we already discussed this. I don't speak cat, and that's final."

He damn well knew what I wanted, and we hadn't discussed anything since that would've involved my active engagement in the conversation. I narrowed my eyes at him, a low growl resonating at the back of my throat.

"Fine."

I fell silent immediately, knowing him well enough by then to tell that this word meant he was going to leave me and continue with his day. My hands shot up to cling at the bars, long fingers completely wrapping themselves around the thick metal. I pushed enough of my ego aside to give him my big kitty eyes, hoping that was going to be enough.

What I had not expected though, was his sharp intake of breath at the sight, accompanied by a sudden release of pheromones. Despite the impulse to scurry off into my corner, I stayed where I was, uncertain whether it was the right decision. I didn't want him to entertain those fantasies, but I also wanted to get my meat.

It was mine, damn it. I couldn't stand the thought of watching him eat the gently roasted pieces yet again this afternoon.

He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth, never realising me from his intent stare. By the time he decided to speak up, the stench of his leaking precum was making me uncomfortable. It was one thing to smell that when he was having nice dreams while sleeping, and another when it happened while he was looking at me.

"Do you want this?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. When he didn't hand over the bowl, I felt utterly stupid.

He kept watching me for another minute before finally, he reached into the bowl. My ears perked up at the sound of meat squishing between his fingers. He tossed the piece in my direction, and I easily caught it mid-air, then gobbled it down. I licked my lips hungrily, most of my dignity forgotten.

"You want another?"

There was a notable bulge in his pants by then, but I nodded nonetheless. It came easier to me since I knew I was going to be rewarded – and being able to eat sent my mind into a blissful frenzy. He threw another chunk at me that I annihilated within two seconds.

He was already holding another bite in his right hand. His gaze was clouded by a lust I wasn't willing to confront. "Good boy, Moondrop. That's right. You want this one as well, don't you?"

Slowly, he edged closer to my cage, holding out the meat towards my face. My eyes narrowed then, as the scent of his arousal washed over me. That filthy human was planning to lay his hands on me, and I wasn't going to have that.

My paw darted out reflexively, striking at his arms. Cursing loudly, Ross jumped back, evading my claws but dropping the bowl while he got out of reach. I quickly collected the scattered meat, pulling in back into the supposed safety of my cage. When I looked at Ross, who's eyes were wide while he was panting heavily, I purred with content, then picked up a chunk of meat to thoroughly chew on.

"Fucking cat," he murmured with a shake of his head, though a moment later, a smile spread across his lips. Irritated, I retreated further away, taking my meal with me. He actually chuckled. "Well, you lasted three days, let's see how well you fare after another three."

I snarled at that cruel, selfish excuse of a human being, unable to do anything else.

"And just so you have enough time to think about your attitude, I won't be giving in no matter how nice you decide to beg." He was smirking by then.

I hissed in pity defiance. No one had tried to starve me before, and I wasn't taking kindly to it. He eventually left me alone so I could have the longest meal I'd ever had, savouring every ounce. Since my stomach was filled for the moment, it took some time for reality to catch back up with me.

It pretty much came crashing down when he didn't refill my water bowl. I'd placed it outside my cage, using a horizontal opening in the bars just wide enough to push the bowl through. Before, he'd always picked it up and placed it back filled with fresh water, but that wasn't happening anymore.

I glared daggers when he picked it up, turned it in his hands, and tossed it aside. My body flinched at the noise of the bowl hitting the floor. The sound was ringing in my sensitive ears.

"You might also want to consider speaking the next time you want something." My eyes narrowed further at the remark. "But don't worry, you still have another two days, though I won't say it's not going to help if you speak up sooner."

I snapped. "Fuck you!"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but the insult completely missed the point. He grinned smugly. "Not exactly what I had in mind, but we're making progress."

"Fuck your progress!" I rose to my feet with a start, apparently surprising him with my height since his eyes widened slightly, and his lips formed an O-shape. I growled loudly, then paced the bars back and forth while my tail whipped through the air.

Ross brought a hand to his mouth, hiding part of his expression. His eyes were following my every move, though. "It seems you can speak rather well, then."

I narrowed my eyes and pressed my lips into a thin line, refusing to allow my outburst to take away any more of my dignity. My voice still resonated in my throat, keeping the growl alive.

"Nothing else to say?" When I didn't reply, he just shrugged. "Fine."