Twice Claimed By the Monster I Abandoned. Chapter 15: Is That Your-

"Alright, Kree." Athiel sighed, clearly disappointed.

Because on the way back to the lab, within a blink of Athiel’s eyes, Kree’s two extra arms and tentacles had disappeared.

’At least I know one way they co out,’ Athiel thought, leading Kree back toward the chains.

"We need to find other ways to trigger your tentacles and extra arms instead of depending on outsiders," Athiel said, running his fingers through his hair. "We’ll work on that tomorrow. I’m probably already in trouble. Dinner with family is waiting."

Why was he even telling the creature that?

It’s not like it could fully understand him.

Athiel placed the shackles back onto Kree’s wrists, securing them with a firm click. Then he looked up at him.

"I’ll be back to check on you tonight, just to make sure you don’t throw a tantrum," he said. "But that will be after I sleep."

"Master?" Kree tilted his head.

"No tantrums, understood?" Athiel said, voice firr.

’Or else I’ll have to punish you.’

Athiel turned around.

"Before I go, let check on my other specins," he added, glancing toward the cages. They were special grade, carefully designed so that each monster remained contained, no matter what it tried.

"Let see what condition the rest of you are in," he murmured, more to himself than to them.

The mont he approached, the reaction was imdiate and almost funny.

So of the creatures shifted back into the corners of their enclosures. Others went completely still, as if pretending not to exist would spare them from attention.

Athiel exhaled softly.

’Still terrified. Good.’

They better be.

He stopped in front of the smallest enclosure first.

"Froggo," he said, crouching slightly.

The creature’s four eyes blinked in uneven sequence. Its body pressed flat against the stone, as if trying to make itself smaller.

Athiel tapped the glass lightly.

The tongue flicked out halfway in panic, then imdiately recoiled.

"Hm. Reflex is still there," he said. "No signs of overstimulation. I saw a few of your kind yesterday, bigger than you. I might replace you one day, or maybe add another to your enclosure."

He straightened and moved on.

The Thornhound watched him from the far side of its enclosure, vines twitching faintly along its body. Its claws dug into the ground, as if resisting the urge to either flee or lunge.

"Still rooted," Athiel noted with disappointnt. "No new escape attempts. I enjoyed studying your thods."

Athiel sowhat enjoyed all its attempts to escape.

The vines gave a faint, irritated snap in response.

Athiel just smiled. "That’s why I nad you Johnson Jr. You remind so much of him."

Next was the Petal Seraph.

It didn’t even look at him.

Its head was turned away, soft petals trembling slightly as it released a faint mist into the air.

"Still pretending I’m not here?" Athiel said mildly. "Interesting."

Whether it was a defense chanism or Athiel took it too far with the punishnts, he didn’t know.

He waved a hand through the air, then paused.

"No excessive pollen, though, that’s impressive," he added. "You’ve learned."

He moved on without another glance.

The Emberclaw Lynx shifted the mont he approached, claws scraping against the stone as faint heat rippled from its body.

Athiel pressed a hand briefly against the reinforced barrier.

"Temperature’s stable," he said quietly. "Try not to burn yourself out again."

The Lynx let out a low, crackling growl.

Athiel ignored it.

The Mirewhisper Crane let out a soft sound as he passed.

"...Athiel..."

The voice was almost perfect.

Almost.

Athiel didn’t even slow down.

"Right, I forgot you can speak too, but you only mimic words using other people’s voices. That’s not as impressive as a Monster who might really talk."

The creature fell silent imdiately.

He continued down the line.

The Velvet Mothram lowered its head, wings folding tightly against its body. The Gloomtail Viperfox curled in on itself, tail tucked beneath it as if hiding it from view. The Bloomback Tortoise remained motionless, its shell dimly glowing in the low light.

All of them are quiet.

All of them are careful.

Athiel paused.

Then let out a quiet breath.

"I suppose I’ve neglected you," he said, his tone almost thoughtful.

The creatures did not respond.

"That’s unfortunate," he went on. "But I’ve found sothing more interesting."

’Much more interesting,’ he thought, a faint smile forming.

He finally stopped in front of the last enclosure.

The Riftmane Stag.

It didn’t shrink back.

It didn’t pretend.

It stood tall, its distorted antlers warping the air around them as it stared directly at him.

Hostile. As usual.

The mont Athiel stepped closer, the space around the stag flickered faintly, as if it were considering tearing itself elsewhere.

"Still angry," Athiel said. "But you’re not attacking anymore, are you?"

The stag let out a low, distorted sound, the air around it vibrating unnaturally.

"Hrrraaa..."

Athiel’s smile widened slightly.

"Yes, yes," he murmured. "I rember. You never did like ."

The stag shifted, hooves scraping sharply against the ground.

Athiel leaned in just slightly, as if amused by the tension.

"But you’re still here," he added softly.

’And still mine.’

The stag’s antlers warped again, a brief distortion in space that flickered and then settled.

Athiel straightened.

"Good. None of you has deteriorated," he said, almost absentmindedly.

That was all that mattered.

He turned away from the cages.

"Try not to die while I’m gone," he said with a hint of humor as he walked away.

None of them moved.

None of them made a sound.

Athiel made his way toward the exit, brushing dust from his sleeve as he approached the door.

’Dinner,’ he thought, feeling mildly annoyed. ’Then whatever lecture Father has planned.’

He reached for the handle.

And then—

Sothing wrapped around his arm.

The grip was tight.

Athiel froze.

Slowly, he looked down.

A black tendril coiled around his wrist.

A tentacle.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

’Again?’

He turned.

"A-Athiel..." The tentacles stretched from his lower back, wrapped securely around Athiel’s arm as they pulled.

Fast.

Too fast for him to react.

Athiel barely had ti to react before he was dragged back.

"Kree—"

The force yanked him off balance, pulling him sharply toward the creature.

’Shit,’ Athiel cursed inside his mind. ’Did I finally aggravate it?’ He thought as he prepared himself for whatever impact was coming.

However...

What ca next wasn’t pain.

Nothing of that sort.

Athiel wasn’t being attacked. Instead, he felt arms wrap around him. Strong arms. Large. Tight.

"Oh." Athiel blinked, looking up at the tall monster. "Now this is odd."

"Athiel..." Kree whimpered, hugging him even tighter. "Athiel... Athiel..." The tone was desperate.

’I know it likes affection, but I didn’t think it would like it this much,’ Athiel thought, unsure of what to do.

He was fascinated.

But also... uncomfortable.

"Oh well, you did take the initiative. At least now I know wanting affection also makes your tentacles co out," Athiel said with a small sigh. He slowly raised his hand and placed it against the creature’s face. "You’ve been really good, Kree."

Kree stared down at him, his arms still wrapped securely around Athiel’s body.

"You’re a good boy, now aren’t you?" Athiel continued, praising him, testing if it would be enough to make him let go.

But instead—

The tentacles tightened around Athiel’s wrist.

Not only that.

"Wait..."

Athiel felt sothing press against his stomach.

Sothing growing.

Sothing firm.

His brows furrowed.

’Is it another arm? Did his—’

Athiel glanced down to see what it was.

And froze.

His mouth parted slightly, eyes widening in realization.

"...Is that your dic—"