We were making very slow progress.

Ross had placed my breakfast bowl in front of my cage, actually bothering to add steamed vegetables to the fresh meat so that I received a balanced diet. I nodded approvingly, then reached for the bowl to lift it through the small horizontal opening in the bars.

Ross put his foot on the bowl's rim, and I growled in response. Our gazes were locked.

As I said, very slow progress.

My tail whipped from side to side as I waited for him to speak up. Since he was taking his time to size me up, I debated aiming my claws at his leg to get his damn foot away from my breakfast, but I decided against it, thinking that I could still do that in case he dared to try and take my bowl away.

My fingers lingered right above the meat, and his foot remained on the rim.

I hissed at him to stop bothering me, especially because he'd started to think inappropriately again. His bright eyes narrowed, and he sucked in his bottom lip to gently gnaw at the sensitive skin. I added voice to my hissing, giving him a very disapproving snarl.

Unfazed, Ross rubbed the back of his neck, tilting his head aside. He seemed to debate something that he wasn't yet willing to talk about – and I wasn't willing to ask, though I definitely could. If I wanted to.

I pressed my lips into a thin line, but my curiosity got the better of me. "What?"

His eyes widened briefly, and his hand lingered on his shoulder. Smirking, he stepped away from the bowl that I quickly pulled into my cage. When I started eating, he sat down on his bed to watch.

I hated the feeling of his piercing gaze taking in my every move. It was unsettling to the point that I found myself shivering slightly, the hairs of my neck standing on end. The bastard needed a nice set of hobbies to tone down the harassment.

"I've never seen a pet like you. Most pretty much just look like human's with ears and tail," Ross said for whatever reason. I don't know if he was merely musing or had intended to compliment me, but I didn't care about either. "That's why I had to have you. My friends have been bothering me to get a pet for a while now, saying it would take off the edge."

My eyes narrowed at him, and I released a loud rumble from my throat that reverberated inside my chest. My lips curled back threateningly, daring him to continue talking about that 'edge' and see where that lead.

He rolled his eyes. "It's working wonderfully so far. Seriously, your whole defiance act is only making it worse. I'd thoroughly spank your ass if you weren't so difficult."

I shut up immediately. Why would he want to do that?

"Oh?" he made interested, apparently surprised by my sudden silence. "So the prospect of spanking is actually getting to you?"

Ears pressed flat against my head, I pointedly lifted my breakfast bowl and did a 180° turn, facing the wall instead of this pervert. There was no use talking to him, especially because I wouldn't know where to start explaining to him that his brain was wired wrong.

"Shit," he muttered, then took a hissing breath. He got up and left for the living room, firmly closing the door. Though he'd turned on the TV, my senses were too sensitive to ignore the ragged panting and soft moans. I tried to shut them out, but they seemed to force themselves onto me. The scent of his arousal was seeping into the room, and I suddenly found myself unable to concentrate on anything else.

My instincts forced a quiet mewl from my lips that made my body rigid with its neediness. Luckily, Ross was too occupied to notice the sound, maybe hadn't even heard it in the first place. Irritated, I glared at my groin. It was literally in pain while an invisible force kept pulling and pushing at it – and weirdly enough, my member was enjoying that very much.

I shifted uncomfortably, becoming increasingly restless. My ears perked up at the sound of a muffled scream and half a minute later, I could smell his ejaculation despite refusing to breathe through my nose. I only realized I was flehming when the scent of his pheromones sent a jolt down my spine that made my hips thrust involuntarily.

I dropped onto my side, then rolled onto my back, mewling frustratedly. My muscles were trembling, especially at my stomach, animated by the pulsing pleasure radiating from my erection. My instincts were demanding me to mate.

I never considered it, though. This human was intruding on my privacy, forcing a relationship onto me and using backhanded methods to make me comply. Worse, he had undeniably proclaimed his desire to have sex with me despite my unwillingness.

When I remembered him threatening to spank me, my hips twitch yet again to gain friction, eliciting a whimpered mewl from my throat. I brought my hands to my face, hiding my expression from this world that didn't care about me, and only moved again when I heard footsteps approaching. Ross opened the door, and I curled into a ball to hide my nether regions.

"What's wrong?" He frowned, looking straight into my eyes before examining every inch of my body. Though I hated being on display like this, I doubted that he was smart enough to figure out my condition.

My arousal wasn't ceasing now that he was this close. His eyes were still slightly glazed, and the colour of his cheeks hinted at the remnants of a blush. His lips were swollen and flushed. His fingers were smelling of soap – and cock.

I let out a discouraging growl, and Ross sighed, running a hand through his short hair. "Okay, fine. I've got to go to work anyway. I'll tell the system to unlock your cage, maybe that'll lift your spirits. Just don't touch the fridge."

I touched the fridge, of course, but that was later.

Ross left me on my own and true enough, the moment he was gone my cage unlocked. I ventured forth, capable to enjoy my freedom since he was gone and I safe, therefore.

His apartment was larger than I'd thought. The living room led to yet another living room that featured neat rows of books shelved on white boards lining the walls. A corner was reserved for reading, featuring a cosy armchair. A small lamp hovered above, and a book lay open on a small table next to it. I didn't pry, but only because I had never learned to read.

I found a storeroom first, then the spacious bathroom that I took an immediate liking to. After all, I was a tiger – not a cat. I loved swimming, though I'd rarely gotten a chance to before in my life. It came as no wonder then, that I decided to enjoy a steaming bath inside that beautiful hot tub that was larger than my cage.

I jumped inside, purring already.

"Do you want to take a bath?" a smooth female voice asked, and my ears shot back into my hair. I growled quietly, glancing around. Sniffing, I confirmed that I was alone inside the apartment.

"Do you want to take a bath?" the voice repeated with the exact same intonation.

It dawned on me that this was probably the home system speaking. There were no knobs associated with the tub, after all. I grumbled disapprovingly, inwardly blaming Ross for having such a high-tech apartment. After all, he'd thereby made sure that I wasn't able to do anything unless I talked.

After sulking for a minute, I finally spoke up, "Yes."

Nothing happened.

"Yes, I want to take a bath."

"Hot tub activated."

I flinch in surprise when suddenly, water gushed from the valves in thin waterfalls, filling the pool with steaming water. Delighted, I pawed at the warm puddle at my feet, then took a tentative lick. I purred loudly and drank my fill before I sprawled myself out in the rising water. Sounds of content continuously fell from my lips, especially once I was engulfed completely by the comfy warmth, and gusts of water were massaging my muscles.

I stayed inside the whirlpool for at least two hours. When I got out, an area to my right lit up green, and the system said, "Dryer activated."

Curious, I stepped into the stall lined by two walls. Once I was inside, gusts of air shot out from slits to both sides that were slowly moving downwards, dragging the water from my fur. I shook my body, sending the last droplets flying. This apartment was handy.

My paws were still leaving wet imprints on the floor, though.

"Water detected on the bathroom floor. Do you want the area cleaned?"

I ignored the system, and it didn't ask again.

Next, I looked for the kitchen. It was easy to find with only two rooms left, three if I counted the dining room associated with the open plan kitchen. The other was a guest room that I intended to use for my nap since it barely smelled off Ross. Weirdly enough, the kitchen lights weren't turning on upon my entrance. I frowned at that but tried to open the fridge anyway.

The door didn't budge. I snarled at it and used more force to pull. Of course, nothing happened.

"The fridge is locked. The kitchen area has been deactivated."

"Then reactivate the kitchen," I snapped at the ceiling.

"You are not authorized to give that command. Sorry."

My gaze turned into a glare that the system didn't care about. Eventually, I curled up beneath the guest blanket, though only after leaving a sign of discontent.

"Water detected on the kitchen floor. Do you want the area cleaned?"