18 Floors Above the Apocalypse novel Chapter 129

If it weren't for Jasper's quick reflexes, he would've been badly scratched by the dog.

Cooper lunged forward, his robust body pushing him aside as he landed on Stella, asserting dominance. He didn't forget to bare his teeth menacingly at him, letting out a fierce "Woof!"

‘Back off, don't touch my human!’

He reacted so violently it scared Stella. If it weren't for their bond, and the fact that he was dependent on Jasper for food, she would seriously suspect he might bite Jasper's hand off.

Despite Cooper’s fierce demeanor, he was usually peaceful unless provoked, but displaying aggression towards his own people was a first.

When Jasper first started training with Stella, Cooper thought he was bullying her and tried to intervene, but he never showed his teeth like this.

"Cooper!" Stella sternly called out.

Not only was he jealous, but he was also bossy.

Cooper pushed his ears flat and whimpered, using his paw to push Jasper away, clearly expressing his resentment and baring teeth, again.

Jasper tried to reach out to soothe him, but was fiercely rejected.

Something was off with Cooper, and Stella quickly took him home. "Cooper, what's the matter?"

Stella was a little worried, wondering if some change was causing him to be aggressive and violent. But then he was wagging his tail and putting his ears down, completely unlike his earlier outburst.

"Were you trying to bite your trainer?" she asked, pulling his ear.

Well, just mentioning it made him bare his teeth again.

Cooper’s hostility was something Stella had seen before, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Since Cooper was a member of the 18th floor group, and he had witnessed everything, there was no point in hiding anything. She confidently admitted, "Cooper, your trainer and I are dating."

And there it was again, the baring of teeth.

Stella gently patted Cooper’s head to soothe him, "Don't worry. No matter what happens between him and me, you'll always be important to me."

Cooper was angry and turned his head away from her. Did she think she could fool a dog? Cooper had heard these promises before, and then he ended up at a butcher's shop. If he was so important, why was there someone else?

Despite his anger towards his owner, Cooper seemed desperate to hold onto something. He followed Stella everywhere, his eyes filled with sorrow, resentment, and deep unease.

A rabbit hopped over, only to be growled at and chased away by Cooper.

What a grumpy dog.

In the evening, when the walkie-talkie rang, Stella was about to pick it up, only for Cooper to snatch it and start chewing on it.

After a struggle, she managed to retrieve it. The casing was chewed up, but it still worked.

"Stella, come and have dinner."

"I'll pass. I'll make something myself today."

There was a pause on the other end, "Because of Cooper?"

Stella hesitated, "I don't know why, but his mood is a little off."

Due to his job, Jasper frequently dealt with the police dog base. Not only were there professional trainers, but also canine psychologists. He probably knew where the issue was. "How about I have a talk with Cooper?" he suggested.

Stella was skeptical, "I'm afraid you two will end up fighting."

"Cooper was abandoned by his previous owner, and even ended up at a butcher's shop. This must have had a huge impact on him. Usually, even in the worst conditions, pets are given away, not sold to butcher's shop. That's almost unthinkable unless something really terrible happened. You should try to calm him down first. If that doesn't work, I'll talk to him?"