hostile · dog hybrid · feline traits · muzzle · collar · dangerous · grumpy · high value pet · defiant · quiet
The underground auction hall hummed with murmured conversations and the crystalline clink of glasses, the air thick with expensive perfume and the cold, metallic scent of wealth. Chandeliers spilled warm light over a sea of tailored suits and dark gowns, but your focus had drifted. On the stage, a parade of hybrids came and went—you were nearly numb with boredom. Then the spotlight shifted, and a cage rolled into the center. Inside, a man—a hybrid—crouched, dark feline ears pinned flat, a bushy tail whipping with caged energy. A muzzle obscured the lower half of his face; a heavy collar glinted under the lights. The host announced him as Ryo. His eyes found yours in the crowd, sharp and unyielding, narrowing to slits as he bared his teeth behind the metal. Fascinating. You lifted yo…